Christy Mathewson pitched a masterful game, allowing just 3 hits in a complete game 3-1 victory over the Chicago Docs to end the St. Louis Wizards’ 3-game losing streak. After Keith Hernandez doubled in the 1st, Mathewson retired 17 straight batters before Hernandez doubled again in the 7th. Three batters later, Sammy Sosa hit a 2-out single to drive in Chicago’s only run. Dwight Gooden also went the distance, but allowed 3 runs on 8 hits to fall to 4-5. Joe Morgan hit a leadoff home run in the 1st to put St. Louis on the board early. Ozzie Smith doubled, and Duke Snider singled before Gooden finally settled down. Mike Piazza added another solo homer in the 3rd. Gooden finished with 9 strikeouts. Chicago has now lost 3 in a row, and only have a 1-game lead on St. Louis, who is in last place in the National League.

Docs @ Wizards – 5/12/23

Roger Clemens only allowed 6 hits and no earned runs while striking out 6 in 8 innings, but he still found himself on the losing end of the 2-1 game. He only has himself to blame, as an errant throw to 1st base set up two unearned runs in the 4th inning. One of those runs scored on a wild pitch. New York Swats starter Ed Walsh kept pace, allowing 7 hits over 8 innings. Rafael Palmeiro’s RBI double in the 6th was the only Detroit Rockets run. It was almost worse for Clemens after he loaded the bases with no outs in the 8th, but he got the next 3 hitters to hit shallow fly balls and escaped the inning. Satchel Paige earned his 8th save with a scoreless 9th. Walsh is now 3-0 since joining the starting rotation for the Swats. Joe Jackson was 3 for 4 to lead the Detroit offense. New York has now won 7 straight games, but are still 3 1/2 games behind Boston for the American League lead.

Rockets @ Swats – 5/12/23

The Los Angeles Dynamos held off a late rally by the Chicago Docs to win 5-3 and keep pressure on the Houston Hoots in the National League race. Buster Posey put Chicago on top early when he doubled in two with 2 outs in the 1st inning against Carl Hubbell. Todd Helton’s 2-run home run in the 3rd off Rick Reuschel tied things up, and a bases-loaded wild pitch in the 5th put LA ahead. Ed Delahanty tried to extend that lead, but was thrown out at the plate by Andruw Jones trying to tag up on a flyout. Chicago had a chance in the bottom of the 6th, with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out, but Jones grounded out and Jimmy Rollins struck out to end the inning. Ron Santo came up big for the Dynamos, adding two insurance runs on a homer off reliever Kent Tekulve in the 8th. The Docs tried to rally in the bottom of the 8th when Buster Posey singled and Pete Rose doubled with 2 outs. Jones singled to left, scoring Posey, but Rose was gunned down at the plate by Delahanty to end the inning. Lee Smith pitched a scoreless 9th for his 8th save of the season. With the win, Los Angeles stays just 2 games behind Houston in the National League.

Dynamos @ Docs – 5/11/23

The Boston Splinters rode an offensive explosion to a 15-6 win over the Detroit Rockets. A long rain delay in the 3rd inning led to early exits for the two starting pitchers, Bert Blyleven and Bret Saberhagen. Carlton Fisk got the offense going against Kevin Appier, hitting a 2-run homer in the 4th. Boston batted around in the 5th, scoring 7 more runs, capped by a homer by Alan Trammell. Two errors by the Rockets extended the inning. Fisk hit another 2-run shot in the 7th to extend Boston’s lead. Walter Johnson got the win for the Splinters, allowing 3 runs in 5 innings of relief. Lou Whitaker matched Fisk with a pair of 2-run homers for Detroit, doubling his total for the year. Trammell and Mule Suttles both finished 4 for 5 for Boston. The win helps the Splinters keep pace with New York, keeping a 4-game lead in the American League.

Splinters @ Rockets – 5/11/23

Steve Carlton and the St. Louis Wizards had another rough loss. This time, Carlton himself was mostly to blame. With two outs in the 2nd inning, Carlton issued a pair of walks and added a bobbled grounder that would have ended the inning. Instead, Tim Raines broke through with a 2-run single to give the Houston Hoots an early lead. Carlton allowed just one earned run in 7 innings while striking out 7. Houston hurler Phil Niekro was even better. Niekro allowed a run on just 3 hits entering the 8th inning. Mike Piazza’s 2-out double plated two more. Houston added insurance runs on sacrifice flies in the 8th and 9th to hand on to win it 6-3. Bruce Sutter dominated in the 9th, striking out all 3 hitters he faced. He earned his 11th save and has yet to allow an earned run this season. Houston has now won 3 in a row, keeping space from Los Angeles in the National League.

Hoots @ Wizards – 5/11/23

New York starter, Mike Mussina, pitched a great game, scattering 7 hits and allowing just 2 runs in 8 innings on his way to his 3rd win of the season. Mussina got Hank Greenberg to ground into a double-play with the bases loaded in the 3rd to end the inning, but Greenberg got his revenge in the 5th, hitting a 2-run home run for Oakland’s only runs of the game. Meanwhile, New York hitters had their way with Hal Newhouser. Newhouser allowed 12 runs on 15 hits in just 5 innings for the Jacks. Joe DiMaggio went 3 for 5 to improve his league-leading average to .357. Babe Ruth also went 3 for 5, driving in 5 runs with 3 doubles. Dick Allen belted a 2-run homer. He now leads the league with 16 on the season. Four different Swats hitters had 3 hits. It was the 5th straight loss for Oakland. New York has now won 6 straight, keeping pressure on the Boston Splinters in the American League.

Jacks @ Swats – 5/11/23