Cincy has reservations after dropping 3 of 4 to Braves.

2006 ATL - Terry Priest, 1971 CIN - Rick Tharp
Game 1 - Atl 11, Cin 0
The Reds and Braves opened their seasons on a hot, humid Atlanta afternoon. Gary Nolan and John Smoltz took the hill for their respective teams. The weather would keep either starter from going deep in the game. The Braves opened the scoring with a single run in the 2nd inning. After a 58 minute rain delay the Braves broke out the bats and when all was done had an 11-0 shutout. Nolan pitched into the 5th inning while Smoltz scattered 6 hits across 6 innings to pick up the win. Edgar Renteria went 4 for 4 at the plate and Wilson Betemit hit a pinch hit 2-run homer in the 7th. Tommy Helms and Bernie Carbo each had 2 hits for Cincinnati.
Atlanta took the lead in the 2nd and added 2 more runs for a 3-0 lead after 3 innnings. In the 7th the Bravos tacked on 5 runs at the expense of Joe Gibbon to put the game out of reach.
The Atlanta offense would be the game's MVP. Edgar Renteria was 4 for 4 and while Chipper Jones and Brian McCann were each 2 for 5 with 3 RBIs.

Game 2 - Atl 4, Cin 3
Game 2 started out looking like a shoot-out in the making. The 71 Reds scored 3 runs in the top of the 1st off of Braves starter Chuck James. Pete Rose led off the game with a homerun and Johnny Bench added another solo shot later in the inning to stake Cincy to a 3-0 lead. However the Bravos answered in the bottom of the inning with 4 runs of their own, highlighted by an RBI from Chipper Jones and 2 more from Brian McCann. Interestingly that would all of the scoring as Don Gullett and James settled down and goose eggs were posted the rest of the way. Cincy had a runner aboard in the 9th but Bob Wickman recorded the last two outs to preserve the win and notch his first save of the season.
The turning point occurred when Andruw Jones picked up an RBI in the bottom of the 1st that gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead and capped the scoring for the day.
Marcus Giles picked up game MVP honors going 3 for 4 and sparking the Braves rally in the 1st.

Game 3 - Cin 3, Atl 0
The series moved to the Queen City and Cincinnati quickly returned the home-opening favor to the visiting Atlanta team. Jim McGlothlin and the Reds shut out the Braves on 5 hits. George Foster gave the hometown fans something to cheer about with an RBI in the bottom of the 2nd to put Cincy up 1 - 0. Tim Hudson pitched 7 innings for the Bravos but McGlothlin was even better with his 7 innings of shut out ball.
The turning point of the game occurred when Hudson gave way to Ken Ray in the 8th. Tony Perez and Lee May greeted Ray with back-to-back solo homeruns. Clay Carroll made the 3 - 0 lead stand up to pick up his first save. The star of the day was McGlothlin as he frustrated the Atlanta hitters and help the Reds get into the win column.

Game 4 - ATL 4, CIN 2
In a game where 4 of the 6 runs were provided by solo homers the Braves were able to capture the win. Horacio Ramirez and Ross Grimsley squared off in the fourth game of the series and each pitched well going 7 and 8 innings respectively. Andruw Jones, Marcus Giles and Adam LaRoche each hit solo homers for the Bravos and George Foster had a solo shot of his own for the Reds. Bob Wickman entered the game with 2 out and a runner on second in the bottom of the ninth. He recorded the final out earning his second save of the season and the win for Ramirez. The game was tied 2-2 after 5 innings when LaRoche deposited a Grimsley fastball into the rightfield seats to give the lead to Atlanta and the game's MVP honors to himself. --subitted by Terry Priest--

Minnesota finds KC a Royal pain...

