For the 2nd straight game, the Los Angeles Dynamos fought back from 3 runs down to force extra innings against the Houston Hoots. But this time, the Hoots came out on top. LA starter Greg Maddux allowed a 2-run homer to Roberto Clemente and a solo shot to Mike Schmidt to fall behind 3-0 against Houston starter Phil Niekro. LA scored two runs in the 6th, and Willie Mays hit an RBI single to tie it in the 8th. Dynamo reliever Jim Bunning allowed 3 straight hits, capped by a Duke Snider go-ahead single in the 10th. Houston’s Dizzy Dean pitches a scoreless 9th and 10th to pick up the win. The 4-3 victory improved Houston to 12-17. Los Angeles is now 15-14, losing ground to the St. Louis Wizards in the National League.

Houston @ Los Angeles – 5/4/22

Yesterday, Oakland’s Bob Feller almost didn’t make it out of the first inning. Today, Oakland did the same to Boston’s Jim Palmer. Palmer allowed 4 hits, 4 walks, and hit a batter without recording an out. Catfish Hunter stopped the bleeding, as Rickey Henderson made a great catch and threw Minnie Miñoso out at the plate to turn the tide. Hunter allowed 3 runs in 7 innings of work. Oakland’s Hank Greenberg was 2 for 5 with a homer and 3 RBI for the Jacks. Jacks starter Mike Mussina allowed just 2 runs in 7 innings to pick up his 5th win. With the 10-4 victory, Oakland snapped their 4-game losing streak and improved to 13-15. Boston fell to 17-11.

Oakland @ Boston – 5/4/22

The Houston Hoots and Los Angeles Dynamos fought back and forth for 7 innings, as both LA starter Pete Alexander and Houston starter Tom Seaver allowed 4 runs. Bill Terry doubled in 2 runs in a 3-run 8th in his 1st plate appearance of the season after Jeff Bagwell was injured in a collision with Ernie Lombardi. But LA refused to go quietly, scoring one run in the 8th. Johnny Mize doubled in the tying runs in the 9th off Houston closer Lee Smith. Joe Morgan, who had homered earlier in the game, doubled in the winning run in the 10th off Hoyt Wilhelm with 1 out go give the Dynamos an 8-7 victory. Morgan went 3 for 5 with 2 runs and 3 RBI. Houston had 19 hits in the losing effort and fell to 11-17. LA is now 15-13.

Houston @ Los Angeles – 5/3/22

Boston batted around, scoring 8 runs in the 1st off Oakland’s Bob Feller, as the Splinters won their 3rd straight game. Boston had scored just 1 run and had two outs, but Feller couldn’t get out of the inning. Cal Ripken Jr. and Carlton Fisk hit back-to-back homers, and Tony Oliva added a bases-clearing double before the inning was over. Boston starter Gaylord Perry allowed just one run and 7 hits in 8 innings to improve to 4-2. Boston won 12-2 to improve to 17-10 and extend their lead in the American League. Oakland fell to 12-15 and have lost 4 straight.

Oakland @ Boston – 5/3/22

Bobby and Barry Bonds went a combined 5 for 8 with 5 RBI as the Chicago Docs topped the St. Louis Wizards in a game that saw both teams combine for a record 9 double plays. The Docs started Bobby Bonds in right field for the first time this season, replacing Sammy Sosa, who hit just .171 in the 1st half. Bonds doubled twice, going 3 for 5 with 2 RBI. Meanwhile, son Barry went 2 for 3 with a run and 3 RBI of his own. Overall, Docs hitters feasted on Wizards starter Robin Roberts, who had just started the All-Star Game for the NL earlier in the week. Roberts allowed an uncharacteristic 6 runs on 13 hits in just over 5 innings for St. Louis. Chicago starters Rick Reuschel allowed just 3 runs on 6 hits in the winning effort before he was ejected in the 7th inning for hitting Rogers Hornsby after both benches had been warned for hitting batters earlier in the game. Scoring could have been even higher in the game, but St. Louis turned 5 double plays, while Chicago turned 4. The National League MLB record, set by Boston and Chicago in 1928, is just 8. Boston and Minnesota combined for 10 in 1990 in the American League. With the 7-3 win, Chicago improved to 10-18, while St. Louis is 20-8. Docs reliever Kent Tekulve picked up his 1st save with 2 innings of scoreless relief.

