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HBWRL Season 15

(For Season 15 Schedule Click Here)

9-07-2000

Maids Complete Sweep of Last Three HBWRL Champions

9-08-2000
Maids 2, Red Dawgs 1:
The James Maids' (3-0) Tom Seaver and the Myers Red Dawgs' (1-2) Joe McGinnity locked into a classic pitcher's duel, each pitching eight shutout innings. But both sides' pitching faltered in the 9th, neither starter got a win, and the Maids ended up on top, 2-1. Seaver allowed just six hits and left the game with one out and the bases empty in the top of the 9th. But Maids reliever Dolph Luque promptly served up a double to the Dawgs' Tris Speaker. After retiring Barry Bonds, Luque allowed an RBI single to Hank Greenberg, scoring Speaker from 2nd base. The Red Dawgs led 1-0 entering the bottom of the 9th.

Determined not to make the same mistake the Maids did, the Dawgs stayed with starter McGinnity in the bottom of the 9th, although Rollie Fingers was ready in the bullpen. McGinnity had thrown less than 80 pitches through eight innings, however. But it proved an even worse strategy, as McGinnity couldn't retire a single a batter. With the game tied at 1-1 and the bases loaded with none out, Mickey Mantle's line drive gave the Maids the win, as Speaker--a hero from moments before--watched helplessly as the ball rolled past his shallow, centerfield position. Asked about the decision to stay with McGinnity, Dawgs GM Jak Myers said, "You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Look what happened when they brought in Luque. I mean hell, the guy's name is Adolph! If I'd brought Rollie in and this had happened, then they'd say I was trigger happy...You know what? We all have problems. All of us. Have a day."

Indeed.

2 out when winning run scored
Game Winning RBI: Mantle

Hits: Maids 16, Red Dawgs 8
Extra-Base Hits: Red Dawgs 2, Maids 1

Winning pitcher: Luque (1-0)
Losing pitcher: McGinnity (0-1)

Doubles: Mantle, Speaker, Maury Wills
Stolen bases: Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonds
Caught stealing: Wills, Bobby Bonds

Koufax Gets Rare Win; Both Expansion Teams 2-0

9-07-2000
Defenestrators 4, Titans 1:
Ex-Titan Sandy Koufax allowed just one run in 8.2 innings against his former team, improving his lifetime record to 9-21 and giving the expansion Ballston Defenestrators (2-0) a win over the Tri-City Titans (0-2), in Ballston's home opener at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Titans scored first with a run in the 2nd inning, but Ballson retaliated quickly, with single runs in the 2nd and 4th innings. The game was close at 2-1 in the 7th, when the Defenestrators scored two more runs, one of them unearned on an error by Willie Mays, his 2nd in as many games. Koufax's record remains the worst in the HBWRL among pitchers with at least 15 decisions. "Perhaps a change of scenery is just what he needed. Beh!" said victorious manager G.J. Cal. III, Esq. The result sets up a Week 3 showdown with the Circus Freaks (also 2-0) for sole possession of 1st place in the JC. The war of words has already heated up, with Freaks manager Ed C. asking whether Ballston was afraid of the Freaks--citing a typo on one version of this season's schedule. Cal., replied that his team fear nobody and, at a time that has team had not yet played a game, noted that his team was undefeated. We can't wait for this showdown.

Hits: Defenestrators 16, Titans 10
Extra-Base Hits: 1-1

Doubles: Bill Dickey, Ernie Banks
Error: W. Mays
Caught stealing: George Sisler

9-04-2000
Circus Freaks 3, Upper-Deckers 1:
A critical error by Elmer Flick broke a 1-1 tie, and George Brett's 8th inning homer sealed it, as the Picadilly Circus Freaks (2-0) upset the Burke Upper-Deckers (0-2), 3-1. Juan Marichal, one of the Freaks' most criticized pitchers of a year ago, allowed just one run on eight hits in pitching a complete game victory. Burke's Cy Young also pitched well, but was victimzed by Flick's error as well as a hanging curveball in the bottom of the 8th. Brett, who drove the curve out of the park, went 3-4 is batting .875 for the season. Burke's Lou Brock went 2-4, with a double and two steals, and is hitting .778.

