Musial Muscle: "The Man" hits walk-off double to lead Bunze0 to first SBDL title.
Postseason MVP also hits homer in dramatic come-from-behind Game 7 win
April 13, 2010 - Stan Musial homered and drove in three runs, the last two coming on a walk-off double, to lead Bunze0's Funnel Cakes in a dramatic come-from-behind win over Mr. Baseball World's Birmingham Barons, 6-5, in Game 7 of the SBDL Season 18 finals last night.
Trailing 5-1 in the seventh with the bases loaded and one out , Cakes' Ty Cobb doubled home two runs, then Stan Musial led off the eighth with his fifth postseason home run to make it a 5-4 game.
Barons' reliever Tippy Martinez came in to pitch the ninth to try to save the game for starter Bob Veale. Martinez retired the first two batters on grounders, but got no more outs. Cobb singled and stole second and Tris Speaker walked. Then Musial step into the batter's box to wild cheers from the hometown fans, and drilled the ball off the center-field wall, scoring Cobb and Speaker to finish the comeback and claim the SBDL title.
Musial was awarded the Postseason MVP award. Stan "the Man" was 14-for-47 with 9 runs, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, and 15 runs batted in, the latter three led all players in the postseason.
Gene Garber pitched 1 2/3 in relief of starter Jesse Tannehill, who gave up five runs - two earned - on seven hits and four walks over seven innings, and picked up the Game 7 win.
Speaker singled in Donie Bush in the first inning to put the Cakes up 1-0.
The Barons made their move in the middle innings. Phil Rizzuto hit a two-run home run to give Birmingham a 2-1 lead in the fifth. They manufactured three more runs in the sixth inning. Al Simmons reached on an error by Tannehill and Jud Wilson singled. One out later, Biz Mackey grounded to short, but the throw home was too late, Simmons scoring on the play. Then Mackey stole second and the Cakes elected to walk Willie Wilson to put a force at every base. Jim Sundberg (playing catcher with Mackey at first base and regular first baseman Keith Hernandez injured) then walked to force in a run, making it 4-1. Still with one out, Veale came up and hit a fly to center deep enough for Jud Wilson to tag and run home. However, the throw home was cutoff and Mackey was thrown out on a close play at third. It was a rare sac-fly-double play, but the Barons were up 5-1 and seemingly in control.
Bunze0 became the fourth straight manager to win his first SBDL title, and it was the eighth different team to win the title in the last eight seasons.
April 12, 2010 – Bunze0’s Lefty Grove won his third postseason start, pushing the SBDL Season 18 finals to a climactic Game 7 tonight. With the Funnel Cakes Game 6 victory, the home team won each of the first six games of the series.
The pitching has been strong throughout this series, and Grove added to the story as he allowed just two runs on five hits, while walking none and striking out 10 Birmingham Barons en route to a complete game 5-2 win, tying the series at 3-3.
Grove's counterpart on the Barons was Sandy Koufax, who also pitched well, allowing 2 runs on four hits with four walks over seven innings. The game was tied at 2-2 going into the bottom of the 8th and speed beat Barons' Game 4 hero Frank Shellenback.
With one out, Ty Cobb singled up the middle and a few pitches later stole second base. Then Tris Speaker lined one into left field, and Cobb raced around to score the go-ahead run. The rally could have been worse; the next batter, Stan Musial tripled, but not before catcher Jim Sundberg gunned Speaker out trying to steal second. Musial was stranded at third.
Grove pitched a perfect ninth to complete the win. Grove was ahead 2-1 going into the eighth inning and almost blew it himself. Sundberg led off the inning with a single; a double by Willie Wilson followed. With two runners in scoring position and no outs, the Barons sent Jose Cardenal to hit for Koufax. Cardenal hit a fly deep enough to left for Sundberg to tag and score the tying run. But then Grove got an important strikeout of Phil Rizzuto before getting Eddie Collins to fly out to end the inning.
