ROBERTSON COOLS SD BATS

Tosses three hit shutout

June 1, 1969 Montreal:  With a three game skid staring the Expos in the face, righthander Jerry Robertson (1-1) tosses a gem in Montreal's 2-0 win.  Robertson allowed only three singles while walking four and striking out two.  Veteran Johnny Podres (1-5) also went the distance for the Padres allowing only two runs and seven hits. 

The Expos scored single runs in the second and third innings which was all Robertson needed.  Maury Wills and Rusty Staub each collected two hits for Montreal. 

SAN DIEGO TAKES GAME TWO IN 11

11th inning HR dooms Expos

May 31, 1969 Montreal:  Al Ferrara doubled with two out in the 11th and Ed Spiezio followed with a shot over the right field fence as the Padres downed the Expos 5-3.  Spiezio finished the game with three hits and two RBI.  Ferrara homered earlier and finished with three hits and two RBI as well.

Expos rightfielder Rusty Staub continued his hot hitting with three hits and a run scored.

San Diego reliever Frank Reberger (4-3) throws two scoreless innings to garner the win.  Expos reliever Don Shaw (1-5) is tagged with the loss.

PADRES FLEX MUSCLES IN SERIES OPENER

Enjoys three hit game

May 30, 1969 Montreal:  In the first series between the two newest members of the National league the Padres overcome a 2-0 deficient with a six run outburst in the top of the sixth.  San Diego banged out five consecutive singles with the big blow being a two run single by Roberto Pena.  Catcher Chris Cannizzaro known more for the intangibles he brings behind the plate had three of the Padres 16 hits.

San Diego added three solo homers in the 9th as Nate Colbert and Ollie Brown went back-to-back and Cito Gaston went deep one out later.

Rusty Staub paced the Expos offense with two hits and three RBI.  Mack Jones hit his 10th home run of the season.

Southpaw Dick Kelly (2-3) hurled six innings of two run ball to pick up the win.  Montreal starter Mike Wegener (1-4) suffered the defeat.  Wegener allowed nine hits and six of the runs in five and one third innings.    


Red Birds Fly Over Braves

GAME ONE – Former Brave Joe Torre went 5-5 with 8 RBI, including a 3-run HR, as St. Louis scalped Phil Niekro (7-2) and the Braves 11-4. Julian Javier also had 3 hits and 3 runs scored. Hank Aaron was most of the offense for Atlanta with a pair of jacks. Nelson Briles (6-3) was the WP for the Cardinals.

GAME TWO – Former Cardinal Orlando Cepeda ended this marathon in the bottom of the 15^th with a sac fly scoring Bob Aspromonte for the 5-4 win. Aspromonte led off the inning and dribbled one back to the mound where lefty Mel Nelson (1-2) fumbled it. Felix Millan (3 hits) executed the hit and run leaving runners on the corners for Cepeda with 1 out. Earlier in the game, Aaron (11,12) demonstrated he is in a “groove” with a pair of 2-run bombs for the Bravos. Mike Shannon (8) went deep for St. Loo  in the 6^th to briefly give them a 5-4 lead.  Tim McCarver and Curt Flood rapped out 3 base knocks for the Redbirds.

GAME THREE – Joe Torre’s (6) solo shot in the 7^th proved to be the game winner as St. Louis takes the series with a 3-2 victory. Steve Carlton (2-1) went the distance besting Milt Pappas (2-3). 

Bombers and ChiSox Split Pair

GAME ONE – Mel Stottlemyre (6-3) went the distance in a 4-3 Yankees series opening victory. Gene Michael had 3 hits and scored 2 runs. Joe Pepitone went oppo for his 12^th HR of the season.

GAME TWO – Final game of a short series is all White Sox as they unload on three Yankees hurlers (Burbach, Aker, Downing). Walt “No-Neck” Williams is the biggest bat with 3 hits and 3 RBI. 

Pale Hose Take Series from Carmines

GAME ONE – Reggie Smith banged out 3 hits including a bases clearing triple in the 9^th to lead the Red Sox to a 7-5 win over the White Sox.