The KOD6 season kicked off with the 72 Kansas City Royals hosting the 64 Minnesota Twins. Game 1 featured Camilio Pasqual of the Twins facing off against the Royals Dick Drago. The game was scoreless until the botttom of the 3rd when Paul Schaal reached 2nd on a 2 base throwing error by Twins 3rd baseman Rich Rollins. After Drago dropped down a perfect sacrifice, Freddie Patek laced a single to right to give KC a 1-0 lead. In the top of the 4th, Harmon Killebrew tied the score with a shot to left center. Kansas City regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on an Ed Kirkpatrick Sacrifice Fly. In the 6th, Schaal made it 3-1 Royals with a single to left. The score stayed that way until the 9th.
The Royals brought in submariner Ted Abernathy to protect the 2 run lead. Lead off hitter Killebrew struck again with his 2nd homer, a shot to left. Abernathy was done and lefty Tom Burgmeier came in. He retired Jimmy Hall on a fly to center and Don Mincher on a pop to 1st. Zoilo Versalles stepped in and dripped a single. Catcher Earl Battey followed with a single moving Versalles to 3rd. With number 8 hitter Jerry Kindall due up, the Twins turned to pinch hitter Vic Power. Burgmeier induced Power to ground to short for a 6-4 force out. The Royals prevailed 3-2.

Game 2 seen Jim Kaat (Minn) squaring off against Bruce Dal Canton (KC). Once again the Royals drew 1st blood. Ed Kirkpatrick had an RBI single and Paul Schaal followed with a RBI double to give the Royals a 2-0 lead. Minnesota got on the board when Zoilo Versalles smacked a run scoring triple and drew even in the 4th on a Jimmy Hall homer. Once again the Royals bounced back when Schaal homered to give KC a 3-2 lead.
In the 7th, Minnesota gained their 1st lead of the series as pinch hitter Bernie Allen singled home a run and Rich Rollins added a run scoring 2 out double. In the 8th Harmon Killebrew struck again with his 3rd homer on the young season to give the Twins a 5-3 lead. Kansas City responded with a single tally in the bottom of the 8th to pull within 1.
Minnesota again pushed the lead to 2 runs on a Bernie Allen homer, setting the stage for the bottom of the 9th. The Twins turned to Al Worhtington to try to close it out. Freddie Patek open the bottom of the 9th with a single and Cookie Rojas drew a walk. Worthington then induced Amos Otis to ground to short, moving the runners up. John Mayberry then stepped in and with a 2-2 count delivered a 3 run shot to right center to give the Royals a come from behind 7-6 victory.

Game 3 shifted to Minnesota. The Twins sent Jim "Mudcat" Grant to the mound to try to slow down the Royals. Kansas City countered with lefty Paul Splittorf. Minnesota struck in the first with 3 runs. Tony Olivo delivered a shot down the right field line to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead. After Harmon Killebrew grounded to 3rd, Jimmy Hall drew a 2 out walk. Don Mincher then followed Oliva’s lead with a 2 run shot, a liner down the right field line. That would be all the scoring. Grant was the story of the game. He went the distance, scattering just 5 hits and striking out 1 in his 112 pitch performance.

Minnesota looked to split the series as they sent Jim Perry to the mound against the Royals Roger Nelson in game 4. Kansas City jumped on Perry with 3 runs in the 2nd . Lou Pinella opened the inning with a triple and came home on a Paul Schaal single. After a Rich Rollins error, Cookie Rojas struck out and pitcher Nelson sacrificed the runners up. Freddie Patek delivered a 2 run triple to make it 3-0. Minnesota came right back with run in the bottom of the inning on back to back doubles by Bobby Allison and Zoilo Versalles. Minnesota plated 3 in the bottom of the 3rd . Rich Rollins delivered a leadoff triple and was plated by Tony Oliva’s sacrifice fly. Harmon Killebrew then stepped in and launched his 4th homer of the season . The Twins weren’t done yet as Jimmy Hall doubled and came around to score on an Earl Battey single.
Kansas City responded with a run in the 4th to tie it at 4, with Richie Scheinblum delivering a RBI single. The Royals struck for 2 in the 7th. Freddie Patek singled to open the inning and Scheinblum homered to make it 6-4, Royals. Amos Otis singled in a run in the 9th to make it 7-4 and the Royals called in Tom Burgmeier to end it. The Twins had other ideas. Ed Kirkpatrick lead off and was retired on a long fly to left center. The dangerous Killebrew stepped in and lined a single to right center. Jimmy Hall followed suit with a single to right, Killebrew stopped at 2nd. Bobby Allison single to left to load the bases. Versalles hit a grounder to the hole which Patek fielded and threw him out, but all runners moved up. Earl Battey then was retired on a grounder to 2nd to end the game. --submitted by Milo Miller--

