Larry Walker was 3 for 5 with 3 singles to lead the St. Louis Wizards over the Chicago Docs. Walker drove in one run in the 1st and 2 more in the 2nd. He finished with 4 RBI. Juan Marichal allowed just 2 earned runs on 8 hits in 8 innings to finish the regular season 7-3 with a 2.39 ERA. Chicago’s Dwight Gooden had a disappointing year. He allowed 7 runs on 13 hits in this game to finish 4-6. The Wizards are just one win away from clinching home-field advantage in the World Series. The Detroit Rockets took the American League pennant earlier today when the Boston Splinters lost to the Oakland Jacks. The Docs have lost 4 straight.

St. Louis @ Chicago – 5/28/22

Nolan Ryan held the Rockets offense down, and the New York Swats topped Detroit 4-1 on the day that Detroit clinched the pennant thanks to a Boston Splinters loss. It also ended the Rockets’ 5-game winning streak. Ryan allowed just 4 hits and 1 run in 8 innings. Ken Griffey Jr. provided most of the offense with a 3-run home run in the 1st inning off Detroit ace Roger Clemens. Dick Allen’s 11th homer provided the sole Rocket run. The loss puts Detroit further behind in the race for home-field advantage in the World Series. The Rockets hosted a pre-game celebration when Boston lost earlier in the day.

New York @ Detroit – 5/28/22

In the battle between aces Sandy Koufax and Tom Seaver, Koufax came out on top when Joe Morgan hit a 2-run double with 2 outs in the 7th inning to give the Los Angeles Dynamos the lead over the Houston Hoots. Willie Mays hit his 13th home run in the 1st inning, but Houston responded with back-to-back RBI doubles from Gary Carter and Hank Aaron. The teams traded runs again in the 3rd, with Houston’s Jeff Bagwell hitting a solo shot to keep the teams tied at 3. After Morgan’s double in the 7th, errors by Eddie Mathews and Koufax led to an unearned run in the bottom of the inning. Goose Gossage walked two with 2 outs in the 9th, but Arky Vaughan flew out to end the game and LA won it 5-4. The Dynamos won their 2nd straight game after falling out of the pennant race. Koufax finished the season 8-5 with a 2.50 ERA.

Los Angeles @ Houston – 5/28/22

It only took one inning for Boston’s hopes of a pennant to be dashed. Splinters starter Jim Palmer left in the 1st inning with a blister, but not before the Oakland Jacks put up 7 runs and batted around. George Brett had a 2-run double, and Joe DiMaggio followed with a 2-run home run. Brett would end 3 for 4 and a homer short of the cycle. Rod Carew hit a 2-out grand slam to cap the inning. Boston did fight their way back against Jack Morris. Lou Gehrig hit 2 homers and Harmon Killebrew had a solo shot to help close the gap. The score was 9-8 in the bottom of the 6th when Oakland had another big inning, this time against Red Ruffing. Ruffing walked in two runs, walking 4 straight batters as the Jacks batted around for the 2nd time, scoring 6 runs to pull away again. This time, Boston had no response. Oakland won it 15-9 to eliminate the Splinters from a shot at the American League pennant. That sends the Detroit Rockets to the World Series.

Boston @ Oakland – 5/27/22

The Boston Splinters were cruising. They took a 4-1 lead against the Oakland Jacks into the 7th on the back of Gaylord Perry’s pitching. That’s when things fell apart for Perry and the Splinters. George Brett and Joe DiMaggio led off the inning with singles before Mickey Cochrane hit a 3-run homer to tie the game at 4. But the Jacks weren’t done there. Rod Carew came up with Tris Speaker and Nellie Fox on base and hit a 1-out triple to put Oakland in the lead. It would have been worse, but Carew was thrown out on a flyout by Ted Williams to end the inning. Speaker would double in the 8th, driving in two insurance runs, and the Jacks would win it 8-4. Ted Williams’ went 1 for 5, dropping his average to .343 after two hitless games. The loss dropped Boston to 27-23, 4 games behind Detroit with 4 left to play. They’ll need some magic to happen to win the pennant.