GAME TWO – Gary Peters (5-2) fired a 3-hit shutout as the Pale Hose evened the series with the Carmines with the 3-0 victory.

GAME THREE – Bill Melton’s single in the B8 scored Walt Williams and Luis Aparicio as the ChiSox come from behind for a 3-2 win.  

Padres split four with Cubs.

San Diego Stadium,

Game 1,

Sipin goes deep.

San Diego scored three runs during the 3rd inning; that would be all they would need to upend the visiting Cubbies.  Nate Colbert smashed a single past first to plate the initial Padre tally that evened the game at 1.  Cito Gaston grounded a basehit between short and third to score Colbert and Tony Gonzalez.  Gary Ross was the starter and winner for San Diego as he pitched 7 innings while scattering 8 hits to up his record at 1-4. The loser for Chicago was former Padre Dick Selma (2-1). Jack Baldschun collected his 3rd save of the year. Padres 3...Cubs 1.

Game 2,

Dick Kelley was on top of his game for San Diego. Kelly pitched a complete game shutout as the upstart Padres breezed past the Cubs 3-0.  Both teams were only able to muster 4 hits each but the home town team made good use of their safeties.  Young San
Diego second sacker, John Sipin hit his first homerun of the season in the sixth inning with a runner on base to up the Padre lead to 3-0. Sipin's homerun was a low liner that made it just over the 17 foot fence, caromed off the seats in the first row and bounced back on the field.  Kenny Holtzman was the hard luck loser for Chicago as he falls to 4-6 on the season. Padres 3...Cubs 0.

Game 3,

1st game of DH
Bill Hands was too much for the young Padre batters as he returned the favor of shutting out the San Diego club.  Hands only allowed three hits as he improves to 4-6. Joe Niekro took the loss for San Diego to sink to 3-2.  Cubs 4....Padres 0.

Nye cools Friar's bats.

Game 4,

2nd game of DH

Jim Hickman hit a boomering homerun in a 4 run 5th inning for Chicago. Hickman's mammoth shot went nearly 420 feet and it even drew admiration from his opponents.  Centerfielder Cito Gaston lamented, "I did not even have to move. I knew it was out. I just turned around to see how far it would travel."  Rich Nye went the distance for Chicago to move to 2-0. The loss was hung on veteran lefty Johnny Podres (1-4). Podres was not sharp as the Cub hitters tagged him for seven earned runs on 10 hits through only 5 innings. Cubs 7...Padres 1.

Deron Johnson Powers Philly Past Braves

GAME ONE – Milt Pappas (3-3) homered to help himself as Atlanta won 5-3. Bob Tillman (5) and Clete Boyer (5) also went deep for the Braves. Dick Allen swatted his 12^th of the year for the Phillies.

GAME TWO – Deron Johnson’s (5) 3-run bomb in the 8^th lifted Philadelphia to a 6-4 victory. Cecil Upshaw (0-2) suffered his 2^nd blown save. Larry Hisle (7,8), hitting in the 8^th hole, smacked solo HRs in the 3^rd and 8^th. Rick Wise (5-2) got the mound win.

GAME THREE – Deron Johnson (6) took Upshaw (0-3) over the wall again as the Phillies win 3-2 in 13 innings. Gary Wagner (1-4) was the beneficiary on the hill for the Phils. 

Frank Fernandez 4 Homer Day Knots Series 2-2

GAME ONE – Rich Reese doubled home Ted Uhlaender in the 10^th to lift Minnesota past New York 4-3. Cesar Tovar (3) led off the game with a homer as one of his 3 hits. Leo Cardenas also had 3 safeties. Horace Clarke (1) and Joe Pepitone (11) went deep for the Yanks. Ron Perranoski (2-3) bested Al Downing (0-2) in a relief battle.

GAME TWO – Ted Uhlaender banged out four hits and Jim Kaat (5-4) tossed 8 shutout innings as Minnesota wins easily, 4-0.

GAME THREE – Frank Fernandez (4,5) blasted 2 home runs, doubled and drove in 3 runs to help the Yankees take the opener of a DH, 6-1. Tom Tresh and Jim Lyttle added 3 hits apiece. Fritz Peterson (6-3) went the distance for the win.