Amazins' beat up on former NY'ers...

Game 1. Jim Hearn opened the season against Bobby Jones. Hearn scattered just four hits but allowed three runs including a homer to Carl Everett. Meanwhile Jones kept the Giants off balance scattering 7 hits and winning 4-3

Game 2 Ruben Gomez allowed only one base runner through the first seven innings and that was a walk. However, Edgardo Alfonzo led off the bottom of the 8th with a triple. Gomez bore down and stranded him, then mowing through the Mets in the ninth. Gomez through a one hitter and won 5-0

Game 3. The Mets pounded starter Jim Jensen and sent in to the showers after only two innings. Mlicki started for the Mets, pitched 7 innings and won 11-2

Game 4. Pete Harnish and Sal Maglie locked up in a pitchers duel. Edgardo Alfonzo continued to be a pain the Giants side by driving in he first run of the game in the third. The Giants tied it up in the 5th, but Jeff Kent scored in the 7h on an error by Hank Thompson at third and the Mets took the game 2-1 and the series 3-1. --submitted by Tom Davis--

71 P Hose sweep away '91 Halos

Game 1: Langston vs Wood:
Sox hit 3 solo homers (Hershberger Melton,Andrews) and Wilbur Woods knuckler danced in the late innings as Chicago wins game 1 7-3. Wood didn't let up a run after the 4th and walked only 1. 6 different Sox players had an rbi.
Game 2: Abbott vs Bradley:
Tom Bradley was in complete control striking out 11 and twirling a 4-hitter. Mike Andrews had both Sox rbi's in a 2-1 Chicago win. Jim Abbott had 9 k's of his own in a tough loss.
Game 3: B.Johnson vs Finley:
These two pitchers both walked over 100 batters during their respective seasons and Johnson walked 111 in just 170+ innings.Sox got off to early lead in 1st and never looked back as Johnson k's 9 and walks only 3 for win. Finley was wild and walked 4 in his 5.1 innings. 5-1 White Sox.
Game 4: John vs McCaskill:

Bill Meltons 3- run homer in 1st was all Chicago needed as Angles get white washed 3-0. Tommy John pitched 6 scoreless Kealey a hold Forster the save.
Lots of KKKK going on by both teams 36 each. Angels hit just .201 and were outscored 17-5. Bill Melton 2 hr's 5 rbi. --submitted by Dan Holm--

