National League - Week 19 Recap

• The Cincinnati Reds should clinch the NL West by Labor Day. The Dodgers lost 6 of 7 this week while the Reds continued to play at a torrid pace. Joe Morgan is second in batting average, third in home runs, and leads the NL in RBI. 
• The New York Mets are still the surprise team of the season. Jerry Koosman leads the league in ERA and is second in wins and in strikeouts. Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver are having great seasons, but Koosman is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award.
• John Montefusco has won three games in the last ten days, which is quite an accomplishment considering the team he plays for.

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National League - August 22

Player of the Day: Garry Templeton hit his first major league home run and had 3 RBI in the Cardinals’ 7-3 win over the Atlanta Braves.

Pitcher of the Day: Jon Matlack pitched a shutout against the San Diego Padres. Matlack allowed four hits, didn’t walk anyone, and struck out seven batters. He improved his record to 12-8 as he beat Padres ace Randy Jones 2-0.

St. Louis 7, Atlanta 3

Philadelphia 5, Houston 1

Chicago 4, Cincinnati 3 

 San Francisco 6,  Montreal 0

 New York 2, San Diego 0

 Pittsburgh 8, Los Angeles 4

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American League - August 22

Player of the Day: Don Baylor had five hits, scored five times, and knocked in four runs as the A’s shellacked the Boston Red Sox 22-2.

Pitcher of the Day: Frank Tanana struck out 11 and allowed only two hits and a walk in his shutout of the New York Yankees

 Baltimore 10, Chicago 1 (game 1)

 Chicago 5, Baltimore 3 (game 2)

 California 5, New York 0

 Texas 1, Cleveland 0

 Kansas City 4, Milwaukee 2

 Minnesota 1, Detroit 0

 Oakland 22, Boston 2

Stan Bahnsen managed to get a save in this one! He pitched the last four innings to qualify. He entered the game in the top of the 6th with the A's leading 20-2.

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American League - August 21

Player of the Day: Ruppert Jones of the Kansas City Royals was 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored.

Pitcher of the Day: Reggie Cleveland pitched a 2-hit shutout against the Oakland A’s on the Game of the Week.

 Chicago 6, Baltimore 0

 New York 4, California 3

 Texas 4, Cleveland 0

 Kansas City 7, Milwaukee 3

 Detroit 12, Minnesota 9

The Tigers led 12-1 after eight innings. Minnesota scored eight runs in the top of the 9th but it wasn't enough.

 Boston 6, Oakland 0

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Game of the Week - August 21

The Oakland A's come to Fenway Park to take on the Boston Red Sox. Both teams won their divisions last year but aren't doing as well this season. The A's still  have a shot in the AL West, but the Red Sox are playing for pride and stats at this point.

Dick Bosman (5-5, 5.00 ERA) starts for the A's and he faces Reggie Cleveland (3-4, 3.35 ERA).

The game was scoreless until the bottom of  the 6th.

Fred Lynn hit a solo homer with one out to give Boston a 1-0 lead.

Carl Yastrzemski hit a single to right and Cecil Cooper followed with another single to put runners on first and third.

Jim Todd came in to pitch for Oakland. Jim Rice singled to score Yastrzemski.

Carlton Fisk was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and then Dwight Evans singled in two runs. After a Butch Hobson groundout Rick Burleson was intentionally walked to load the bases for Denny Doyle.

Doyle singled in two runs to make it a 6-0 game.

That was the only scoring in the game. Cleveland walked five batters (including three in the top of the 9th) and allowed two hits but was able to hang on to get the shutout.

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National League - August 21

Player of the Day: Cesar Cedeno was 2 for 4 with a 2-run homer in the Astros’ 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies

Pitcher of the Day: Jerry Koosman didn’t have his best stuff, but allowed two runs in 8 2/3 innings as the Mets beat the San Diego Padres 3-2.

 St. Louis 8, Atlanta 4

 Chicago 5, Cincinnati 4

 Houston 4, Philadelphia 2

 San Francisco 3, Atlanta 2

 New York 3, San Diego 2

 Pittsburgh 4, Los Angeles 3

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National League - August 20

Player of the Day: Richie Zisk homered twice and went 3 for 5 in Pittsburgh’s win over the Los Angeles Dodgers

Pitcher of the Day: Bruce Kison pitched a 3-hit shutout against the Dodgers.

 Cincinnati 12, Chicago 5

 Pittsburgh 7, Los Angeles 0

 Monteal 5, San Francisco 3 (12 innings)

 St. Louis 6, Atlanta 4

 Philadelphia 2, Houston 1 (15 innings)

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