GAME FOUR – Bronx Bombers complete the DH sweep and even the series as Fernandez (6,7) finishes a 4-homer day with two more bombs. He drove in all 5 runs in a 5-1 Yankees win. Stan Bahnsen (2-7) out-dueled Dick Woodson (1-3) on the mound.

Bucs Sweep Padres

San Diego Stadium,

Game 1,

Pittsburgh strikes for 3 runs in the ninth inning off Joe Niekro to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Niekro losses his first game of the season to fall to 3-1. The victory went to Bruce Dal Canton (4-0) and Chuck Haretenstein collected his 5th save. Pirates 3...Padres 1.

Moose has strong outing.

Game 2,

Roberto Clemente drove in two runs with a hit to help the Pirates win the second game of the series.  Bob Moose surrendered a measly three hits over 7.2 innings to improve his record at 3-2. Yesterday's winner, Dal Canton earned his 4th save.  Tommie Sisk falls to 1-3 for San Diego. Pirates 3...Padres 1.

Game 3,

Clemente drives in a pair.

Willie Stargell hit his 3rd homerun in the season to help erase a 5-1 San Diego lead. Pittsburgh struck for 4 runs in the 5th inning to knot the game at 5. However, Ollie Brown drove in Arcia in the bottom of the 5th to retake the lead for San Diego.  Pittsburgh tied the game in the ninth and won it in the 10th on a RBI single to left center by Al Oliver.  Chuck Hartenstein got the win (1-0) and Billy McCool got the loss (0-1).  Pirates 7...Padre 6 (10 innings)

Cubs drop 2 of 3 out on the coast if great come from behind victory in series opener

Holtzman vs Sutton
Cubs 4, Dodgers 3

Don Sutton had it all under control allowing just 1 run in 8 innings before handing the ball off to Jim Brewer who blew it.  The Cubs got a clutch two out 2 run single by “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks to grab the lead and deflate the few fans who remained in the ballpark.  Banks also hit a solo shot in the 8th to get the Cubbies on the board.

Hands vs Osteen
Dodgers 4, Cubs 0

A dominant 4 hit shutout by Claude Osteen helped LA get back to their winning ways.  A 3 run outburst in the bottom of the 4th made it 4-0, which is how it ended.  Bill Sudakis had 2 RBI's.

Jenkins vs Singer
Dodgers 3, Cubs 1

Bill Singer (6-4, 1.96) continued his excellent run of success, but today he needed a little help since he only went 6 innings.  Pete Mikkelsen (2 IP) and Jim Brewer (1 IP) were perfect in relief to set the Cubbies down and help LA take 2 of 3 in this mid week series out on the coast.  Brewer recovered nicely with this save outing, after blowing the game two days ago.  Wes Parker (2-4) had 2 RBI's.  Tom Haller also chipped in with 2 hits.

Dodgers sweep Bucs by taking two 1 run games

Dodgers 8, Pirates 7 (11 inn)
Blass vs Sutton

Young guns, Steve Blass and Don Sutton, were throwing BP today.  Blass gave up 7 in 4 and Sutton was marginally better with 5 in 6.  On the heels of a 5 run 3rd inning the Dodgers had what seemed to be a safe 7-3 lead.  The Bucs cashed in with 2 in the 5th and 2 more in 7th to tie it up.  Reliever Al McBean was generous to his old teammates, which sent the game into extra innings.  Fast forward to the bottom of the 11th where Tom Haller and Wes Parker led off the inning with back to back singles to put runners on the corners with nobody out.  Bill Sudakis grounded to third, which froze Haller but allowed Parker to move up 90 feet to second.  Jim Lefebvre was given an intentional pass to load the bases and create a force all around.  Len Gabrielson was called on to pinch hit for reliever Pete Mikkelsen and promptly placed one perfectly between the 5-6 hole for a clean walk off single.  Lost in the shuffle was Buc catcher Jerry May's 4 hit day.  Sudakis had just 1 hit for the Dodgers, but it was a beauty...a grand slam in the 3rd.