Chicago @ St. Louis – 5/3/22

Detroit Rockets starter Bret Saberhagen scattered 10 hits over 8 innings, allowing 3 runs in a win over Walter Johnson and the New York Swats. Mark McGwire went 3 for 5 with 2 RBI to lead the Detroit offense, but struck out with the bases loaded in the 9th, failing to add insurance runs. Tom Henke bounced back from a blown save yesterday to pick up his 6th save. Johnson allowed 4 runs for New York, but 13 hits. Swats catcher Yogi Berra caught 3 Rockets stealing in the losing effort. New York dropped to 11-17, while Detroit improved to 15-13.

Detroit @ New York – 5/3/22

The Chicago Docs committed 3 errors, 2 of which led to 3 unearned runs in the first two innings, but Chicago still nearly won it. Ace Dwight Gooden struck out 9, but had an overall shaky start. St. Louis Wizards starter Steve Carlton allowed a game-tying 2-run homer to Jeff Kent in the 6th. Chicago manager Charlie Grimm made the questionable call to leave Gooden in to pitch the 8th, and Tony Gwynn singled home Ozzie Smith to give St. Louis the lead again. St. Louis showed their bullpen depth, with Fergie Jenkins pitching a perfect 8th, and Bruce Sutter tossing a perfect 9th to pick up his 9th save. With the win, St. Louis became the first to 20 wins, while Chicago fell to 9-18.

Chicago @ St. Louis – 5/2/22

The New York Swats fought hard to overcome a rough start by Nolan Ryan, topping the Detroit Rockets with a dramatic walk-off win in the 9th. Ryan allowed a 2-run homer to Mark McGwire in the 1st, another homer in the 3rd, and 3 more runs in the 7th, despite striking out 10. But the Swats never gave up, led by a fantastic day by Roberto Alomar. Alomar doubled and scored in the 2nd, tripled and scored on a Ty Cobb homerun in the 4th, and hit a 2-run homer of his own in the 6th, all against Rockets starter Roger Clemens. Already up 8-5 in the 9th, Detroit loaded the bases with 1 out against Waite Hoyt. Early Wynn got Bill Freehan to ground into a force out at home before Lou Whitaker flew out to end the inning. Coming off an All-Star game save, Tom Henke couldn’t finish the Swats off in the 9th. Alomar walked before an RBI single by Ty Cobb and a game-tying double by Yogi Berra. Wade Boggs flew out before Henke intentionally put Lou Boudreau and Babe Ruth on to face strikeout hitters Ken Griffey Jr. and Jimmie Foxx. Griffey hit a shallow flyout, but Henke walked Foxx to lose it. The win moved the Swats to 11-16, but gave them a great start to the 2nd half.

Detroit @ New York – 5/2/22

Riding the high of the hometown All-Star Game, Los Angeles Dynamos ace Sandy Koufax allowed just 2 hits in 8 innings. Unfortunately, one of those hits was a 1st inning 2-run homer by Houston Hoots’ Hank Aaron. Houston ace Bob Gibson allowed just 4 hits in his own 8 innings of work. LA’s Cristóbal Torriente hit a solo homer and a triple for 2 of those hits in the losing effort. Lee Smith pitched a scoreless 9th for his 7th save, as the Hoots improved to 11-16. Los Angeles fell to 14-13. Koufax is just 5-3, despite a 2.32 ERA.

Houston @ Los Angeles – 5/2/22

The Boston Splinters increased their lead in the American League with a 4-2 win over the Oakland Jacks in the first game after the All-Star break. Lou Gehrig hit a 2-run homer in the 1st to give Boston an early lead after a Harmon Killebrew error gave Oakland an unearned run in the top of the inning. After allowing the homerun to Gehrig, Oakland’s Bert Blyleven retired the next 15 hitters before allowing 2 more hits and 2 runs in the 6th. Cal Ripken led off the 7th with a triple, but Blyleven got Carlton Fisk to flyout to shallow right and struck out Charlie Gehringer and Killebrew to end the inning. Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez allowed just 5 hits and 1 earned run while striking out 8 in 8 innings for the Splinters. The Jacks put two on in the 9th, but Rollie Fingers struck out George Sisler to pick up his 3rd save. Boston is now 16-10, while the Jacks fell to 12-14.

Oakland @ Boston – 5/2/22