88 Spos sweep 65 Redbirds

GAME 1: (Olympic Stadium) - 88-MON 3, 65-STL 2
El Presidente' bested the great Gibson in a low scoring affair. With the game scoreless Tim Wallach led off the bottom of the 5th with a blast that went just past the outstretched arms of Lou Brock and off the left field wall on a bounce. Wallach pulled into second standing as Brock soft tossed it to Boyer at third. Gibby then jammed Luis Rivera with a 1-2 fastball. Rivera fought it off and sent a can of corn to Curt Flood in center. Gibson then walked the light hitting Nelson Santovenia on 5 pitches to make it 1st and 2nd. Dennis Martinez came to the plate to bunt, but Gibson wasn't about to let him lay down an easy one. With the count at 1-2 El Presidente' chopped one to Julian Javier at second to advance the runner, just as he originally intended. Up came Mitch Webster, the Expos Centerfielder, who has been fighting the injury bug. Webster is a good contact hitter with above average speed, but below average pop. Gibson jumped ahead in the count 0-1 and tried to sneak a back door slider by Webster who poked it into right to score both Wallach and Santovenia and break the scoreless tie. Gibson, ever the competitor, blew away the next hitter (Tom Foley) with a his 4th strikeout of the day, but the damage was already done and Montreal led 2-0 after 5. Montreal tacked on another run in the 6th as Tim Raines walked, stole second and was singled home by Wallach. Martinez was cruising, but after yielding a solo run in the 8th his day was done. Joe Hesketh started the 9th in relief of Martinez and promptly walked Flood who was then caught trying to steal second. Bill White then walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. Ken Boyer hit one deep in the hole that caused shortstop Luis Rivera to hurry his throw, which pulled Gallaraga off the bag. Rivera was charged with an error and the Cards had runners on the corners with 1 out. Tim McCarver followed with a hot smash to Foley at 2nd, who booted the ball, which allowed White to score from third. With 1 out and 2 runners on the call to the bullpen brought in closer Tim Burke, who got Dick Groat to fly out to Webster in center for the 2nd out. Burke, who is always an adventure, walked Tito "father of Terry" Francona and the Cards were really putting the pressure on. Burke, who loves the drama, began to rear back and throw bee-bee's. Three pitches and one flying mullet later Julian Javier was struck out and the Expos won the opener.


GAME 2: (Olympic Stadium) - 88-MON 4, 65-STL 2
Montreal opened the scoring off of Curt Simmons with a 2 run double in the first by Andres "El Ghatto" Gallaraga. "The Cat" hit a long fly ball off a 1-2 count that looked to be catchable. Cardinal manager Bike Mike did not seem happy in the dugout. Some speculate that he believes is enigmatic star, Lou Brock, might have been "loafing" in left. Brock had an all world year in 1964, but in 1965 he seems to be a little complacent and not as daring as the guy who single handedly pushed his team to the pennant during the previous campaign. The Cards scratched out runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings to tie the game. It stood that way until the bottom of the 6th when Luis Rivera singled home Hubie Brooks and the speedy Tim Raines to make it 4-2 Expos. Bryn Smith, the Expos starter, ran out of gas and exited after 6 innings. Montreal's bullpen held the Cards at bay to preserve the lead, but it wasn't easy. The Cards put a huge scare into the Expos in the 9th as Tim Burke lost his control and Joe Hesketh needed to come in from the pen to get the final out.

GAME 3: (Busch Stadium) - 88-MON 2, 65-STL 1
Tracy Stallard and Pascual Perez locked up in a good old fashioned pitchers's duel for 8 innings. Stallard was in the process of nursing a 1 run lead and a shutout when he tired in the 8th and Montreal scored 2 runs. Mitch Webster led off the inning with a fantastic drag bunt that caught the Cardinal infielders by surprise. Stallard was lifted immediately for reliever Hal Woodeshick, who walked Raines of 4 straight pitches to make it 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Gallaraga then hit a sharp grounder to Boyer who went around the horn for the double play. Unfortunately for the Cards Gallaraga beat Javier's throw to White by a hair. With Hubie Brooks coming up Cardinal manager Bike Mike went to the double switch and brought Bob Uecker in to catch and Don Dennis in to pitch. Brooks singled to right off of Dennis' 2-1 offering to tie the score at 1 apiece. With the count 1-2 Dennis made the perfect pitch, but Tim Wallach was able to turn on it and put it just past the diving Groat at short to give Montreal the 2-1 lead. Perez started the 9th, but couldn't close the door as Joe Hesketh came on in relief to notch his second save of the KOD season.

