Braves Take Series to Tie Cubs in Standings

Atlanta sweeps a doubleheader to win two of three from da Cubs, tying them with identical 30-24 records and only 2 games off the pace of NL-leading St. Louis. The Braves have won six of seven from Chicago this year, this time snapping Chicago's recent string of series wins.

Game 1: CHIC 11, ATL 2
W: J. Nieko (5-3)
L: Jarvis (4-5)
MVP: Williams

The series started off well for the Cubs, as Billy Williams again had a day, going three-for-four with five Ribbies, three runs scored and a long home run (12). Banks (12) and Santo (7) also hit the long ball, as Chicago's trio of boppers drives in 10 of the 11 runs. Pat Jarvis doesn't stand a chance, giving up 10 runs in 5.2 innings.

Game 2: ATL 7, CHIC 0
W: Johnson (6-1)
L: Jenkins (7-3)
MVP: Johnson

33 years old and having pitched in the bigs for 10 years, Ken Johnson is having quite the season. As a spot starter, he continues to dominate, lowering his ERA to 1.30 with a CG shutout. Felipe Alou is pounding the ball; Atlanta's leadoff man goes four-for-five with three RBIs and two runs scored, hitting a homer (2) and double for an added bonus. Fergie Jenkins is belted for 11 hits and all seven runs.

Game 3: ATL 2, CHIC 1
W: Reed (6-3)
L: Hands (3-4)
S: Upshaw (7)
MVP: Reed

After two blowout games, this one is a white-knuckler. Rangy righty Ron Reed of Atlanta holds the Cubs bats at bay, only giving up a run and five hits in seven innings, while reliever Cecil Upshaw allows no baserunners in 1.2 innings of work for his seventh save in eight chances. Chicago's Bill Hands is also sharp, with a perfect game through five. But Braves 2B Felix Millan is the difference-maker, poking a two-out RBI single in the eighth that provides the winning margin after Alou is intentionally walked.

Short Stuff

GAME 1:  Chris Short was one Roberto Pena error at short away from a perfect game.  Philly's left hander still managed to fan 7 and notch a No-Hitter vs LA.  The game was scoreless until the Phightin's got in gear and scored 7 runs over the final 3 innings vs Claude Osteen and reliever Mike Kekich.

GAME 2:  A Johnny Callison home run off Mudcat Grant wins this contest in the 11th.

GAME 3:  Down three-zip after just a half inning of play the Dodgers needed to start scoring runs or they risked being swept at home by Philly.  LA answere with 3 unanswered runs of their own in the bottom of the 3rd off Woodie Fryman to tie the score.  Solo runs in the 5th and 7th game the Dodgers the lead.  Bill Singer (4-6, 2.79) fanned 9 in 7.  Jim Brewer (8th Save) pitched the final two scoreless frames.  Ken Boyer was 2-4 with 2 RBI's.

Mets add to Giant's woes

Game 1: New York (N) 7 San Francisco 3
W: Ryan (7-2)  L: Sadecki (3-7)
Giants commit 6 errors.  Nuff said.

Game 2: San Francisco 5 New York 3
W: Herbel (3-1)  L: Koosman (2-6)
Mays hits 2 homeruns to bailout Herbel who had blown the save.  3 more errors for SF.

Game 3: New York 2 San Francisco 1
W: Cardwell (3-5)  L: McCormick (3-8)
Don Cardwell handcuffs SF bats on 4 hits.  10 errors for Giants in the series.

Reds Take 2 of 3 from Braves

The Reds stayed within striking distance of the National League leading Cardinals as they took 2 of 3 from a well-balanced Braves team.

Game 1
Braves hurler Ken Johnson continued his strong season by holding the Reds to 1 run over 7 innings, and Clay Carroll (soon to be a Red, rumors have it) closed out the game despite yielding 5 hits in 2 innings of work. The first 5 Braves reached base off of Reds ace George Culver, as the Braves took a 3 run lead they would not relinquish in the top of the 1st. The Reds actually out hit the Braves 14-13 but couldn't get enough runs on the board to make the game tight.

Game 2
The Reds knocked Braves starter Ron Reed around to the tune of 6 runs in the 3rd, as 5 Reds singled to lead off the inning followed by a bases-clearing triple from P Gerry Arrigo. The Reds would get 2 more hits in the inning to bring their total to 8 in the inning.

Every member of the Reds lineup would get at least one hit, while Arrigo pitched a 6-hit, 2-run complete game for his 6th victory of the season.

Game 3
Braves ace Phil Niekro squared off against second year fireballer Gary Nolan in Game 3. The Reds struck first for a run in the bottom of the 3rd, but the Braves quickly followed in the 4th with  2 runs on the strength of 2 singles a walk, a ground out, and a sac fly. Neither team scored again until the bottom of the 7th, when Rose doubled home Bench to tie the game.

Boyer doubled home Tito Francona in the next inning to give the Braves a short-lived lead, but Vada Pinson and Alex Johnson doubled, Lee May singled, and Tony Perez hit a sac fly to give the Reds the 4-3 lead. Reds relief ace Ted Abernathy picked up the win as he held the Braves scoreless in the 9th.

