1970 Great Eight League

Through Game #41.

Game Results:

Baltimore 6 Pittsburgh 4 Eleven Innings

WP- Eddie Watt (4-2) LP- John Lamb (1-2) SV- Pete Richert (3)

Pittsburgh went into the top of the ninth, with a 4 to 2 lead, needing 3 outs from Dave Giusti, for the win. He faltered, giving up two doubles and two singles, allowing Baltimore to tie the game. It moved into extra innings and Pirates reliever, John Lamb allowed two more runs in the top of the eleventh as the Orioles went on to a 6 to 4 victory.

Minnesota 3 Los Angeles 4

WP- Don Sutton (2-5) LP- Jim Perry (4-3) SV- Jose Pena (1)

HR- Billy Grabarkewitz (3), Tom Haller (5); Rick Renick (1)

Trailing, 3 to 1, in the last of the fifth, Wes Parker doubled, then Billy Grabarkewitz and Tom Haller hit back-to-back home runs, leading Los Angeles to a 4 to 3 win over the Minnesota Twins. Don Sutton earned just his second victory.

New York 5 Cincinnati 4 Eleven Innings

WP- Gary Waslewski (2-2) LP- Jack Cloninger (1-1) SV- Jack Aker (6)

HR- John Ellis 2 (5), Bobby Murcer (5); Lee May (4)

With the score knotted at 4 all, the game moved into extra innings. With two out in the top of the eleventh and the bases loaded, Tony Perez made a disastrous error, allowing Horace Clarke to score the go-ahead run. Jack Aker set the Reds down in order, to seal the 5 to 4 win and notch his sixth save.

Oakland 4 Boston 3

WP- Catfish Hunter (5-3) LP- Ray Culp (4-2) SV- Mudcat Grant (2)

HR- Campy Campaneris (8); Carl Yastrezmski (7), Jerry Moses (1)

In the third one run game of the day, Oakland’s Catfish Hunter got the best of Boston’s Ray Culp, in a 4 to 3 win. Culp had probably his worst outing thus far, allowing four runs on eight hits, while walking four. He also committed an error on the mound. Hunter limited the powerful Red Sox lineup to just three hits, though two of those were home runs.

Standings and Leaderboard courtesy of http://www.cardanddicebaseball.com

Game #41 Recap.

The Baltimore Orioles are in sole possession of first place by one game over Boston. That’s the first time this season any team other than the Red Sox has held that position. Baltimore is on a four-game win streak, while Boston has dropped three in a row. The standings are very bunched up at the moment. After Baltimore and Boston, Minnesota is in third place, three games back. Then four teams, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, New York and Oakland are all tied with 19-22 records, in fourth place. Pittsburgh is the tail ender, at 17-24.

Individually, Bobby Tolan went 4 for 6, raising his league leading average to .355. He also became the first to reach double figures in stolen bases, with 10. Don Mincher retains his two-homer lead in the chase for the long ball title. Gary Peters will pitch in game #42, hoping for his ninth win. John Ellis had a multi-homerun game, with two for the Yankees.

Game #42 Schedule and Probable Pitchers:

Boston (Peters 8-1, 1.76) at Pittsburgh (Blass 1-5, 4.10)

Cincinnati (Merritt 1-6, 4.42) at Oakland (Dobson 2-1, 4.80)

Los Angeles (Osteen 1-3, 3.57) at New York (Stottlemyer 2-5, 3.84)

Minnesota (Katt 3-2, 5.88) at Baltimore (McNally 4-1, 3.28)