Keeping Track

Winter Wonderland: Games of October 24

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

MESA 7, SURPRISE 2 IN MESA

A single, two doubles, and another single plated three first-inning runs for Mesa and they controlled the game all the way.  Nick Gordon was 2-for-4 and is now batting .393.  Tanner English was 1-for-4.

PEORIA 8, SALT RIVER 2 IN PEORIA

Chad Wallach hit a grand slam in a six-run first for Peoria.

GLENDALE 12, SCOTTSDALE 4 IN SCOTTSDALE

Already leading 4-1, Glendale scored four in the fourth to put the game out of reach.  Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer in the inning.

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

ARAGUA 6, ANZOATEGUI 1 IN ANZOATEGUI

Jairo Rodriguez hit a pinch-hit two-run double in the seventh to break a 1-1 tie, and Aragua added three in the ninth.  Rodriguez had a third RBI on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.  Niko Goodrum was 1-for-4 for Anzoategui.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 4, ESCOGIDO 2 IN ESCOGIDO (13 INNINGS)

Carlos Paulino hit a two-out two-run single in the thirteenth to provide the margin of victory for the Gigantes.  Paulino was 2-for-6 in the game.  Daniel Palka was 0-for-5 for Escogido.

ESTE 4, LICEY 3 IN ESTE

Este scored three in the seventh to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead that held up.

ESTRELLAS AT AGUILAS

Rained out.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

No games scheduled.

Keeping Track

1987 Rewind: Game Twenty-two

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MINNESOTA 7, NEW YORK 4 IN MINNESOTA

Date:  Friday, May 1.

Batting stars:  Steve Lombardozzi was 2-for-3 with two home runs (his second and third) and a walk, scoring three times.  Gary Gaetti was 1-for-4 with a home run, his seventh.  Randy Bush was 1-for-2 with a run and two RBIs.

Pitching stars:  Bert Blyleven struck out ten in eight innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks.  Jeff Reardon pitched a scoreless inning, walking one and striking out one.

Opposition stars:  Don Mattingly was 1-for-3 with a home run (his third) and a walk.  Dan Pasqua was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, his second.  Joel Skinner was 2-for-3 with a run.

The game:  The Twins broke open a 1-1 game with five in the fourth.  Gaetti opened the inning with a home run.  Two singles and a walk filled the bases, and Bush brought home three with a single-plus-error.  Kirby Puckett then singled to bring Bush home.  It was 7-2 after eight.  Blyleven was allowed to start the ninth, but after walking Dave Winfield and leaving a pitch up to Pasqua he was replaced by Reardon, who got the save.

Of note:  Puckett was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, making his average .353...Mark Salas was 1-for-4 with a run and was batting .333...Tom Brunansky was 2-for-2 with a stolen base...Yankee starter Rick Rhoden lasted only 3.2 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Record:  The Twins were 13-9, leading California and Seattle by two games.

Notes:  Lombardozzi was the leadoff batter...Bush was again right with Brunansky in left and Gladden on the bench...Salas replaced Tom Nieto behind the dish...The Yankees used three players with Twins connections:  DH Dave Winfield (0-for-3 with a walk and a run--wasn't he supposed to be Mr. May?), Mike Pagliarulo (0-for-4) and Gary Ward (walked as a pinch-hitter)...In another "times change" note, it's hard to think that Blyleven would've started the ninth today, especially after having given up a run in the eighth.  It's even harder to think he'd have been left in to face Pasqua after walking the first batter of the inning...Four Hall-of-famers played in this game:  Blyleven, Rickey Henderson, Puckett, and Winfield.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–October 25

Jack Doyle (1869)
Smoky Joe Wood (1889)
Jack Kent Cooke (1912)
Lee McPhail (1917)
Russ Meyer (1923)
Bobby Thomson (1923)
Bobby Brown (1924)
Roy Hartsfield (1925)
Chuck Schilling (1937)
Al Cowens (1951)
Roy Smalley (1952)
Rowland Office (1952)
Tito Landrum (1954)
Danny Darwin (1955)
Andy McGaffigan (1956)
Steve Decker (1965)
Keith Garagozzo (1969)
Pedro Martinez (1971)
Wilkin Ramirez (1985)