Boston @ Oakland – 5/27/22

Greg Maddux scattered 6 hits over 7 innings, allowing just 3 runs to the St. Louis Wizards, and Johnny Mize and Eddie Mathews hit homers off Robin Roberts to snap LA’s 8-game losing streak and keep the race for home-field advantage in the World Series close. Maddux improved to 2-3 on the season after Trevor Hoffman and Goose Gossage pitched perfect 8th and 9th innings to win it 5-3. LA took a 3-1 lead in the 3rd with a 2-run homer by Mize and a solo shot from Mathews two batters later. Roberts has lost 6 straight decisions dating back to April 21st. It was a much-needed win for the Dynamos, who are back at .500 with a 25-25 record. It also cut the St. Louis Wizards’ lead for home-field advantage in the World Series to just 2 games with 4 left to play.

Los Angeles @ St. Louis – 5/26/22

Catfish Hunter allowed just 4 hits and 1 run over 8 innings, but it was Lou Gehrig’s 2-run 9th inning home run that made the difference as the Boston Splinters topped the New York Swats 3-1. New York starter Bob Lemon matched Hunter through 8 innings, allowing just a run on 3 hits. That run came on back-to-back walks. Known for control issues earlier this season, Lemon allowed just those two walks. But in the 9th, Frank Thomas singled with one out and Lou Gehrig took the next pitch deep to chase Lemon and give Boston the lead. Rollie Fingers pitched a scoreless 9th for his 6th save. The Swats threatened when Fingers hit Alan Trammell and walked Babe Ruth to lead off the inning. But Ken Griffey Jr. flew out and Fingers struck out Jimmie Foxx and Harold Baines to end the threat. Boston improved to 27-22, but are still 3 1/2 games behind Detroit with just 5 left to play. They finish with a 5-game series in Oakland.

Boston @ New York – 5/26/22

Bob Gibson scattered 7 hits, allowing 3 runs in 8 innings as the Houston Hoots topped the Chicago Docs 7-3, for their 3rd straight win. Richie Ashburn broke the game open in the 4th with a bases-clearing 3-run double. He finished 2 for 4. Teammate Hank Aaron was 3 for 4. Chicago’s Jerry Koosman allowed 6 runs and 10 hits in his 8th loss. Albert Pujols, who joined the Docs mid-season, has quietly been one of the best hitters in the league. He went 4 for 5 to raise his average to .358 in the losing effort. Houston improved to 24-26.

Chicago @ Houston – 5/26/22

Álex Rodríguez was 3 for 5 with 2 home runs and 3 RBI as the Detroit Rockets took advantage of 3 Oakland errors and a big 10th to win 11-6 in extra innings to sweep the Jacks. Charlie Blackwell scored unearned runs in the 1st and 3rd thanks to errors by Mickey Cochrane and Rod Carew. Oakland’s Tris Speaker hit his 1st homer of the season, this against Detroit starter David Cone, to give the Jacks a 6-4 lead in the 3rd, but Rodríguez 2nd homer in the 5th tied things back up. Oakland’s Jim Kaat left the game after 7 innings, having allowed 4 earned runs and 8 hits. In the 10th, Rodríguez led off the inning with a single and Minnie Miñoso bobbled a Manny Ramírez flyball. Mark McGwire followed with a 3-run homer en route to a 5-run Detroit inning against Ted Lyons. The Rockets improved to 31-19 and hold a 4-game lead over Boston with just 4 left to play. They also cut the St. Louis Wizards’ lead for home-field advantage in the World Series to 2 1/2 games. With the 4-game sweep of Oakland, Detroit has now won 5 straight heading to their final series with the last-place New York Swats.

Detroit @ Oakland – 5/26/22

Houston’s Randy Johnson was 1-2 in his first 6 starts of the season. Since then, he’s been a force, winning his last 4 starts and setting strikeout records along the way. For the 3rd straight time, the Big Unit struck out 13 or more batters. Today he set the single-game record, setting down 15 Chicago Docs. He allowed a 2-run home run to Buster Posey in the 2nd inning and then struck out the next 9 batters he faced. Johnson allowed just 5 hits in 9 innings. Meanwhile, Gary Carter and Mike Schmidt each had 2-run homers against Chicago’s Orel Hershiser. Houston improved to 23-26 with the 7-2 victory, ensuring the Chicago Docs a last-place finish in the National League.

Chicago @ Houston – 5/25/22