1970 Great Eight League

Through Game #45.

Game Results:

Los Angeles 2 Baltimore 5

WP- Jim Palmer (6-3) LP-Jose Pena (2-1) SV- Eddie Watt (5)

HR- Don Buford (5); Bill Sudakis (3)

Don Buford led Baltimore to a big, 5 to 2 win over Los Angeles. The Oriole left fielder was 4 for 4 at the plate, with a homer, three runs scored and two driven in.

Minnesota 2 Cincinnati 4

WP- Gary Nolan (5-3) LP- Jim Perry (4-4) SV- Wayne Granger (5)

HR- Johnny Bench (10); Tony Oliva (6)

An error in the sixth by Minnesota’s Leo Cardenas, led to the Reds’ third run of the game. They would add an insurance run in the eighth and go on to defeat the Twins, 4 to 2.

New York 5 Boston 0

WP- Fritz Peterson (3-3) LP- Ray Culp (4-3)

HR- Curt Blefary (3)

Fritz Peterson was in total command, as he blanked Boston, 5 to 0, on a five hit shutout. He fanned seven and walked just one batter. Curt Blefary’s three-run clout was part of a five-run, third inning for the Yankees.

Oakland 2 Pittsburgh 1

WP- Jim Roland (1-3) LP- Luke Walker (1-1) SV- Mudcat Grant (3)

HR- Reggie Jackson (11)

Reggie Jackson’s eighth inning, home run broke a 1 all tie, allowing the Athletics to beat Pittsburgh, 2 to 1. This was a low-scoring, sloppy game, with each team committing two errors and only seven hits in total.

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

Game 45 Recap:

Baltimore won and Boston lost, giving the Orioles a two-game cushion. The Red Sox will pin their hopes on their ace, Gary Peters, in the next game, in hopes of ending their two-game losing skid. Baltimore’s Dave McNally will have a tough task as he tries to stop the league’s hottest team, the Yankees, who have won five straight.

Individually, Reggie Jackson homered to come within one of teammate, Don Mincher, for the league lead. Johnny Bench also went deep and is two homers back. Bobby Tolan of the Reds still leads in batting by a comfortable margin. Rod Carew has faded and has now been passed by New York’s Danny Cater at .331. Gary Peters will try and become the first player to reach double figures in wins when Boston takes on Cincinnati.

Game # 46 Schedule and Probable Pitchers:

Boston (Peters 9-1, 1.85) at Cincinnati (Merritt 1-6, 4.71)

New York (Stottlemyer 2-5, 3.62) at Baltimore (McNally 4-1, 3.25)

Oakland (Dobson 2-1, 5.17) at Minnesota (Katt 3-2, 5.46)

Pittsburgh (Blass 1-6, 4.91) at Los Angeles (Osteen 1-3, 3.41)