GAME 4: (Busch Stadium) - 88-MON 3, 65-STL 0 (6 innings)
Dark clouds were over St. Louis (literally and figuratively) as the game began. The weatherman (not Justin) advised the teams to play fast, because a bad storm front was going to move in. Since this was the final game of the series the powers that be agreed to take a chance and get the game in. Montreal had 4 singles and 3 runs off of Cardinal starter Ray Sadecki in the top of the 2nd to stake John Dopson to a nice 3 run lead off a Cardinal squad that has been having issues plating runs. Before the Cardinal offense could get on track mother nature opened up the heavens and the game was called 6th. Montreal completed the sweep and St. Louis was left to ponder why their lumber was splintered. Interesting to note, Cardinal reliever Barney Schultz left both games 1 and 2 with injuries. Schultz is in the twi-light of a no descript career, but he did solidify the Cardinal pen down the stretch last season (1964) as St. Louis was able to overcome the fading Phils.

Big Mac Attack as SEA/OAK split

87 Oakland-98 Seattle Stu Geller-Jeff Shelton

Game 1 Oak 7-6 , Game 2 Oak 6-1 Game 3 Sea 6-2. Game 4 Sea 7-3

Home team loses all 4 games is the big story. Mark McGwire's 3 homers led to a sweep in Seattle. David Segui & Ken Griffey Jr. homer twice in games 3-4 to lead the Mariners to wins in Oakland List the turning point. Travel was the turning point as neither team could win at homeWho would you consider the MVP and why ? McGwire would be the MVP with 3 homers in 4 games. --Submitted by Jeff Shelton--

Richie Zisk hits 1st KOD Cycle !!!

Congrats to manager Jesse Elicker, for piloting the team (1973 Pittsburgh Pirates) that offered up KOD's first batter to hit for a cycle. Richie Zisk went 4 for 6 with 6 RBI's as he set a KOD first. Zisk can thank teammate Al Oliver (CF) for dropping a can of corn fly ball in the 9th to push the game to extra innings. That gave Zisk another AB and a chance to enter the record books, which he did by stroking a triple, the hardest part of the cycle.

Click here to view boxscore

'21-Tigers split with '89 Brew Crew

Game 1- '21-DET 4, '89-MIL 3
Dutch Leonard was masterful with his knuckler keeping the hard hitting Brewers off balance all day. Harry Heilman stroked a homer in the first inning and the Brewers played catch up the rest of the way, never quite getting enough.

Game 2 - '21-DET 5, '89-MIL 4
The highlight was a Ty Cobb homer, or was it. Cobb stroked a long fly to centerfield which the pbp stated "bounced over" the fence; the umpires determined it to be a two run homer to give the Tigers the lead.. Brewer manager Bill Keller wanted it called a ground rule double but umpire Ed Hokilie ruled that since a batter from 1921 was at the plate, he was entitled to hit under 1921 rules which determined that balls bouncing over or through the outfield fence were homeruns (the rule was changed in 1931) (wonder how many Ruth bounced into the seats in 1927?). Hokilie won his argument and the Tigers won the game.

Game 3 - '89-MIL 8, '21-DET 7
Billy Spiers, he of the 4 homeruns all season, smashed two, count them two, grand slams to lead the Brew Crew to their first victory although the Tigers came back from the first one to take a lead and nearly came back from the second grand slam.

Game 4 - '89-MIL 7 '21-DET 0
All Brewers all the time. In what will be probably be one of the rare instances of shut out ball in this league, Jaime Navarro held the Tigers scoreless before giving way for some relief help in the last innings. The Brewers hit Tiger pitching often and hard and coasted to a victory to split the series. The road teams won every game of this series. --contributed by Tom Davis--