Jack Kent Cooke, better known as the owner of the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Lakers, owned the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team in the International League from 1951-1964.  He made several unsuccessful attempts to bring major league baseball to Toronto and is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Lee MacPhail was the general manager of the Baltimore Orioles from 1958-1965 and of the New York Yankees from 1966-1973.  He was the president of the American League from 1974-1983.  He is the son of Larry MacPhail and the father of Andy MacPhail.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–October 25 →

Keeping Track

Winter Wonderland: Games of October 22-23

GAMES OF OCTOBER 22

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE

SURPRISE 10, GLENDALE 8 IN SURPRISE

Glendale overcame a 7-1 deficit with a seven-run sixth, but an error allowed the Saguaros to tie it in the bottom of the sixth and a Mauricio Ramos homer in the seventh put Surprise ahead to stay.  Tanner English was 0-for-2 with three walks and a run for Surprise.  Randy Rosario pitched one inning, allowing two runs on three hits.  John Curtiss struck out two in 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits.

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

LARA 7, CARACAS 2 IN LARA

A two-run sixth put Lara up 4-2 and they never trailed again.  Wilfredo Tovar was 1-for-4 for Caracas.

MARGARITA 6, MAGALLANES 4 IN MAGALLANES

A four-run fourth broke a 2-2 tie and put Margarita in the lead to stay.  Luis Arraez was 1-for-5 for Magallanes.  Nick Greenwood started for Margarita and pitched five innings, allowing three runs on five hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

ARAGUA 10, ANZOATEGUI 4 IN ANZOATEGUI

Aragua had two triples and a double in a six-run first that put them in control of the game.  Jairo Rodriguez was 2-for-5 with a run for Aragua.  Niko Goodrum was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk for Anzoategui.

ZULIA AT LA GUAIRA

Rained out.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 9, LICEY 0 IN LICEY

The Gigantes broke a scoreless tie with two in the seventh and broke the game open with seven in the eighth.  No Twins played.

ESTRELLAS 6, ESCOGIDO 3 IN ORIENTE

Estrellas scored three in the sixth and three in the eighth to take a 6-1 lead.  Daniel Palka was 1-for-4 for Escogido.  Confesor Lara retired both men he faced for Estrellas.

AGUILAS 6, ESTE 4 AT AGUILAS

The Aguilas scored three in the third and three in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead.  No Twins played.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

JALISCO 10, CULIACAN 4 IN JALISCO

A six-run second gave Jalisco a 7-0 lead and control of the game.

LOS MOCHIS 8, MAZATLAN 5 IN LOS MOCHIS

Isaac Rodriguez hit a three-run homer to cap a four-run sixth that gave Los Mochis an 8-2 lead.

OBREGON 8, HERMOSILLO 4 IN HERMOSILLO

Hermosillo led 4-3 after four, but in the fifth a sacrifice fly tied it and a three-run homer by Matt Juengel put Obregon in front to stay.

MEXICALI 6, NAVOJOA 3 IN NAVOJOA

Mexicali scored two in the fourth and led all the way.  Navojoa cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth but got no closer.

GAMES OF OCTOBER 23

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

MARGARITA 4, LA GUAIRA 4 IN LA GUAIRA (7 INNINGS--SUSPENDED GAME)

Heiker Meneses is 1-for-3 with an RBI for La Guaira so far.  Ryan O'Rourke pitched two-thirds of an inning for Margarita, giving up one run on one hit.

ZULIA 6, LARA 4 IN LARA

Wilson Garcia hit a two-run double in the ninth to break a 4-4 tie.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 3-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in one, for Zulia.

ANZOATEGUI 9, ARAGUA 2 IN ANZOATEGUI

With Anzoategui leading 3-2, Denis Phipps hit a two-run homer in the sixth and they added four in the seventh to cruise to victory.  Jairo Rodriguez was 1-for-3 with a walk for Aragua.  Niko Goodrum was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring twice, for Anzoategui.

CARACAS 4, MAGALLANES 3 IN MAGALLANES

Caracas scored three in the third to go ahead 3-1.  Magallanes got within one at 4-3 in the seventh and had the tying run on third, but got no closer.  Wilfredo Tovar was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring once, for Caracas.  Victor Tademo was used as a pinch runner for Magallanes.

DOMINICAN LEAGUE

GIGANTES 8, AGUILAS 3 AT GIGANTES

The Gigantes scored five in the first and were never threatened.  Carlos Paulino was 1-for-3 with an RBI for the Gigantes.