Dodgers 4, Pirates 3
Ellis vs Osteen

The Dodgers scored 4 runs in the bottom of the first and held on for dear life as the Bucs chipped away slowly.  Claude Osteen (3 runs / CG) bent (10 hits) but never broke.  Osteen aided his cause by fanning 9 and not walking a soul.  Andy Kosco's 3 run blast in the bottom of the first off Dock Ellis proved to be the difference maker.

Dodgers 4, Pirates 0
Veale vs Singer

Bill Singer fanned 9 in this sweep 4 hit complete game shutout.  3-Dog, Willie Davis, went 3 for 4 to pace a 10 hit Dodger attack that came to life after a horrible road trip to help inch the team closer to .500.  Singer, who is hitting .280, chipped in a single and his 3rd RBI of the season to close out the series sweep.

Padres Take Down Red Birds in "City in Motion".

San Diego Stadium,

Game 1,

Padre righty, Al Santorini improved to 4-1 as he pitched a solid 7.2 innings against the Cardinals. St. Louis sat Tim McCarver and Mike Shannon and it proved to cost them as the Padres steam rolled over them. To add insult to injury, Santorini crushed a homerun to help lead the Padres to victory. Padres 8....Cardinals 2.

Spiezio wins it with a grand slam.

Game 2,

Clay Kirby was knocked around by the Cardinals hitters in game two. Kirby was relieved after 4 innings in which he coughed up eight runs.  However, the Padres bats did not give up. San Diego plated 5 runs in the ninth but the coup de gras was former Red Bird infielder, Ed Spiezio did the damage. Spiezio came to the plate with the sacks full and deposited a walk off grand slam to send the Cardinals to their locker room feeling dejected. Ron Willis and Joe Hoerner were the two unfortunate pitchers that got tagged with the runs. Winning pitcher in relief for San Diego was Frank Reberger (2-3)...Padres 11...Cardinals 10.

Game 3,

Giusti holds down the Friars bats.

Dave Giusti threw a solid performance against the Padres to salvage one game in the series. Giusti surrendered 3 runs and scattered 9 hits over 8 innings of work to improve his record to 5-1. The losing pitcher was Gary Ross (0-4). Joe Hague hit his first dinger of the year and Joe Torre added his second to lead a 10 hit Cardinal offensive surge. Cardinals 11...Padres 3.

Braves bats wake up

Drives in four runs

May 18, 1969 Montreal:  Atlanta scored eight runs in the second inning on their way to a convincing 12-2 drubbing of the Expos.  Montreal starter Mike Wegener (1-3) failed to make it out of the second inning.  The right hander was knocked around to the tune of eight runs in 1.2 innings of work.  Meanwhile, Atlanta right hander Ron Reed (5-2) went the distance allowing only one earned run with zero walks and seven K's.  Reed also drove in the Braves first run with a single in the second.  A Clete Boyer two out triple making the score 8-0 sent Wegener to an early shower.  Boyer finished 3 for 4 with 4 RBI.  Felix Millan added three more hits in six atbats with two runs and two RBI.

Ty Cline provided the lone bright spot for Montreal with a pinch hit homer leading off the sixth.

Expos hurlers quiet Braves bats

Earns firs win of the season

May 16, 1969  Montreal:  Despite walking seven batters Bill Stoneman allowed only one run in six innings of work in the Expos 4-1 win over Atlanta.  Stoneman left with the game tied at one.  Reliever Carroll Sembera (1-0) threw a scoreless inning to pick up the win.  Lefty Dan McGinn threw two scoreless innings to pick up his second save of the season.  Claude Raymond (0-1) was pinned with the loss allowing three runs in 1.1 innings.

Atlanta took the lead in the top of the fourth as Mike Lum lined a double to left center.  It looked like Stoneman was going to work his way out of the jam as Francona and Boyer were retired with Lum now at third.  However, catcher Bob Tillman doubled down the third base line scoring Lum.

The Expos managed to tie the game in the sixth.  Don Bosch doubled to right center to start the inning.  After Maury Wills bunted him to third Mack Jones singled to right center plating Bosch.

