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

Greg Maddux allowed just 3 hits against his former team, shutting out the Los Angeles Dynamos to give the St. Louis Wizards a 7-0 win. It was their first win of the season. LA’s Randy Johnson struck out 11 in 6 innings, but also allowed 7 hits, walked 5, and hit a batter. St. Louis was able to capitalize, scoring 3 runs off Johnson. Mike Schmidt hit a 3-run home run off reliever Jim Bunning to really put the game out of reach. But the Wizards didn’t need it. After a Ron Santo triple in the 1st, Maddux didn’t allow another hit until the 7th inning. It’s also an inning that he struck out the side. He finished with 7 strikeouts. After dropping two games to the Chicago Docs to start the season, the Wizards really needed the win. Larry Walker and Ozzie Smith both went 3 for 4 in the game. Maddux was just 2-3 last year with Los Angeles, and didn’t pitch a shutout.

Dynamos @ Wizards – 4/3/23

Pedro Martínez couldn’t stop the New York Swats from an 0-3 start. Martínez allowed 7 hits and 2 earned runs in 6 innings, and another unearned run thanks to his error. All three runs were in the 2nd inning. Jim Palmer pitched 5 scoreless innings for the Splinters before walking in a run in the 6th. Cal Ripken Jr. followed with a sacrifice fly that got New York to within a run. But George Brett homered off reliever Ted Lyons in the 7th, and drove in another run in the 8th when Boston put up 4 to increase their lead to 8-3. Brett finished 4 for 5. Jim Kaat pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the Splinters. New York’s Babe Ruth also homered in the game.

Splinters @ Swats – 4/3/23

Los Angeles starter Tom Seaver only allowed hits in 2 of the 8 innings he pitched, but Houston took advantage of those opportunities to top the Dynamos 4-3 and split the opening series. Arky Vaughan hit a home run in the 3rd with 2 outs for the Hoots’ 1st hit of the game. Tim Raines and Rogers Hornsby hit singles, and Oscar Charleston followed with a 2-run triple to give Houston a 3-0 lead. Seaver allowed 3 more hits in the 7th, including a Jeff Bagwell double and an RBI single from Eddie Mathews. Meanwhile, Pete Alexander kept LA hitters off-balance, allowing just one hit in hist 1st 5 innings. in the 6th, the Dynamos put together 4 singles, including an RBI single by Cristóbal Torriente. Alexander exited with just 1 earned run and 5 hits allowed in 8 innings. Bruce Sutter nearly had a perfect 9th, but Vaughan bobbled the 3rd out. Ralph Kiner followed with a 2-run homer to make it a 4-3 game, but that was all LA would get.

Dynamos @ Hoots – 4/2/23

The Oakland Jacks took a 4-0 lead into the 5th inning against the Boston Splinters when a leadoff error by Lou Boudreau kicked off a big inning. Boudreau couldn’t get the Goose Goslin grounder out of his glove. Bobby Doerr grounded out to third before Iván Rodríguez doubled. But Tris Speaker grounded the next pitch to Jimmie Foxx for what should have been the final out of the inning. Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle followed with base hits before Reggie Jackson couldn’t get a glove on Frank Thomas flyball. That was followed by a walk and two more hits, including a 2-run double by Goslin, before the Jacks could record the 3rd out. All told, the Splinters scored 7 unearned runs in the inning. Thomas added a 2-run home run the following inning, and an RBI double in the 8th off reliever Whitey Ford. Bert Blyleven settled down after allowing those 4 runs in 4 innings to the Jacks. He allowed just 6 hits in 8 innings to pick up the win, as the Splinters took the game 12-4.

Splinters @ Jacks – 4/2/23

Sammy Sosa showed that he deserves the clean-up spot, going 3 for 4 with a double, triple, and 3 RBI to lead the Chicago Docs over the St. Louis Wizards 6-5. Sosa had just one double and one triple in all of last season, including 37 games. Wizards starter Robin Roberts couldn’t figure Chicago out all game, allowing 6 runs and 10 hits in 7 innings. Willie Mays did his best to put the Wizards in a position to win, hitting a solo home run in the 2nd and a 2-run triple in the 3rd off Rick Reuschel, but St. Louis couldn’t keep the lead. Billy Wagner entered the 9th with a 6-3 lead, but Mike Piazza hit a 2-run homer to make it close. Joe Morgan followed with a single, but Stan Musial grounded into a double-play, and Larry Walker struck out to end the game, giving Wagner his 2nd save. St. Louis went to the World Series last season but has started 0-2. Meanwhile, the Docs ended last season in last place.

Wizards @ Docs – 4/2/23