Hits: Circus Freaks 14, Upper-Deckers 8
Extra-Base Hits: 3-3

Winning pitcher: Marichal (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Young (0-1)

Homerun: Brett
Doubles: Frank Baker, Brock, Frank Chance, Lefty O'Doul, Billy Williams
Stolen bases: Brock 2, Chance
Caught stealing: Brock, Chance
Error: Elmer Flick

9-01-2000
Red Dawgs 6, Powers 1:
Al Rosen got his first hit since Season 1 and it put his team ahead for good, as the two-time defending HBWRL champion Myers Red Dawgs (1-1) defeated the Karas Powers (0-2), 6-1. Rosen's RBI single keyed a two run 1st inning; the Dawgs also scored two in the 2nd and coasted to the win. The Powers, last year's ERA champs, saw their team ERA soar above 5.00, as road teams won for the 5th time in six games.

Hits: Red Dawgs 14, Powers 11
Extra-Base Hits: Red Dawgs 1, Powers 0

Homerun: Bill Terry
Stolen bases: Terry, Barry Bonds, Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke
Caught stealing: Wagner 2
Error: Clarke

8-31-2000
Maids 5, Reps 1:
The James Maids (2-0) capitalized on an error by Lou Gehrig to score four 9th inning runs, breaking a 1-1 tie and defeating the Minneapolis Reps (1-1), 5-1. The Maids, picked 8th of eight teams by most preseason pubs, now have sole possession of 1st place in the SC, at 2-0. Starters Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown (Reps) and Lefty Grove (Maids) each pitched well, allowing just one run each in eight innings each of work. And while the Maids touched up Reps reliever Jack Chesbro for four in the 9th, three of the runs were unearned on the Gehrig error. Dolph Luque pitched a scoreless 9th inning for the Maids to earn the win. The Reps had an early chance for a big inning when Eddie Collins and Edd Roush hit back-to-back doubles to start the game. But Collins was caught attempting to steal third base prior to Roush's double, and the Reps' only run came on a solo homer by Babe Ruth. All four Reps runs this year have come via the homer.

Hits: Maids 15, Reps 9
Extra-Base Hits: Reps 3, Maids 1

Winning pitcher: Luque (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Chesbro (0-1)

Homerun: Ruth
Doubles: Collins, Roush, Jimmie Foxx
Stolen bases: Collins, Mickey Mantle
Caught stealing: Collins
Error: Gehrig

8-30-2000
Maids 5, Reps 1:
The James Maids (2-0) capitalized on an error by Lou Gehrig to score four 9th inning runs, breaking a 1-1 tie and defeating the Minneapolis Reps (1-1), 5-1. The Maids, picked 8th of eight teams by most preseason pubs, now have sole possession of 1st place in the SC, at 2-0. Starters Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown (Reps) and Lefty Grove (Maids) each pitched well, allowing just one run each in eight innings each of work. And while the Maids touched up Reps reliever Jack Chesbro for four in the 9th, three of the runs were unearned on the Gehrig error. Dolph Luque pitched a scoreless 9th inning for the Maids to earn the win. The Reps had an early chance for a big inning when Eddie Collins and Edd Roush hit back-to-back doubles to start the game. But Collins was caught attempting to steal third base prior to Roush's double, and the Reps' only run came on a solo homer by Babe Ruth. All four Reps runs this year have come via the homer.

Hits: Maids 15, Reps 9
Extra-Base Hits: Reps 3, Maids 1

Winning pitcher: Luque (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Chesbro (0-1)

Homerun: Ruth
Doubles: Collins, Roush, Jimmie Foxx
Stolen bases: Collins, Mickey Mantle
Caught stealing: Collins
Error: Gehrig