O's and Nats split Battle of the Beltway

GAME 1: Griffith Stadium - Baltimore 5, Washington 3
Ike (Dwight David Eisenhower) was there to throw the first ball out as the KOD6 seasons got underway. Squaring off in this battle of the Beltway were the 1953 Washington Senators and the 1999 Baltimore Orioles. The game started with Washington starter Bob Porterfield throwing strikes and quickly getting Baltimore's leadoff man, Brady "sideburns" Anderson, deep in an 0-2 count. Anderson fouled off 2 pitches before grounding out to Eddie Yost at third. Porterfield, who won 22 games in 1953, got the next two hitters to ground out as well to end the inning. Washington was ready to do some damage in the home half of the inning against "the man in black" Scott Erickson. Leadoff hitter Jim Busby took the 1-1 offering off his left arm. Baltimore manager Justin Ryan contended that Busby did not make any effort to get out of the way, but the umps saw differently and awarded him 1st. Erickson struck out Yost on 5 pitches to record the first out of the inning and #3 hitter Mickey Vernon flew out to shallow center. With 2 outs, Erickson ignored Busby, who promptly stole second, which put him in scoring position with 2 out. Obviously rattled, Erickson groved one to Clyde Vollmer who singled sharply to right to score Busby. Oriole Right fielder Albert "don't call me Joey" Belle had brain lock and missed the cut off man with his throw thus allowing Vollmer to cruise into second. This would be crucial, since the next batter Jackie Jensen blooped a 1-2 offering into left center to make it 2-0 Nats. Ed Fitz Gerald then followed with a single and just like that runners were at the corners and this 2 out rally looked to extend itself. Thankfully for Erickson the Senators sent up banjo hitting second sacker Wayne Terwilliger, who dribbled one to first that Will Clark took unassisted to end the inning and escape danger. Neither team scored until the top of the 3rd when Cal "the streak Ripken Jr. crushed a 429 foot shot to center that Jim Busby didn't even budge on. Just like that the hard hitting O's were up 3-0. Washington evened it up in the bottom of the frame when Mickey Vernon reached 1st with one out on another controversial play. From most camera angles it looked like Delino DeShields underhand toss to Clark at first clearly arrived a step ahead of the hard charging Vernon. After coming out to argue a second time and not receiving any satisfaction O's manager Justin Ryan was heard grumbling to himself something to the effect that "this umpiring crew is right less than the local weatherman". When Ryan returned to the dugout Scott Erickson took the hill and forced Vollmer to weakly pop to short. With 2 out the O's looked to be in good shape until Jackie Jensen tripled over the head of Belle in right and Vernon came around to score the tying run. With the score knotted at 3-3 the O's posted 2 runs in the top of the 5th to take the lead for good. Catcher Charles Johnson led off with a blast to left that got trapped in the corner, which allowed the slow footed Johnson to wind up on second with a stand up double. Porterfield had the next batter, Brady Anderson, at 0-1 and tried to sneak a breaking pitch that still hasn't broken by him. Anderson just got enough of it and poked it down the right field line just clearing the wall to make it 5-2. Erickson was able to hold the Nats at bay for the next 5 innings to secure the complete game win in the opener. After the game Baltimore's manager Justin Ryan couldn't stop raving about Erickson: "I never expected to get a complete game out of him. In his hay day he was real clutch". Erickson was at the top of the game in the 7th when Washington had runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. Washington pitcher Bob Porterfield, a good hitter, had singled and Jim Busby subsequently doubled. With the heart of the order coming up Erickson intentionally passed Eddie Yost to pitch to the ever so dangerous Vernon. Vernon got a good swing, but he hit it right at Mike Bordick at short, who turned a 6-4-3 to end the inning and Washington's hopes.

