InterLeague Classics


(via Chicago Trib)

Tale of the Tape

Cubs-Red Sox: The series began an historic visit from the Boston Red Sox, which marked the first meeting between the the clubs since the 1918 World Series, the Chicago Cubs, who had won 11 of their previous 14 contests,

Greg Maddux tossed 6 2/3 innings for the win in Game One and helped his own cause with a homer, as the Chicago Cubs crushed the Boston Red Sox, 14-6, in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Wrigley Field. Jeromy Burnitz homered twice and finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored for Chicago. Oddly enough, it was also the Red Sox' first game at Wrigley Field, as the Cubs' home games during the 1918 Fall Classic were held at Comiskey Park because of a larger seating capacity.

Game Two saw Todd Hollandsworth's three hits and three RBI, and Todd Walker's three hits and three runs scored to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 7-6 victory over Boston on Saturday. Chicago improved to 64-59 in interleague play, while the Red Sox dropped to 68-79...The Cubs banged out 12 hits in the win.

In Game Three the Red Sox avoided a humiliating sweep when Tim Wakefield tossed seven outstanding innings to halt a personal five-game losing streak and Boston clubbed four home runs en route to an 8-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs as the clubs completed a three-game interleague set at Wrigley Field.

Johnny Damon went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBI while Kevin Youkilis also collected three hits, including a solo home run, to help the Red Sox avoid a series sweep.

Wakefield (5-6), who hadn't won since May 9 and saw his ERA swell from 3.18 to 5.13 during his five-game slide, baffled the Cubs all night long. The knuckleball specialist allowed just one run on four hits and walked none.

Two Rapidly Aging Yankees


" "It's not the pitching coach's fault, it's not the hitting coach's fault, it's my fault." - Joe Torre after losing the opening game and their 10th in 12 games.



In their first visit to Busch Stadium since the 1964 World Series, which the Cardinals won in seven games, the New York Yankees gave away the opening game to the Cards 8-1 before 50,250 at Busch Stadium with three errors and six walks. Humiliation, proper like.

In Game Two, Randy Johnson, back against NL opponents finally pitched like he meant it this season, overseeing a 7 inning, 4 hit, 7 strikeout performance against the Cards that saved the Yankees from further humiliation. Ironically, Johnson earned his 252nd win to pull ahead of Cardinals Hall of Famer Bob Gibson for 41st place on the career list.

Not only that but the top five in the Yankees batting order finally decided to hit as well, as Jeter, Matsui, Sheffield, A-Rod and Bernie Williams combined to 9 for 22 with 3 runs scored and 5 driven in to give the Yankees a 5-0 victory over Mark Mulder in a matchup of MLB's two most prominent southpaws: Since 2001, Mulder leads lefties with 79 victories and Johnson is second with 73.

Finally, in the rubber match of Game Three, the Yankees reverted back to their auld ways, losing yet again, this time by a 5-3 margin, this time ignanimously, as Scott Seabol's first career homer, a two-run, pinch-hit shot in the seventh inning, provided the go-ahead run in the St. Louis Cardinals' series victory, two games to one.

*****

Although it was certainly no classic, the Washington Nationals continued an incredible 10 game winning streak by sweeping the Seattle Mariners to complete a 13 game homestand by winning their 12th out of 13.

After the game, the fans showed their appreciation by giving the Nationals a five-minute standing ovation. Robinson tipped his cap to the fans several times before gong into the clubhouse.

On Sunday, the crowd put the Nationals at 1,056,642 in attendance through 33 games. It established a new record for a Washington-based Major League team. The previous high was 1,027,216 in 1946 for the Nationals (AL).

The victory also kept the Nats in their improbable position in the NL East, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Phillies after the Braves and Marlins and Mets all mysteriously and simultaneously faded.

Don't expect it to last long though. The last team to run off 10 victories in a row this season were the NY Yankees and look where they are now.

*****No More Mr Nice Guy*****



Mike Tyson has quit boxing after losing his comeback fight against Irishman Kevin McBride.

"I'm not going to disrespect the sport anymore by losing to this calibre of fighter," the former world heavyweight champion said after failing to come out for the seventh round in Washington DC.

Rather than a long epilogue to the Tyson career suffice it to say that in my lifetime anyway, there has never been a more frightening and intimidating boxer and the story of his long downward slide will tantalise pundits for years to come.

*****

Almost Down For the Count



Well back when all the NBA playoff hoopla started, Sports Amnesia told you that the Finals would pit the Pistons and the Spurs, admittedly, not the boldest of predictions, but a correct prediciton nonetheless and for Sports Amnesia, that is almost news in itself.

The Spurs have already jumped to a 2-0 lead before we were even aware the finals had started.

Guess that makes the Spurs the odds-on-favourite?

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As always, those of you starved for Mets news can have a free sneak preview at Archie Bunker's Army.