Freaks Snap Skid; Take First Place in JC

8-29-2000
Circus Freaks 5, Titans 1:
Christy Mathewson allowed just one run on three hits in eight innings, and Mike Piazza hit a two run homer as the Picadilly Circus Freaks (1-0) snapped a five game losing streak (from last season) with a 5-1 win over the Tri-City Titans (0-1). Mathewson, who struggled with his control at times, walked six batters, but had not allowed a Titan into scoring position through seven innings. With his team leading 5-0, he walked two batters and allowed an RBI double to Charlie Gehringer, snapping the shutout and a two-hitter (which would have tied an HBWRL record). He was replaced in favor of Bob Lemon after another walk in the 9th inning. Lemon allowed just one hit in picking up the save, as the Circus Freaks, who ranked 5th of six teams in ERA last season, combined on a four-hitter (the Reps, last year's last place team in ERA, have yet to allow a run). The result is the 2nd defeat by three runs or more for teams whose GMs missed this year's draft. In the words of one GM that didn't jump out of a window, however, "It's a long season, my friend."

Hits: Circus Freaks 16, Titans 4
Extra-Base Hits: Circus Freaks, 2, Titans 1

Winning pitcher: Mathewson (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Eddie Cicotte (0-1)
Save: Lemon (1)

Homerun: Piazza
Doubles: Gehringer, Frankie Frisch
Error: Willie Mays

Burke's Hopes of 6-0 Start Thrown Out The Window

8-28-2000
Defenestrators 6, Upper-Deckers 4:
In the 3rd upset in as many games, the Ballston Defenestrators (1-0) jumped out to a 5-0 lead, then hung on to defeat the Burke Upper-Deckers (0-1), 6-4. The result dashed hopes for Burke of repeating their 6-0 start of last season. Some Ballston fans (six to be precise) took the team's name to heart, and jumped out of windows after the game. But they were low windows, so the fans are fine. Harry Heilmann homered in his first at-bat as a Defenestrator, and ended up 4-5 with two RBIs. Kiki Cuyler went 2-5 with three runs scored, and made a game saving catch in the 8th inning, for Ballston. Lou Brock led the way for Burke--he was 5-5 with two stolen bases and two RBIs.

Ballston led 5-0 with the bases loaded and one out in the 8th, when Jackie Robinson's RBI sac fly chased starter Rube Waddell and made it 5-1. Ballston reliever Rich "Goose" Gossage then allowed Waddell's inherited runners (plus one of his own for good measure) to score, making it 5-4. Mark McGwire nearly tied the game for Burke, but Cuyler's diving catch prevented a 5th consecutive hit for Burke, and proved to be the only out recorded by Gossage. Ballston got an insurance run in the top of the 9th before Burke brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom half. Red Faber walked the winning run from the dugout, to the on-deck circle, to the plate, before striking out Yogi Berra to end the game.

Hits: Defenestrators 18, Upper-Deckers 17
Extra-Base Hits: Defenestrators 1, Upper-Deckers 0

Winning pitcher: Waddell (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Walter Johnson (0-1)
Save: Faber (1)

Homerun: Heilmann
Stolen bases: Brock 2
Caught stealing: Brock, Tony Lazzeri
Error: Frank Baker

Yaz Short Circuits Powers' Comeback

8-27-2000
Maids 5, Powers 4:
The Karas Powers (0-1) rallied from 3-0 and 4-2 behind to tie the game at 4-4, but it was not enough as Carl Yastrzemski's solo homerun gave the expansion James Maids (1-0) a win in the season opener for both teams. The other four Maids' runs came from the top two spots in the batting order, with Joe Morgan and Luke Appling driving in two runs each. Amis Otis had two RBI sac flies, and Honus Wagner had a two RBI singles, to account for the Powers' runs. Ex-Power Early Wynn was ineffective--allowing an inherited run, then the tying run to score--but got the win thanks to Yaz's homer. Last year's last place team (the Reps) and an expansion team (the Maids) will share 1st place in the Sr Circuit after Week 1.

Hits: Powers 15, Maids 12
Extra-Base Hits: Maids 4, Powers 0

Winning pitcher: Wynn (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Addie Joss (0-1)

Homeruns: Yastrzemski, Morgan
Doubles: Yastrzemski, Frank Robinson
Caught stealing: Fred Clarke
Error: Chuck Klein