Houston starter Fergie Jenkins allowed 8 hits and 2 runs in 8 innings, striking out 7 to outduel Curt Schilling and hand the Chicago Docs a 3-2 loss. It was Chicago’s 1st loss of the season. Jenkins allowed a run in the 1st, but got Sammy Sosa to fly out with the bases-loaded in the 5th to prevent more Chicago runs. Schilling was on his game, striking out 9 in the first 4 innings, and 13 overall. But the longball reared its head again for the hurler. Schilling led the league last season, allowing 23 home runs in just 65 1/3 innings. This time he took a shutout into the 6th before Tim Raines hit an RBI single to tie the game. The next inning, Willie Stargell took Schilling deep to lead off the 7th. A few batters later, Ted Simmons did the same. Barry Bonds cut the Hoots’ lead with a solo shot of his own off Jenkins in the 8th, but that’s as close as they would get. Bruce Sutter pitched a scoreless 9th to pick up the save.

Docs @ Hoots – 4/5/23

Mickey Cochrane was 4 for 4 with a solo home run, scoring all 4 times on base to give the Oakland Jacks a 7-6 win over the Detroit Rockets. It was the Rockets’ 1st loss of the season. Oakland ace Nolan Ryan walked 3 in a rough 5th inning that saw Detroit take a 3-2 lead. Reggie Jackson hit a 2-run homer off Dave Stieb to retake the lead for Oakland. But Ichiro Suzuki’s 2-out 2-run triple in the 8th put the Rockets in front again 6-5. Cochrane led off the bottom half of the 8th with a single off reliever Dan Quisenberry, and Hank Greenberg followed with an RBI double to tie the game. Lou Boudreau singled him in as the Jacks retook the lead. Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless 9th for his 1st save of the season. Quisenberry’s 2 earned runs are already half of what he allowed all last season for the Rockets. On top of going 4 for 4 at the plate, Cochrane also threw out 3 base runners trying to steal.

Rockets @ Jacks – 4/5/23

St. Louis ace Steve Carlton allowed two 3rd inning singles before retiring 20 straight Los Angeles Dynamos batters. Unfortunately for LA, Sandy Koufax kept their offense scoreless through 9 innings as well. Orlando Cepeda singled and moved to 2nd on a Carlton wild pitch before Hank Aaron drove him in with a 2-out base hit to put the Dynamos on the board. Koufax pitched a perfect 10th inning for the complete game shutout. St. Louis loaded the bases with 3 singles in the 8th, but Stan Musial grounded back to Koufax for the 3rd out. Overall, Koufax allowed 6 hits and struck out 12 in 10 innings, while Carlton allowed just 4 hits and a walk while striking out 8. The loss drops the former National League champions to 1-4 to start the season.

Dynamos @ Wizards – 4/5/23

Frank Thomas hit a Grand Slam in the 1st inning off Bob Feller, and Wade Boggs added two home runs of his own, as the Boston Splinters held on to top the New York Swats 8-6. The loss drops the Swats to 0-5. Feller had another rough outing, allowing 6 runs on 6 hits and walking 5 in just 5 innings. Ty Cobb was 3 for 5 with a 2-run homer, and Babe Ruth added a solo shot of his own, but Gaylord Perry held on for his 1st victory. Rollie Fingers pitched a scoreless 9th for his 2nd save. Boston is now 4-1.

Splinters @ Swats – 4/5/23

Chipper Jones struck out twice and grounded into a double-play. But in the 11th inning with 2 men on, he connected on a Dizzy Dean fastball for a 3-run home run to give the Los Angeles Dynamos a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Wizards. LA starter Carl Hubbell struggled early, but settled down, allowing just 5 hits in 8 1/3 innings while striking out 8. Stan Musial had Hubbell’s number, hitting a 2-run homer in the 1st and an RBI triple in the 3rd. The triple would be the last hit Hubbell would allow. St. Louis starter Don Sutton was nearly as good. Sutton allowed 7 hits in 7 innings, but also walked 4. Cristóbal Torriente’s homer in the 6th tied the game at 3. The Wizards also got 3 scoreless innings from Hoyt Wilhelm. Dean entered in the 11th but didn’t look comfortable. He allowed back-to-back singles to Jackie Robinson and Gary Carter to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Jones would punish him for a fastball left in his wheelhouse. Lee Smith pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out 2 for his 2nd save of the season. The teams will finish their series tomorrow.

