by jpgavin » Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:19 pm
[u:d3b8e07d86]Day 1[/u:d3b8e07d86]
[b:d3b8e07d86]Mays' walk-off homer lifts Giants over Braves[/b:d3b8e07d86]
Willie Mays showed why he was voted league MVP, hitting a 2-run bomb, his second of the game, in the bottom of the 10th to give the Giants a 1 game to none lead in their division series against the Braves. Mays hit Don McMahon's 1-0 offering into the left-center field seats with Frankie Frisch aboard to give the Giants a 6-4 victory.
McMahon (0-1), the regular season ERA leader, had a tough outing, failing to hold the lead twice before giving up Mays' game-ending blast. McMahon came on in the bottom of the 8th, taking over for Braves' starter Warren Spahn with Frisch on 1st, George Davis on 3rd, one out and the Braves clinging to a 2-1 lead. Frisch stole second on McMahon's very first pitch, and the Fordam Flash's aggressive base running seemed to rattle the Braves' reliever. He walked Felipe Alou on four pitches to load the bases for Mays. After two more pitches out of the zone, he finally threw a strike which Mays promptly lined to left for a 2 run single and a Giant lead. McMahon was then able to strike out Willie McCovey and get Chief Meyers to tap back to the mound to end the inning.
In the top of the 9th Eddie Mathews seemed to get McMahon off the hook with a 2 run blast off Gary Lavelle to put the Braves back on top 4-3. But Freddie Linstrom had some heroics of his own in the home half of the inning, hitting a solo shot to send the game into extra frames.
Mays had given the Giants an early 1-0 lead with a solo homer leading off the fourth. Dale Murphy quickly tied the game with a solo shot of his own in the top of the fifth. Murphy homered again in the top of the 8th to give the Braves a 2-1 lead.
Scott Garrelts (1-0) went an inning and 2/3 for the win, as neither Spahn nor Giant starter Tim Keefe factored in the decision. In addition to his 3 hits, 2 home runs, and 5 RBI, Mays contributed with his glove, making a spectacular diving grab of a Walker Cooper drive into the left center field gap in the top of the second inning.
[b:d3b8e07d86]Other games[/b:d3b8e07d86]
[i:d3b8e07d86]Braves 9 Giants 4[/i:d3b8e07d86]
In game two of their division series, Henry Aaron had four hits including a two-run home run and drove in 3 to lead the Braves to a 9-4 victory over the Giants. Charley Radbourn (1-0) gave up 4 runs on 10 hits over 9 innings for the win. Joe McGinnity took the loss for the Giants, giving up 9 runs, all earned, in 6 2/3 lack luster innings.
The series is now tied 1-1 and moves to Braves Field tonight where Cy Young award winner Phil Niekro will take on Giants lefty Carl Hubbel in game 3.
[i:d3b8e07d86]Dodgers 5 White Sox 0[/i:d3b8e07d86]
At Comiskey park, Don Drysdale was dominant in game one of the division series between the Dodgers and the White Sox, thowing a 3-hit complete game shut out to give the Dodgers a one game to none lead. Mike Piazza was the offensive hero for Brooklyn with 2 hits including a 2-run homer. Ed Walsh gave up 5 runs, 4 earned, while going 9 innings in the loss.
[i:d3b8e07d86]White Sox 14 Dodgers 10[/i:d3b8e07d86]
If the Comiskey fans were starved for offense after Don Drysdale's tremendous game one performance, they certainly got their fill in game two of the division series. The White Sox were 14 to 10 winners, taking the lead for good with a 6-run second inning.
All of the White Sox runs in the second scored with two out. Luke Appling got the scoring started with a two out RBI single. After an error and a hit batter loaded the bases, Dazzy Vance walked Joe Jackson to bring in the second run of the inning. Having trouble with his control, Vance caught too much of the plate with a high fastball to Dick Allen who hit a rocket over Duke Snider's head in center for a bases clearing triple. Clarence Mitchell relieved Vance (0-1), but had control problems of his own, uncorking a wild pitch to bring home the final run of the inning.
Ted Lyons (1-0) got the win for the White Sox despite giving up 10 runs, 8 earned, in 6 2/3 innings. Hoyt Wilhelm got the final 2 outs for his first save of the post season. Mike Piazza hit 2 home runs in a losing effort for the Dodgers.
The series moves to Dodger Stadium for game 3 tonight, where legendary Dodger lefty Sandy Koufax will try to tame the White Sox offense against Red Faber, one of three White Sox pitchers to win 20 games this season.
Last edited by
jpgavin on Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:07 am, edited 1 time in total.