Pete Rose hit a leadoff home run off Koufax in the second for the Cakes' first run. Barons' Sundberg drove in Chino Smith, who had doubled, on a sac fly to tie the game 1-1 in the 5th. Cobb doubled and then later scored on a groundout in the 6th, which gave the Cakes a 2-1 at the time. Game 7 is tonight and is a pitching rematch of Game 3, which the Barons won at home, 6-1, behind Bob Veale and solid defensive play. Jesse Tannehill, who struggled with his control in that game, hopes to rebound for the Cakes in the series finale.
Game 7: Barons' Bob Veale (18-14, 4.52; 1-1 postseason) at Cakes' Jesse Tannehill (24-9, 4.43; 0-1 postseason)
April 11, 2010 - Willie Wilson hit a walk-off RBI single for the lone run of Game 5 while the pitching finally equaled the hype, as Mr. Baseball World took the finals series lead 3-2.
Cakes' Ron Guidry and Barons' Pete Alexander locked into a memorable pitching duel in Game 5. Barons' Alexander scattered six hits and two walks while going the distance for his second postseason victory. Petey received some help from his battery-mate, as Biz Mackey threw out Ty Cobb twice and Donie Bush once trying to steal second base in this game. Mackey threw out Cobb and Bush once each in the first inning, and Cobb again in the 9th.
Mackey also executed a perfect sacrifice bunt with runners on first and second and no out in the ninth. Guidry then pitched around Game 4 hero Keith Hernandez, which loaded the bases. Reliever Willie Hernandez then faced Wilson, who laced the game-winning single past a drawn-in infield; the run was charged to Guidry.
Guidry actually had the more dominant start until the 9th. He allowed six hits and two walks, only one hit in the first four innings. The series now goes back to Griffith and a rematch of Game 2. The home team has won all five games in the series, and Bunze0 hopes to keep that streak and the series alive.
Game 6: Barons' Sandy Koufax (21-11, 2.77; 1-1) at Cakes' Lefty Grove (18-18, 3.85; 2-0 postseason)
April 10, 2010 - A dominant pitching performance finally came, in Game 4, but it was great defense and Keith Hernandez's grand slam that led Mr. Baseball World's Barons to tie the series at 2-2.
GAME THREE
While the Barons' Bob Veale was efficient and aided by stellar defense, Bunze0's 24-game winner Jesse Tannehill had little command of his pitches, and the Barons won their first game of the series 6-1.
Veale continued the trend of this series by being strong but not dominant as he scattered six hits and walked five during his 7 1/3 innings, allowing just one run, which came in the 2nd inning as Pete Rose singled in Frank Robinson to give the Funnel Cakes an early 1-0 lead. However, Veale was also the beneficiary of excellent defense as both the 1st and 2nd innings ended with double plays to squelch any Cakes rallies. The Barons turned two more DPs in the game, one of which while Veale was still on the hill.
Tannehill (0-1), in the meantime, relinquished that early lead quickly for the Cakes. He gave up four runs on three hits and three walks before getting one out in the bottom of the 2nd. One inning later he gave up a solo blast to Jud Wilson, and was pulled after the 4th, trailing 5-1. For Veale (1-1), it was his first postseason win and reliever Bob Humphreys pitched the final 1 2/3 for his second save.
GAME FOUR
Keith Hernandez's grand slam and 5 RBI overshadowed arguably the most dominating pitching performance of the finals, so far, in the Barons' 7-2, series-tying win in Game 4.
Barons' starting pitcher Storm Davis scattered four hits over four innings, allowing just one run on Jerry Remy's RBI single in the 2nd. But Davis got hurt batting in the bottom of the 4th and left the game, leading 6-1. Reliever Frank Shellenback continued the dominant pitching for the final five innings, allowing just five hits and walking no one, to pick up the win. The lone blemish on Shellenback's line was a solo blast from Frank Robinson, his 3rd of the postseason, in the 9th.
