Chuck Tanner NL Baseball

[jacktoast]

Its a two team race now with only two games left in the National League regular season. Looking ahead at the final two games for the two contenders, the Rovers are at home against the Colorado Storm with whom they are 6-4 this season (3-1 at home). The Cardinals are playing in Pittsburgh and are 5-5 against the Pirates. 1-3 in Pittsburgh.

The key game might be game number 161 because both teams have a quality pitcher going in the season finale. Houston sends thirty seven year old left hander Harry Otten into battle against Art Wylie (4-5 3.38). Otten has not had a good year (5-5 5.48) and many suspect he will retire at the end of this season. But the veteran would very much like to go out on a high note to get one last laugh at those that have reminded him of his waning talents all season.

St Louis sends Kevin Cox (3-4 4.44) against Rabbit Valentine (1-6 5.14) in an apparent mismatch but you never know what ABE will do. The league's top pitcher, Alex Waslewski(11-4 1.77), will duel with a tough customer in George Gonzalez (10-4 3.63) in the finale in what will be a good matchup.

Allen Connolly (8-3 3.38) will toe the rubber for Houston in game 162 against Mike Rasmaussen (1-0 3.72).

Waslewski will finish in the top two in win, ERA and several other categories putting him in the cat birds seat for the Cy Young Award.

Ofensively catcher Bob Casian is just six RBI short of leading the league in all three of the Triple Crwon categories. he trails the league's RBI leader Charley Williams, of St Louis, by five. Casian lead in homeruns with 18 and in batting average with .347 and surprisingly is second in stolen bases to Win Werts of Colorado (18) by two.

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This is how things got to where they are in the first game of the final series of the season for the two top teams.

HOUSTON 5 COLORADO 1

Glenn Emslie (9-6 2.33 w/4 complete games … 7-1 1.95 w/Houston with 3 complete games and two of them complete game shutouts) went nine inning allowing just two hits and one run with two walks and an impressive 11 strikeouts in the game.

Emslie retired the first eleven batters, three on strikes, before allowing both hits and the run in the 5th inning. Emslie struck out Mike Noreiga and Deion Jones to start that inning. Brent Whitehouse singled with two outs to break up the no-hitter and Bill Messersmith doubled to drive in the run. Emslie struck out Rod Abbott on a called strike three to end the inning.

Emslie walked two over the final four frames and struck out five for the win.

Emslie bettered Bill Smith who had an up and down season yet still finished 8-8 with a 41-38 ballclub. Smith went an abbreviated 4.2 innings, was charged with seven of the Rovers nine hits, and all five runs, walked two struck out three.

Pop Martin, Ken Schultz and Joe Blocker came in in relief and shut out the Rovers on two hits the rest of the way.

Houston scored five runs on nine hits in the game. The first two came in the 1st inning.

Bucky Ludwig and Paul Ankiel singled. Rick Carey drove them in with a clutch two out single. 2-0 Houston.

A lead off walk to Rick Carey got Smith in hot water in the 4th. Joe Shaw followed with a single that put runners on the corners with no outs. Shaw was caught stealing, catcher Jack Alexander to shortstop Jack Spilman (2-6), for the first out. Georg Brashear picked up another RBI with a ground out to Abbott at second. (Carey scored). 3-0 Houston.

Ludwig picked up one of his three hits in the 5th with one out. Alexander pounced on Ankiel's dribbler in front of the plate and threw him out. Ludwig on the move with the pitch, advanced to second. Smith walked Spooner with two outs and gave up a two run triple to Bob Casian that borke the game open.

5-1 Houston. FINAL

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PITTSBURGH 5 ST. LOUIS 2

The red hot Redbirds finally dropped a game and it came at a bad time as Pittsburgh upended the Cardinals 5-2 to drop St. Louis into a tie with Houston.

Don Foytack completing a fine season (9-4) beat Frank Roth (5-4)

Roth managed only four innings allowing 11 hits and five runs giving up ten of Pittsburgh's eleven hits and all five runs. Sugar Loman and John Marion pitched four shutout inning of relief but it was too little too late as the Pirates did their damage early.

Ray Holden had a two run single in the 1st inning . St Louis got one run back in the 4th on Pat Charles, a vastly under rated player, doubled followed by three straight walks to Panther, Williams and Crompton with two outs to score the run (Charles). Jerry Turley grounded out to leave the bases loaded.

Pittsburgh went up 5-1 in their half of the 4th. Pitcher Paul Foytack singled leading off. His hit was followed by three more singles by Jake McKain, Mike Redmond (RBI -- Foytack scored) and Paul Smith. Glen Jackson got one run in with a sacrifice fly -- (McKain scored). holden struck out to end the inning.

FINAL 5-2 PIRATES.

Other scores---

PHILLIES 5 MONTREAL 3

Rodney Gibson the winning pitcheer 3-4. Larry Johnston capably set up Whitey Mathewson for his 7th save,

Vince Williams and Louis Gigon each drove in two runs for the Phillies hoping for a 6th place finsidh this season.

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CHICAGO 7 SAN DIEGO 3

The last place Chicago Wolves dealt the San Diego Saints gtheir second straight loss hurting their desire to finish with a .500 record this season.

Homeruns abundant in this game; Shannon Brett hit his 11th for Chicago in the first inning off Jeff Anderson (10th allowed) with one on .. 2-0 Chicago.

Benito Reyes hit his 7th for San Diego with the bases empty off Pedro Escobar (7th off Escobar). Francisco Diaz hit two, his first two of the season, the first coming in the 6th inning with no one on and the second in the 8th inning also a solo shot.

A four run 8th inning boosted Chicago to the win off Losing pitcher Beau Bradley (2-2) and Jose Aguilar. Reed Smith had a two run single and Rob Driscoll had a game winnikng two run double.

FINAL CHICAGO 7-3