Montreal took the lead for good in the seventh.  John Bateman led off the inning with his third homer of the season to give the Expos a 2-1 lead.  Pinch hitter Floyd Wicker reached first on an infield single.  After Bosch and Wills grounded out and advanced Wicker to third Braves manager Lum Harris gave the signal to walk Staub.  That proved to be a mistake as hot hitting Mack Jones laced a triple down the right field line scoring Wicker and Staub.

The win broke a six game losing skid for the Expos.

Cubs Take Series from Whiff-Happy Padres

Game One: Cubs 7, SD 3
W: Jenkins (5-3)
L: Ross (0-3)

Fergie Jenkins goes all the way for his eighth complete game, striking out seven Padres (notice the theme here; lots of Ks). Ron Santo shows signs of breaking out of his slump, thumping a two-run homer and driving in another.

Game Two: Cubs 5, SD 4 (10 innings)

W: Abernathy (1-2)
L: Everitt (0-1)

Ernie Banks' two run homer (his sixth) and Billy Williams' RBI triple aren't enough in regulation for the win, as the Padres' Nate Colbert launches his sixth and seventh homers of the year into the leftfield seats at Wrigley. Finally, in the 10th, the Cubs win as Leon Everitt loads the bases and then walks Ernie Banks for the winning run. Dick Selma can't get the win despite striking out 12 and only walking one in seven innings.

Game Three: SD 2, Cubs 1
W: Sisk (1-2)
L: Hands (3-5)
S: Baldschun (2)

A 1-1 tie is broken in the eighth on a Tony Gonzalez RBI single off Bill Hands. Hands is a hard luck loser, striking out 10 in nine innings but getting little run support outside of Don Kessinger's two triples.

2 Extra inning Walk-off’s power Pilots vs Bombers

Pilots 8, Yankees 7 (10 inn)
Downing vs Pattin

Down 7-2 in the bottom of the 8th the newly formed Pilots staged a miraculous comeback scoring 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th to make it a tight one run ball game.  Curiously the Yankees skipper, Ralph Houk, left starter Al Downing in to rot.  Even more curious was the fact that he allowed him to come back out in the 9th to try to finish this thing off.  Downing fanned pinch hitter Steve Whitaker, then cleanly fielded a drag bunt by Tommy Harper to start the inning off with 2 quick outs.  Up stepped former teammate Mike Hegan, who homered in his first AB.  Hegan wasted no time hitting his 2nd homer of the game with 2 out in the 9th to tie the affair and send it to extra innings.  After walking Tommy Davis to lead off the bottom of the 10th, reliever Mike Kekich gave up a hot smash to Rich Rollins that handcuffed thirdbaseman Bobby Cox to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out.  Pinch hitter John Kennedy hit another bullet to Cox, who made amends by starting an around horn DP that looked to squash Seattle's rally.  John Kennedy, who was a pinch hitter in the watershed 8th inning singled home Davis for the winning run in an improbable comeback scenario.  Diego Segui (2-2) got the win and Kekich (0-5) took it on the chin.

Pilots 7, Yankees 6 (11 inn)
Stottlemyre vs G.Bell

New York and Seattle hooked up in a fan friendly see-saw battle that saw the lead change 5 times.  Seattle's 4-1 lead heading into the 8th evaporated when Joe Pepitone hit a 2 run shot and Jerry Kenney singled home another.  After Seattle scored 2 in the bottom of the inning off a Rich Rollins double and a Larry Haney Sac fly the M's looked poised to win.  Pepitone's second homer of the day tied it up again and sent the game to extras.  Tommy Harper led off the bottom of the 11th and singled and stole 2nd base off of reliever Steve Hamilton.  Mike Hegan struck out on a folly floater, but the cagey veteran Tommy Davis was wise to that pitch and doubled off the wall to easily score Harper for Seattle's second consecutive walk off-comeback-extra inning win vs NY.  Seattle starter Gary “Ding-Dong” Bell looked good allowing just one run in 6+ innings.

Yankees 12, Mariners 3
Brubach vs Marshall

New York jumped all over screwball specialist Mike Marshall to the tune of 12 runs in 6 2/3 innings.  Marshall couldn't find the plate, and when he did he found the middle of it.  Rookie Bobby Murcer (3-4) knocked in 5 runs and hit two homers to lead New York's steamrolling of Marshall.  Jerry Kenney (4-5) scored 2 and knocked in 2.  Six Bombers had multi-hit games as New York scored 12 runs on 19 hits.  Roy White chipped in his 5th homer of the year and Jerry McNertney hit is second in garbage time.