The Barons provided plenty of offense early, knocking Cakes' starter Fred Toney out of the game in the 3rd after scoring six runs, five in that inning.
In the 3rd, Eddie Collins and Chino Smith each singled with one out and then Al Simmons hit a sac fly to break the 1-1 tie. With Smith at second base and two outs, the Cakes intentionally walked Jud Wilson. But then Toney also walked Biz Mackey to load the bases for Keith Hernandez. The veteran first baseman knocked a grand slam over the right-field fence and Toney from the game, for the 6-1 lead. Hernandez drove in his fifth run of the game with a sac fly in the 8th, which finished the scoring.
Barons’ Jud Wilson singled home Collins in the 1st to give the Barons an early 1-0 lead.
A rematch of the Game 1 starters and a tied series makes tonight's Game 5 must-see baseball.
Game 5: Cakes' Ron Guidry (16-16, 3.00; 1-1 postseason) at Barons' Pete Alexander (18-8, 2.10; 1-1 postseason)
April 9, 2010 - The first two games looked on paper like potential classic pitching duels with three pitchers who won at least 18 games, two Cy Young candidates, and over 1,100 strikeouts among the four starters. While the pitching was solid, it was not the dominant aspect, and both sides of a second-base platoon gathered both game-winning RBI for Bunze0's Funnel Cakes, who took a 2-0 series lead.
In Game 1, Bunze0's Ron Guidry (16-16, 3.00) faced off against Mr. BBW's Pete Alexander (18-8, 2.10) in a classic pitching duel. The Cakes played a little small ball in the 1st as Donie Bush singled, stole second and one batter later scored from second on Tris Speaker's single.
Al Simmons tied it for Mr. BBW with an RBI single in the top of the third, only to see the Cakes retake the lead on Pete Rose's RBI single in the bottom of the 3rd. Three singles and a walk scratched a run across for the Barons to tie it again in the 6th.
Amidst it all was the solid pitching of the two starters. While not overwhelming, they did what they had to do, such as induce an inning-ending double play or getting needed strikeouts late in the game.
With one out in the bottom of the 8th, Frank Robinson crushed an Alexander offering into the right-center field gap and raced to third for a triple. After the Barons' ace whiffed Rose, second baseman Jerry Remy became the unlikely hero with a clutch two-out RBI single up the middle to give the Cakes the lead. Alexander struck out catcher Ray Schalk to end the inning.
Guidry came back out in the 9th for the Cakes with two relievers warming in the bullpen. But Guidry wanted to finish it. Pinch-hitter extraordinaire Jose Cardenal, who hit .422 in limited play during the regular season, was first. Guidry struck him out. Shortstop Phil Rizzuto also K'd. Then came Eddie Collins, who hit .308 in the regular season. He drilled a rope right to Pete Rose, who gloved it for the final out.
GAME 2
It was another pitching classic of a matchup with Sandy Koufax (21-11, 2.77) going for the Barons at the Cakes' Lefty Grove (18-18, 3.85). And it looked like it was going to be a duel to the final out.
With two on and two out in the top of the 1st, Grove struck out RF Chino Smith. Meanwhile Koufax stranded Bush, who led off the bottom of the 1st with a single, at first by retiring the next three hitters. And despite a leadoff double in the second, Grove pitched out of the jam, and Koufax struck out two of the three batters he faced in the bottom half. Defense was flashed with some double plays and thrown out baserunners in the first four-plus innings.
Barons' ace encountered trouble in the 5th. With two outs and Rose at second after doubling, second baseman Marty Barrett lofted a deep fly that just cleared the fence in center to give the Cakes a 2-0 lead.
Grove got in trouble in the sixth. Al Simmons singled with one out, and then went to second when Grove was charged with a balk. Jud Wilson knocked Simmons in with a single, and Smith doubled to put runners at second and third with one out. But Grove struck out Rob Wilfong, who came into the game earlier when 1b Keith Hernandez left with an undisclosed injury. Then Willie Wilson hit a soft fly to center, letting Grove escape without further damage.