ESCOGIDO 4, LICEY 0 IN ESCOGIDO

Escogido got four singles and two walks in the fifth inning, producing all four of their runs.  Daniel Palka was 1-for-4 with a run and two RBIs for Escogido.

ESTRELLAS 2, ESTE 1 IN ESTRELLAS

All the runs were scored in the fifth.  Mayo Acosta hit a solo homer in the top half and RBI singles by Gustavo Nunez and Alexi Casilla produced two runs in the bottom half.  Confesor Lara retired the only man he faced for Estrellas.

MEXICAN LEAGUE

JALISCO 9, CULIACAN 7 IN JALISCO

Culiacan led 5-1 half-way through, but Jalisco scored five in the fifth and five in the sixth to take the lead to stay.

LOS MOCHIS 9, MAZATLAN 1 IN LOS MOCHIS

Los Mochis scored two in the first, three in the second, and four in the fourth.

MEXICALI 3, NAVOJOA 2 IN NAVOJOA

Welington Dotel singled in the go-ahead run with two outs in the top of the ninth.

OBREGON 5, HERMOSILLO 4 IN HERMOSILLO

Hermosillo led 4-1 after six, but Obregon scored two in the seventh to get back in it.  Carlos Valencia singled in the tying run in the eighth and Christian Villanueva had an RBI single for the go-ahead run in the ninth.

Keeping Track

1987 Rewind: Game Twenty-one

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TORONTO 8, MINNESOTA 1 IN TORONTO

Date:  Wednesday, April 29.

Batting stars:  Tom Brunansky was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run.  Greg Gagne was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.  Kirby Puckett was 2-for-4.

Pitching star:  Juan Berenguer pitched a scoreless inning, giving up two hits and striking out one.

Opposition stars:  Joe Johnson pitched 7.1 innings, giving up one run on three hits and three walks with no strikeouts.  Ernie Whitt was 1-for-2 with a two-run homer and two walks, scoring twice.  Lloyd Moseby was 2-for-4 with a home run (his second) and two RBIs.

The game:  It was only 2-0 through six, but the Blue Jays started the seventh with an error, an RBI double by Willie Upshaw, and Whitt's two-run homer to go ahead 5-0.  The Twins got their lone run in the eighth on a Greg Gagne double, but Toronto scored three more in the eighth to put the game out of reach.

Of note:  Puckett raised his average to .354...Mike Smithson started and pitched six innings.  As you can see above, he did better than his line would indicate, but the totals are five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks.

Record:  The Twins were 12-9 but remained a half game ahead of California.

Notes:  Randy Bush was again in right, with Brunansky in left and Gladden on the bench...Bush batted in the second spot, with Steve Lombardozzi leading off...You can be forgiven in you don't remember Joe Johnson.  He was a big leaguer for three seasons, 1985-87.  He was drafted by Atlanta in the second round in 1982.  He did well in AA, but did not accomplish much in AAA until 1985, when he made nine starts and produced excellent numbers.  He was promoted to Atlanta in late July, and while he didn't set the league on fire he did not do badly for a twenty-three-year-old rookie.  In 1986 he had two consecutive outings of eight shutout innings in mid-May, but other than that he didn't do much and was traded to Toronto around the fourth of July.  He did well in the second half for the Blue Jays and did okay in April but poorly after that.  He would have only one more good start after this, against Seattle on the first of June.  By the end of June he was in AAA and never made it back to the majors.  Wikipedia says it was thought at the time that he would be down for a brief time to work on his mechanics, but that's obviously not how it turned out.  He continued pitching in AAA through 1990, then retired.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–October 24

Ned Williamson (1857)
Bill Kuehne (1858)
Lou Sockalexis (1871)
Ossie Bluege (1900)
Jack Russell (1905)
Jim Brosnan (1929)
Rawly Eastwick (1950)
Omar Moreno (1952)
Gary Serum (1956)
Ron Gardenhire (1957)
Junior Ortiz (1959)
Danny Clay (1961)
Rafael Belliard (1961)
Gene Larkin (1962)
Arthur Rhodes (1969)
Rafael Furcal (1977)
Chris Colabello (1983)

Third baseman Ossie Bluege played for the franchise in Washington for eighteen years and remained in the organization for many years after that. He is credited as being the first third baseman to guard the lines in the late innings. He is also credited as the scout who discovered Harmon Killebrew.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–October 24 →

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.