Editor's Note:  Seattle's 1969 record after 31 games was 13-18.  Seattle's current record in ARAIG is 14-17.

Hit parade continues for Astros

May 14, 1969 Montreal:  Houston shortstop Dennis Menke leadoff the second inning with a solo shot and the Astros never looked back. 
Houston added three more in the inning and cruise to a 9-2 win.  Menke finished the day 2 for 3 with the HR and 3 runs scored.  Houston catcher Johnny Edwards went 3 for 4 with a triple and 3 RBI. 

Denny Lemaster (2-4) went the distance for Houston allowing only three hits and two runs while walking four and striking out seven Montreal batters.  Only a 9th inning Mack Jones two run homer prevented the shutout.  Expo starter Mudcat Grant (2-4) allowed five runs in his five innings of work.

Toy Cannon goes off!

May 13, 1969 Montreal:  Astros' centerfielder Jimmy Wynn mauled Expo pitching to the tune of 3 home runs and 9 RBI in Houston's 13-4 win.  The Expos took an early lead with a run in the bottom of the first.  The Astros then put up six in the top of the second and never looked back.  Norm Miller added two base knocks and 2 RBI for Houston.

3 HRs with 9 RBI

Tom Griffin (5-0) went seven innings for Houston to pick up the win.  The right hander allowed only two runs on five hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.  Mike Wegener (1-2) suffered the setback.

Royals Take 2 of 3 from Red Hot Orioles

The first place Baltimore Orioles came into the series with plenty of confidence.  And why not, there 25-5
record was the best in the majors.  And Game 1 of the 3 games series looked like it would be another Baltimore winning home stand.  The Orioles, behind the stellar pitching of Tom Phoebus, rolled to a 3-0 win. Only allowing 4 hits on the day Phoebus earned his 4th win of the season.  Boog Powell's (8th) home run of the season added the the run support needed for another "O"s victory.

But the stubborn Royals showed no fear as they punched it out with the Orioles all the way through the 11th inning.  Tied 2-2 going into the top of the 12th where the KC bats got hot.  Reigning singles down upon Baltimore relief pitching, the Royals ran up 6 runs before the inning was over....enough to end the 12 inning contest in their favor.  Al Oliver went 3 for 5 in the contest while ex-Oriole Mo Drabowsky got the win.

Game 3 saw a deflated Baltimore take the field and KC took immediate advantage.  A Joe Foy (2) two run homer game the Royals a lead in which they would not relinquish.  Roger Nelson was brilliant from the mound improving his record to 4-0 and shutting out the powerful Baltimore offense.  Kansas City walked away with a 5-0 win and a 2-3 series advantage.

The wins helped KC to improve their overall record to 19-10 on the season while Baltimore dropped to 26-7

Cubs Take Two from Giants

The Cubs continue to climb back to respectability and are now 13-18. The Giants, off to a nice season start, drop to 17-12.

Game One: Cubs 3, Giants 1

W: Hands (3-4)
L: Bolin (3-3)
S: Regan (1)

A low scoring affair with only five hits apiece for the Cubbies and Jints. But the Giants' Bobby Bolin helps the Cubs' cause by walking seven, including walking in a run with the sacks full, despite only giving up four hits in 7.2 innings. Ron Santo's third double of the year brings in another and provides the difference in a close game.

Game Two Cubs 7, Giants 1
W: Holtzman (2-5)
L: Sadecki (3-2)

Kenny Holtzman tries to recover from a rocky season start with mixed results. He gets the win largely due to the Cubs' 14 hits and seven runs, but can only go six innings due to control issues. But that's enough, as the Cubs' bats rock Ray Sadecki, highlighting by three RBIs and a two-run homer from RF Jim Hickman. Billy Williams is hitting over .430 for the month and has a 13 game hitting streak, while Glenn Beckert has hit safely in 10 straight.