Cakes' Speaker crushed a two-out pitch from Koufax into the bleachers in CF to put the lead back to two at 3-1 a half-inning later. Koufax would leave after six, allowing three runs on five hits, with no walks and eight strikeouts, but haunted by the two homers. Grove, meanwhile, retired eight of the last nine batters he faced, giving way to Willie Hernandez in the ninth, who retired the side in order.
The Cakes added three runs in the eighth on a pair of singles, an RBI double from Ty Cobb, and an uncharacteristic error by Gold Glove Rizzuto that allowed the last two runs to score. Games 3 and 4 are tonight at the Barons' Rickwood Field.
The expected matchups
Game 3: Cakes' Jesse Tannehill (24-9) vs. Barons' Bob Veale (18-14, 4.52)
Game 4: Cakes' Fred Toney (19-13) vs. Baron's Storm Davis (8-19, 5.72)
April 8, 2010 - The two playoff teams from the East know two things for certain: the SBDL title will remain in the East and it will be a first-time SBDL title for one of them. Bunze0 (Funnel Cakes) and Mr. Baseball World (Birmingham Barons) are each vying for their first-ever SBDL ring, which means it will be the eighth different champion in the last eight seasons.
April 6, 2010 - Mr. Baseball World, the last-second wild card winner, extended his winning streak to 8 games after winning both road games to start his seminfinal series against Central division champ 13Baseballs. Behind the strong pitching of Sandy Koufax and Pete Alexander, who finished 2nd and 3rd in Cy Young voting, the Barons continued their recent dominance beating the Furballs 20-5 over the two games. The pitching staff has allowed 15 runs during this torrid eight-game stretch.
Meanwhile, in the other semifinal series, Bunze0 and BobBoone have split the first pair of games. In game 1, Cy Young winner and Rookie of the Year favorite Greg Maddux scattered five hits and walked none en route to an 8-3 victory for BobBoone's Wolves, supported by four homers by four different players. In game 2, Bunze0's offense took control. The Cakes rapped out 18 hits as each member of the starting lineup had at least one hit, and only starting pitcher Lefty Grove did not score at least one run. Jerry Remy was 3-for-6, including a triple, and 4 rbi. Stan Musial was 2-for-5 with a walk, his 2nd HR, and 4 rbi.
April 5, 2010 - The Season XVIII (18) playoffs begin tonight. Mr. Baseball World swept his final regular season series, while tomwistar lost two of three, creating a tie for the wild card. And Mr. Baseball World won the tiebreaker. He starts the postseason on the road at 13Baseballs, winner of the season's best record. This is Mr. Baseball World's first playoff berth since season 14. The other semifinal pits East champ Bunze0 on the road for games 1 and 2 against West champ BobBoone. Looks like this could be a dandy of a postseason.
April 2, 2010 - 13baseballs' magic number for clinching home field throughout the postseason is 1, and tomwistar's magic number for winning the wild card is 2, entering the final 3-game series of the season. 13baseballs has clinched the Central, his first postseason berth in three seasons. Bunze0 has clinched the East, his first playoff appearance since making the finals three seasons in a row (13-15). And BobBoone has clinched his third straight West division crown. This would be tomwistar's third straight postseason, as well, if he clinches.
Also, check out the Records and Awards section for what record could fall during this final series. Plus see the updated awards and records info from seasons 16 and 17, recently added.
March 29, 2010 - While the divisions are just about wrapped up with Bunze0, 13Baseballs, and BobBoone leading the way, the wild card berth is up for grabs as tomwistar, Munich_Man, and Mr. Baseball World are within two games of each other. In the meantime, defending champ Honeyman, emart, modmark, and Palanion are in a dogfight for the #1 draft pick.
February 26, 2010 - DOMINANT: Christy Mathewson hurls no-hitter and homers for only run in 1-0 Asbury Jukes win over Hanging Curve last night.
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League Standings:
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