Dynamos @ Wizards – 4/4/23

New York Swats’ Paul Molitor went 3 for 4 with a triple, 2 home runs, and 4 RBI. But the Swats still found a way to lose to the Dennis Eckersley and the Boston Splinters 6-4 to drop to 0-4 to start the season. Ty Cobb reached on a Wade Boggs error to start the game for the Swats, but was thrown out at 3rd by Ted Williams on a Rod Carew single. Iván Rodríguez then threw out Carew trying to steal second before a Harry Heilmann double which could have scored them both. Meanwhile, Boston’s Frank Thomas hit a 2-run homer to get the Splinters on the board. A Joe DiMaggio misplay would allow 2 more runners to score with 2 outs in the 4th. Another error by Heilmann in the 8th would lead to two more Boston runs. Despite that, Molitor’s 9th inning homer would cut the Boston lead to 6-4 before Joe Mauer flew out to end the game. Lefty Gomez pitched well for New York. While he walked 7, he allowed just 6 hits and 2 earned runs. The Swats are now 0-4 to start the season. Roberto Alomar was thrown out twice trying to steal by Rodríguez in the game.

Splinters @ Swats – 4/4/23

Jerry Koosman allowed just 5 hits and a run while striking out 7, as the Chicago Docs topped the Houston Hoots to improve to 4-0. All of the scoring in the game came in the 5th inning, starting with a 2-out RBI single from Keith Hernandez off Juan Marichal. Pete Rose followed with a double that scored another run. In the bottom of the inning, Dave Bancroft led off with a triple, scoring on Ted Simmons ground out to 1st. Marichal allowed 8 hits and 2 runs in the loss. Both pitchers went the distance. The win means that the non-Hall of Fame teams are a combined 8-0 to start Season 2.

Docs @ Hoots – 4/4/23

The Detroit Rockets improved to 4-0 with a 6-3 victory over the Oakland Jacks. Bret Saberhagen gave the Rockets their 2nd straight complete game, allowing 8 hits and 3 runs while striking out 5. Stan Coveleski hit back-to-back batters to lead off the 3rd, leading to the 1st two Detroit runs. Ichiro led the Rockets offense, going 3 for 4 with 4 RBI. Reggie Jackson hit a solo home run against Saberhagen for the only Oakland run until the 9th. Ken Griffey Jr. hit another solo shot, and Jackson and Mickey Cochrane hit back-to-back doubles to cut the lead to 6-3 before Saberhagen got Hank Greenberg to fly out to end the game.

Rockets @ Jacks – 4/4/23

For nearly 6 innings, Houston starter Phil Niekro was untouchable. Niekro retired the 1st 17 Chicago Docs batters he faced before Jeff Kent’s 2-out double in the 6th. That opened up a 4-run two-out rally for Chicago, capped by Barry Bonds 2-run double. Chicago had 4 doubles and a walk, all with 2 outs. Meanwhile, the Houston Hoots offense stalled against Orel Hershiser. Hershiser finished with 3 runs and 6 hits allowed in 6 innings. Roy Oswalt pitched two scoreless innings of relief, and Billy Wagner collected his 3rd save in as many games, allowing a leadoff single to Rogers Hornsby before striking out the side in the 9th. Chicago finished in last place last season, but is 3-0 to start this year.

Docs @ Hoots – 4/3/23

Charlie Blackwell went 4 for 4 with a home run and 4 RBI to lead the Detroit Rockets to a 6-2 win over the Oakland Jacks. The reigning champions are off to a 3-0 start to the season. David Cone did his part too, going the distance, allowing just 2 runs and 6 hits in his complete game victory. Oakland’s Hal Newhauser ran into trouble in the 1st inning, but pitched out of a bases-loaded jam. He didn’t look comfortable on the mound all game. He finished after 7 innings, allowing 11 hits and walking 4. The Jacks avoided the shutout in the 7th with back-to-back RBI base-hits by Ken Griffey Jr. and Lou Gehrig. Álex Rodríguez and Bobby Veach each had 3 hits for the Rockets.

Rockets @ Jacks – 4/3/23