Pilots take 2 of 3 from visiting Nats

Pilots 2, Senators 1
J.Coleman vs M.Marshall

Mike Marshall and Joe Coleman gave us solo runs early on then held true the rest of the way.  The game went into extra innings with the hometown team battling their fans who couldn't get the toilets in the restrooms to flush and the Nats who weren't yielding much.  Diego Segui, in his second consecutive relief appearance in a row, set the Senators down in the 10th without giving an inch.  After Larry Haney struck out to lead off the bottom of the 10th Washington lifted Coleman and brought in Baldwin and Alyea in a classic double switch.  Tommy Harper worked out a walk then stole second.  Mike Hegan was then given an intentional pass to create the DP situation.  Rich Rollins lifted a sky high fly to right for the second out, but Washington's plans were foiled when Wayne Comer lined one to center for a clean single and Harper blazed home from second for the winning run.  A tough loss for the boys from our Nation's capitol who had 11 hits and plated just 1.  Leadoff man Del Unser (4-5) was on base all day and scored just once.

Pilots 5, Senators 3
Pascual vs Pattin
PREGAME:  Welcome to Sicks Stadium where Washington will take on Seattle. Camilo Pascual takes the mound for Washington. He's made 6 starts on the year and is 3 and 1 with an ERA of 8.63. His 1st start against Seattle. He'll be opposed by Marty Pattin. He's made 6 starts on the year and is 0 and 3 with an ERA of 4.42. His 1st start against Washington. Washington center fielder Del Unser is riding an 14 game hitting streak. Washington right fielder Hank Allen is riding an 10 game hitting streak. It's 66 degrees, wind speed 5 mph, left to right and we have light rain.

Seattle jumped out to a 5-1 lead and found a way to hold on with some creative relief pitching substitutions.  Don Mincher hit his 9th and 10th homers of the year and knocked in 3 runs to provide the difference.  Marty Pattin (1-3, 4.33) gutted himself through 7 innings of work letting up 3.  Former Yankee Jim "Bulldog" Bouton floated 25 knucklers in his 1 1/3 innings of relief, but got in trouble with 1 out in the 9th.  Bouton gave way to lefty John O'Donoghue, who posted his second save of the season.  Bernie Allen hit 2 homers in a losing effort for the Nats.

Senators 5, Pilots 2
Hannan vs Brabender
PREGAME:  Welcome to Sicks Stadium where Washington will take on Seattle. Seattle has won 5 straight, and 8 of their last 10. Jim Hannan gets the start for Washington. He's made 6 starts on the year and is 0 and 2 with an ERA of 3.46. His 1st start against Seattle. He'll be opposed by Gene Brabender. He's made 2 starts on the year and is 1 and 1 with an ERA of 2.96. His 1st start against Washington. It's 58 degrees, wind speed 15 mph, out to cf and we have light rain.

The floodgates opened up in the top of the 7th as the Senators scored 4 unanswered runs and chased Pilot starter Gene Brabender from the hill.  Dave Hannan (1-2, 3.33) went 7 strong innings.  Mike Epstein and Ken McMullen each drove in 2 runs in Washington's big 7th innings.  McMullen hit is 4th homer of the year.  Dave Baldwin saved the game with 2 scoreless innings, although he did make it interesting by allowing the tying run to come to the plate in the 9th, but got Rich Rollins to fly out to deep center as the Nats avoided the sweep.

Reds slug their way to 11-5 win

May 10, 1969 Montreal:  Lee May's 7th inning grand slam gave the Reds a 6-5 lead.  Cincinnati added four more runs in the 8th.  Alex Johnson stayed hot, adding another homer with 3 RBI.  The Expos took an early 3-0 lead in the fourth thanks to a Donn Clendenon 3 run shot.

Grand slam gives Reds lead

Veteran Jack Fisher(2-1) benefitted from the home run barrage picking up the win despite giving up 5 runs in 7 innings.  Expo starter Bill Stoneman deserved better, allowing only 2 earned runs in 6 innings with 10 strikeouts.  The Montreal bullpen coughed up 7 runs in 3 innings.  Steve Shea (1-1) was tagged with the loss.

