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New Look Legends Take On the American League Central |
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Nap Lajoie, centerpiece in the big trade with Youngstown, including southpaw Herb Score and slugger Rocky Colavito. Laguna Beach—The Legends deal out a great bat and a great glove in the outfield in an attempt to raise the level of their bullpen and a look to the future of their infield. In a big deal with the Youngstown Browns, under new ownership, Laguna Beach favorites George Sisler, Roberto Clemente and minor leaguer Edgardo Alfonzo move to Youngstown for Left-hander Herb Score, slugger Rocky Colavito, and infielder Nap Lajoie.
Game 1 Two Legends errors and an RBI double by McGriff in the first inning give South Carolina an early 2-0 lead, holding onto it until the third inning when Reggie redeems his first inning error with a three-run blast to left-center. Willie Randolph ties it up in the seventh with a solo shot, his first home run of the season. But in the end it is an error that loses the game, this one by Boggs in the eighth inning, his errant throw allowing Cobb to score from second.
Game 2 Legends ace Tommy Bond pitched a stunning three-hit shutout through eight innings, but Strikers bats woke up in the ninth, scattering three singles off of a confident Bond to load the bases. Max Lanier comes in from the pen to curb the threat, getting Ted Williams to fly out to center, where Cobb's strong arm kept Randolph frozen on the third base. Willie scores when the next batter Boggs bloops one just out of the reach of second-baseman Tom Herr. McGriff doesn't chase Lanier junk, and coaxes a walk-in RBI. a frustrated Lanier heads for the showers, Holbrook counting on Bedrosian to throw strikes. He manages to keep the ball on the ground, getting Home-run Baker to ground out to Holocher at shortstop, but the run scores and before you know it the Strikers have tied the game. Bedrosian gives up a walk to Ripken, and the bases are loaded again, but bears down and blows away Thurman Munson who never got his bat off his shoulder. The Legends' half of the inning begins with an Oliva infield single. Pie Traynor bunts him over. Vic Power draws an intentional walk to set up a force. A resting Hugh Duffy is called upon to knock 'em in and he does, sending a three-run smash out to left!
Game 3 Newly-acquired Herb Score debuts in Laguna Beach, facing 11-3 Bunker. South Carolina is a team that draws walks, sporting a high team on-base percentage, and Legends managers worried about Herbs "wild side." Warrented, indeed, as Herb issued 8 walks in six innings before taking the bench. South Carolina was unable to take advantage of all those baserunners, Strikers runs coming in the first inning on a Cal Ripken 2-run double. Bunker lasted until the third inning, giving up 6 runs before giving the game over to Lefty Gomez, who saw far too many batters and gave up 5 more runs. Joe Tinker was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle, going 3 for 5 with 4 RBI and scoring twice himself. Newcomer Lajoie goes 2 for 4, with a double and a triple and a walk.
Game 4 McGriff leads the storm, knocking out a two-run dinger with two out in the first inning, waking up the Striker bats to the woe of Monte Ward. South Carolina scores in all of the first four innings, contributions from a Ripken double, Willie Randolph triple, Ashburn has an RBI single, McGriff singles him in, and Holbrook gives the ball to Larry Gura, just called up from the minors to have a look-see. The Legends get on the scoreboard in the fourth inning when Joe Tinker singles, steals second, and comes home on an Oliva double. Tinker reaches again in the sixth when Willie Randolph started to throw before he had the ball. Lajoie singles to score him. Reggie Jackson walks, he and Lajoie soon taking advantage of Lombardi behind the plate and quickly pull off a double-steal. Lajoie scores on an Oliva ground ball. The only other Legends threat came in the seventh, when Duffy singled and swiped second and third with no outs. The Legends artillery are kept silent, going 1-2-3.
Game 5 The Legends threaten early, with back-to-back Duffy and Cobb singles. Lajoie hits a scorcher to Randolph, and the Strikers turn a 4-6-3 double play to squelch the threat, with just Duffy crossing the plate, but Jackson follows up with a walk, Tinker reaches on an infield single, and an errant throw from Doak scores Jackson before Doak can get out of the inning, but that's all the Legends will get today. Henderson doubles in the fourth and scores on a single from McGriff, and in the sixth, singles by Boggs, Williams, McGriff and Munson combine for three more. After striking out two batters in the eighth, Weimer gives up a solo home run to Lombardi, gathers himself up, and strikes out Munson.
Game 6 With Legends management now afraid of a series split after a 3-0 beginning, the strategy is "scratch out the runs at all costs." The first inning sees a Tinker single, walks to Lajoie and Jackson to load the bases, 1 out. Oliva singles to score Tinker. Buddy Lewis squeezes Lajoie for another. Vic Power doubles in Jackson and Oliva. Power again with an RBI single in the third, Jackson juices a solo shot to right in the sixth. South Carolina gets onboard, Ted Williams singling in Willie Randolph for their one run. A fine series against a fine team, it's hard to keep South Carolina off the bases.
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