Down the stretch they come!

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basilrathbonejr
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Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 1:30 am

Down the stretch they come!

Post by basilrathbonejr »

First place Boston (49-24 +6) began a six game home series, where they are 27-7 .794 by staging a six run ninth inning to pull out a 6-4 victory over Minnesota to end a two game losing streak. The win reduced Boston's magic number to clinch first place to three with eight games remaining in the regular season.

Minnesota led throughout the first eight innings after building a 4-0 lead.

Minnesota scored its first run in the third inning off Boston starting pitcher Eddie Gibbons. Minnesota starting pitcher Tim Leonard tripled leading off the inning and scored on a ground out to second baseman Nick Brown. The Rodents added a run in the fourth inning when Joe Alou doubled off Gibbons with two out and Dave Matos singled him in.

Minnesota added two more runs in the sixth to finish off Gibbons. Willis Doyle singled, advanced to second on a ground out by Alou and scored on a single by Matos. Matos scored on a triple by Jose Staiger to make it 4-0.

Right hander Pat Chapman took over from Gibbons and pitched two scoreless inning (7th and 8th), striking out one that paved the way for the big ninth inning comeback.

Tim Leonard entered the ninth inning with a three hit shutout but gave up successive singles to Rick Jones, Pete Hanson, and Nick Brown to spoil the shutout and bring in lefthander Kevin Cotter.

Cotter walked the first man he faced, Paul Brandt, to load the bases with no outs. Pinch hitter Tom Williamson singled in Hanson and Brown to cut the lead to one, 4-3. Brandt was thrown out ant third base by right fielder Jose Staiger for the second out of the inning.

Cotter faltered and walked Mike Abernathy to prolong the inning allowing Dave Hundley to loft his fourth homerun of the season for the walk off win.

Cotter took the loss (1-2) and Gary Wolff picked up the win (7-3).

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Second place Oakland blasted Toronto 16-5 pounding out nineteen hits. Alex Hyatt went seven and two thirds innings, allowed eleven hits and five runs, walked one and struck out six, to even his record at 6-6. Jamie Shanner finished the game for Oakland.

Oakland's nineteen hits included homerun by Rafael Buckles, his seventh, Mike Jay, his ninth, and Jim Levensey's twelfth.

The win kept Oakland in second place by one game over the red hot Chicago Pale Hose who picked up their sixth straight win.

Chick Brown had four runs batted in, a sacrifice fly in the in the three run third inning, and his eighth homer, with two on in the five run fifth inning, to lead Chicago to its 43rd win of the season.

Denny Toporcer and Neil Bishop both added two runs batted in to the Chicago total.
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