Johnson powers Reds past Expos

May 9, 1969 Montreal:  Alex Johnson slammed three home runs as Cincinnati defeated the Expos 8-2 in the opening game of a two game set.  The Reds struck first as Johnson hit a two run homer and Tony Perez followed with a solo shot in the first.  Montreal cut the lead to one as Mack Jones went deep in the bottom of the inning with a man on.  However, that is as close as the Expos got.  Johnson added another two run homer in the top of the 5th to give Cincinnati a 5-2 lead.  The Reds moody leftfielder finished 4 for 5 on the day with the 3 home runs and 5 RBI.  

Tony Cloninger (2-2) went the distance for the Reds allowing only 2 runs on 5 hits and a walk with 6 strikeouts.  He also contributed a solo homer.  Mudcat Grant (2-3) suffered the setback.



Smacks 3 HRs in Reds win

Go, Go, ye Pilots and take 2 from Bosox

Pilots 4, Red Sox 2
Culp (0-3, 5.19) vs Brabender (1-1, 2.96)

A pinch it grand salami by Steve Whitaker, in the bottom of the 7th, helped the Pilots double up the Red Sox at Sicks Stadium.  Big Gene Brabender went 8 solid innings, giving up just 2 runs.  For a while it looked like the Pilots were going to lose 2-0 until Whitaker's clout.  Diego Segui and John O'Donoghue combined to save the day in the 9th as the Red Sox put runners on 2nd and 3rd off a gassed Brabender.  Segui fanned George Thomas and got Mike Andrews to pop to Mincher at 1st.  O'Donoghue came on to face Yaz in a lefty/lefty matchup that Seattle won via the strikeout.

Pilots 5, Red Sox 3
Siebert (1-1, 4.78) vs Bell (3-2, 3.58)

A 2 run shot by Don Mincher tied the game up at 3-3, but the Pilots weren't done just yet.  A Gus Gill 2 out 2 run single scored McNertney and Oyler to give Gary "Ding Dong" Bell a 2 run lead.  Sparky Lyle would take his lumps blowing a 3-1 lead for Sonny Siebert, who gave up just 1 unearned run in 7 innings.  Diego Segui posted his second save of the season with a perfect 9th inning.  Banjo hitting shortstop Ray Oyler was surprisingly perfect at the plate today going 2 for 2 with 2 walks and a run scored and an RBI.  Gil was 2 for 5 and 2 RBI’s plus the GWRBI

Royals sweep Tigers, continue to surprise

Game 1:  Kansas City 9  Detroit 7  (11 innings)

W: Wickersham (2-0)   L: Lasher (0-1)    HRs: Adair (2), Foy (1), Northrup (4), Wert (4)

The Royals outlasted the Tigers in a wild extra inning affair at Tiger Stadium.  After the Tigers put together a 3-run rally in the bottom of the 8th to take a 5-4 lead it looked like Denny McLain would get another victory.  That was not to be the case though as the Royals scored three more of their own in the top of the 9th to go back on top 7-5.  Don Wert ignited the Tiger faithful in the bottom of the 9th with a game tying shot.  In the bottom of the 10th the Tigers put the winning run on third with one out.  However Wickersham pitched out of it, getting Al Kaline to pop out before striking out Bill Freehan.  That seemed to take the wind out of the Tigers' sails as the Royals pushed two more runs across the plate in the top of the 11th.  Those proved to be enough as they held off the Tigers from that point on to win the game 9-7.  Jerry Adair had 3 hits for the Royals and Al Kaline had the same for the Tigers.

Game 2:  Kansas City 8  Detroit 1 

W: Rooker (1-0)   L: Lolich (4-1)    HRs: Price (1)

Kansas City jumped on previously unbeaten Mickey Lolich with 4 first-inning runs, and cruised from there to an 8-1 triumph at Detroit and a two-game series sweep.  The Tigers still appeared to be hung over from the previous night's long extra-inning game, as they never got it going against lefty Jim Rooker.  Bob Oliver banged out 3 hits for the Royals who had 15 hits in all.  With the loss, the Tigers drop to .500 for the season and are beginning to lose sight of the Orioles in the AL East standings.