Fergie Jenkins KO's 14 as Cubs Take Series

The Cubs and Mets, two of the up-and-coming teams in the National League, squared off in a three-game set, dominated by good pitching on both sides. The Cubs ended up taking the series 2-1. Game One featured one of the best pitching performances of the year, from the Cubs' Ferguson Jenkins, while Tom Seaver was also masterful in Game Two for the Mets. The Cubs remain close on the heels of first-place St. Louis at 29-22 and have won seven of their last 10. The Mets are now 24-26, as they attempt to get over the .500 mark.

Game 1: Cubs 4, Mets 1
W: Jenkins (7-2)
L: Koosman (2-5)
MVP: Jenkins

It's early in the month, but Glenn Beckert is hitting .450 in June.

Cubs ace Fergie Jenkins pitches a complete game five-hitter with 14 Ks, his fifth game of the year with at least 10 strikeouts. Red-hot Glenn Beckert and Adolfo Phillips both go three-for-four, and Lou Johnson's ringing double (11) breaks open a tight game.

Game 2: Mets 7, Cubs 1
W: Seaver (6-5)
L: Nye (3-6)
MVP: Seaver

Tom Seaver and the Mets' offense return the favor from Game 1, as Seaver goes nine, strikes out seven, and only allows six Cubs hits. Cubs starter Rich Nye was blasted for seven runs early, the big blow coming on a three-run homer by Tommie Agee (3) that started the scoring drive.

Game 3: Cubs 3, Mets 1
W: Holtzman (7-2)
L: Selma (2-3)
S: Regan (8)
MVP:  Regan

Kenny Holtzman joins Jenkins as a seven-game winner, but it wasn't easy. He only goes five before tiring, after giving up a long homer to Ed Charles (4). But Lou Johnson answers back with a two-run shot (2) off  24-year-old Mets starter Dick "Mortimer Snerd" Selma, who otherwise was in command by allowing no walks in his 7.2 innings. Saving the Cubs in this game was Phil "The Vulture" Regan, who goes the final four innings and only allows one hit. Regan has been a welcome sight in an otherwise dismal Cubs 'pen since coming over from the Dodgers.

Phillies sweep hapless Giants

Game 1: Philadelphia 2 San Francisco 0
W: Short (5-2)  L: Sadecki (3-6)
Chris Short gave up 2 hits and struck out 10.

Game 2: Philadelphia 8 San Francisco 4
W: Jackson,L (4-4)  L: McCormick (3-7)
Gonzalez, Lock, White, and Taylor all with 3 hits.

Game 3: Philadelphia 2 San Francisco 1
W: Farrell (2-3)  L: Perry (6-4)
Tying run gets throw out at plate in bottom of 9th.

Game 4: Philadelphia 8 San Francisco 7
W: Jackson,G (4-0)  L: Marichal (2-9)
Marichal gives up homeruns to 3 hitters that entered the game with 3 combined.  Juan and McCormick both well on their way to 20 loss seasons. 

Baltimore Takes 3 of 4 From California

Game 1: California 0 Baltimore 2

McNally improves to 6-1.

W: Dave McNally (6-1, 1.39 ERA)
L: Rickey Clark (2-3, 3.15 ERA)
MVP: McNally

Dave McNally allows only 3 hits to go the distance ina 2-0 win for Baltimore.  The win is McNally's 6th in what appears to be an impressive start of the season for the 25 year old lefty.  Paul Blair upped his hitting streak to 8 games going to 2 for 4 including his 13th double of the season.

Game 2: California 0 Baltimore 2
W: Dave Leonhard (2-1, 4.70 ERA)
L: Sammy Ellis (2-8, 4.42 ERA)
MVP: Dave Leonhard

Dave Leonhard broke out of his pitching woes today as he pitched his finest game of the season in a 2-1 win for Baltimore over California.  Leonhard allowed only 4 hits and struck out 5 as he went the distance for the O's.  Paul Blair hit his 14th double of the season to push his hitting streak to 9 games.  The magic of Curt Motton continues as his 2 run homer in the 1st inning gives him 7 for the season.  California's Sammy Ellis had a nice performance completing 7 innings, allowing only 4 hits and 2 runs.


Game 3: California 2 Baltimore 8
W: Jim Hardin (3-3, 3.18 ERA)
L: Clyde Wright (0-5-4, 5.63 ERA)
MVP: Mark Belanger

Baltimore exploded to a 5 run first inning and then cruised home to knock off California 8-2 today.  Paul Blair improves his hit streak to 10 games as he goes 2 for 4 for the game.  Angles Clyde Wright continues his underperformance for the season as he still looks for his first win (dropping to 0-5).  Don Mincher hit his 6th homer of the season and was the Angels only bright spot of the game.  Game MVP Mark Belanger went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI's.


Game 4: California 5 Baltimore 3

Roger Repoz hits homer #10

W: Marty Pattin (1-2, 2.65 ERA)
L: Gene Brabender (3-4, 5.17 ERA)
MVP: Roger Repoz

The Angel drought came to an end off the bats of Don Mincher and Roger Repoz.  Both homered early to give California a quick 5 run lead by the 3rd inning.   Baltimore tried to battle their way back into the game but a home run by Ellie Hendricks turned out to be only a too little too late effort as the Orioles dropped the game 5-3.  Marty Pattin earned his first win of the season going 6 innings and only allowing 3 hits before tiring and being replaced by Tom Burgmeier.  Burgmeier would pick up his second save of the season as he held on for the Angles.  Baltimore improves to 23-28 on the season as they take 3 of 4 from California.  The Angels dropped to 18-35.