GAME 2: Griffith Stadium - Washington 5, Baltimore 4
In this cliffhanger, Baltimore jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first. Brady Anderson led off with a double. Belle and Baines both walked to load the bases with 2 outs and B.J. Surhoff singled in 2 on the first pitch. There was no scoring until the 6th when Baltimore added a third run on a Harold Baines solo shot to right. By this point Oriole starter Sidney Ponson looked to be in a grove and cruising, but one can never get too comfy when the big man from Aruba is on the hill. At any point he can just lose it, especially when his pitch count is elevated. With 1 out in the bottom of the 6th Vollmer singled harmlessly to right. Ponson got Jensen to fly to Surhoff in left to get the second out of the inning. Jerry Snyder followed with a seeing eye single that found a way into the hole between 1st and 2nd. Up stepped light hitting catcher Mickey Grasso, who must have thought he was that "other" Mickey who wore pinstripes in NY, as he jumped on the first pitch and slammed it 397 feet down the left field line to knot the score at 3. The top of the 9th saw the O's score a run and take a 4-3 lead into the the final stanza as Baines hit his second homer of the game. With 3 outs to go O's reliever Mike Timlin walked shortstop Peter Runnells on 5 pitches. Runnells is a slap hitter with little or no power. It was inexcusable for Timlin to walk him to lead off the inning and give Washington hope. Jim Busby then hit a high fly to right that Albert Belle lost in the sun. Thankfully for the O's Runnells made a baserunning blunder and did not go half way. This put runners on 1st and 2nd. Runnells should have been standing on 3rd with nobody out. Yost came up and bunted both runners up one base. It was a perfect sacrifice that only catcher Charles Johnson could field. Manager Ryan had no intention of pitching to Mickey Vernon and ordered him up a free pass to first. Volmer jumped on Timlin's first offering and hit a shot to deep right center that was caught by Belle on the run. Both runners tagged up and advanced, with Runnels scoring the tying run. Up came Jackie Jensen with 2 outs and the go ahead run (Busby) 90 feet away. Timlin couldn't find the strike zone and with the count 2-0 he attempted to put one on the outside corner. Unfortunately for Timlin and the O's the pitch got too much of the fat part of the plate and Jensen smashed it past a diving DeShields at second to score the winning run and even the series at 1 game apiece.

GAME 3: Camden Yards - Baltimore 8, Washington 6 (14 inn)
This was a game for the ages as it took 14 innings and almost 5 hours to final get a victor. When all was said and done the Baltimore faithful, those who remained, went home smiling as their O's won 8-6. Besides the extra innings these poor fans were treated to 72 minute rain delay in the 3rd. This weakened the effectiveness of both starters, but more so Mike Mussina who could not make it out of the 6th. Washington starter Spec Shea was able to pitch 7 innings, but his manager Marc Weiss might have hoped that he didn't' get out of the 6th either since he yielded 6 runs to the O's. Sonny Dixon came on board for the Nats and tossed 5 scoreless innings only to see his replacement Al Sima yield a game winning 2 run walk off homer to Brady Anderson in the bottom of the 14th. It was a crushing loss for the Sens who battled back from a 3 run deficit. Cal Ripken Jr. went 3 for 6 and smashed 2 homers off of Shea. Washington scored 2 in the 8th to rally back again and force the extra frames.

GAME 4: Camden Yards - Washington 7, Baltimore 0
The final game of this fantastic series was anti-climatic as Washington scored early and often to notch a 7-0 win. A 68 minute rain delay in the 5th ended Washington starter Chuck Stobbs day, otherwise he more than likely would have posted a complete game shutout. Washington reliever Jerry Lane tossed 3 scoreless innings to close out the contest. Oriole starter Doug Johns was heavily booed, by the normally supportive Camden Yards crowd. Johns was knocked out of the box in the second after yielding 6 unanswered runs to the Nats. Johns was only able to record 1 out. Both Eddie Yost and Mickey Vernon posted 4 hits as the Senators handed out some capital punishment to their neighbors from just up the Beltway.

KOD6...1st pitch scheduled for Monday 1/26/2009

We must all take our hats off to Mr. Tom Davis, Esquire for suggesting our fantastic theme for this KOD. Teams that finished below .500, yet somehow outscored their opponents. Popular belief is that these teams had some pretty good offense, but lets say their pitching was either sub par of flat out stunk. For the first time in the history of the KOD we will have 24 franchises represented in this league. It should be one heck of a season !!!

Throw another log on the fire and get the hot stove a blazing as KOD 6 returns !