1982 Atlanta Braves Retrospective

[selmaborntidefan]

April 13, 1982
Atlanta Braves 8 (W: Garber, 1-0)
Cincinnati Reds 5 (L: Kern, 0-1)
7-0
1st place
Lead: 2.5 games

BRAVES RALLY TO REMAIN UNBEATEN;
M'S-ANGELS HALTED IN 18TH INNING

So if they don't get a 5-0 lead, can the Atlanta Braves win the game? It turns out the answer is that they can not only win, they can trail for the first time all season and they still have the bats to win. They can lose their starting right fielder in the first inning, and his replacement will go 4-for-4 and score three runs by driving in another. They can send a rookie out for his first major league appearance, and he can get through the opposing lineup once before coming out for a shaky bullpen that is good enough to not let the game get out of hand so the closer can come on in the sixth inning and seal the deal until the bats making him the winning pitcher with a late rally.

With two outs in the top of the first, Claudell Washington was hit by a pitch from Reds starter Bob Shirley, knocking him out of the game and putting pinch runner Rufino Linares at first. Linares didn't score - that time - but it also forced Manager Joe Torre to switch Dale Murphy to right field and place Linares in left. As it turned out, the hit batsman would play the largest role in the game's outcome. Both pitchers navigated the lineups through three innings but in the fourth, Glenn Hubbard doubled to left and went to third on Linares's single. Murphy then smashed his fourth home run of the young season, a three-run bomb that put Atlanta out front quickly in the fourth. But Joe Cowley, making his first major league start, couldn't handle the prosperity. First, he walked legend Johnny Bench and then gave up consecutive singles to former phenom Clint Hurdle and Bench's replacement behind the plate (Bench started at third), Mike O'Berry. Cowley was pulled in favor of Preston Hanna, who immediately got a double play and the Braves out of the jam still leading, 3-1. A Brett Butler single followed by a Linares double regained the run lost, but Hanna was largely ineffective in the bottom of the fifth. After a Ron Oester double and singles by Dave Concepcion and Bench, around two outs and a walk to Paul Householder, Hanna gave way to Larry McWilliams, who retired pinch-hitter Mike Vail to keep the Braves ahead, 4-3.

Back-to-back doubles by O'Berry and pinch-hitter Rafael Landestoy tied the game, and Landestoy moved to third on an infield out and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Dan Driessen. Just like that, the Braves were trailing for the first time in 1982. Gene Garber came on in a desperate situation and caught a break when Driessen was thrown out attempting to steal second to end the sixth. Cincinnati then opted for their own closer, former AL Relief Man of the Year (1979) Jim Kern. Kern walked Butler and retired Hubbard on a fly out but Linares then laced his third hit of the night, a single, and the Braves tied the game when Bob Horner doubled Butler home and had runners at second and third with only one out. Kern left in favor of lefty reliever Charlie Leibrandt, who walked Murphy to load the bases for Chris Chambliss. Chambliss fouled out, but then catcher Bruce Benedict singled to left, scoring the first two runners before Murphy was thrown out going for third. Garber took the mound with a 7-5 lead. Linares increased the lead with an insurance run in the 9th when he got his fourth hit, a single, went to third on Horner's double, and then scored on Chambliss' sac fly to center with the bases loaded after the Reds (again!) intentionally walked Murphy. Garber went 3.1 innings and gave up three hits while striking out three and permitted nobody to score. The win lifts Atlanta to 7-0, the best Braves start of the modern era.

Dave Kingman's three-run bomb and the effective pitching of Randy Jones lifted the Mets to a 5-2 win over the Phillies in New York's home opener. Jones, who won only one game all last year, won his second in a week. Ozzie Smith hit his first home run as a Cardinal while Joaquin Andujar and Bruce Sutter combined for a six-hitter in St Louis' 4-3 win over the Cubs. The Cubs had the bases loaded with one out in the 9th and failed to score when Sutter struck out Keith Moreland and induced a fielder's choice ground out by Gary Woods that forced rookie Ryne Sandberg at second to end the game. Rookie Alan Fowlkes pitched six strong innings for his first major league victory while Reggie Smith hit a tie-breaking double enabling San Francisco to win their home opener over the Padres, 3-2. The Dodgers raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first in Houston and never let it go, as they banged out 13 hits and scored 9 runs off Bob Knepper in a 9-5 victory for starter Bob Welch.

The California Angels managed to have a two-day Opening Day thanks to a late Seattle rally. Needing only three outs to seal a 2-1 win, Angels Manager Gene Mauch, long accused of "over-managing", was at his "over managing" best as he pulled two of his best hitters - Reggie Jackson and Brian Downing - in favor of defensive replacements and also pulled his pitcher, who had permitted only five hits and one run in eight innings. Don Aase came on to close out the game, got two outs, and then gave up three consecutive hits that tied the score at two before he walked Joe Simpson to load the bases and then struck out pinch-hitter Steve Stroughter to keep the score tied. Aase then pitched five more innings as both teams failed to score. After 17 innings, the American League rulebook came into play, the rule that forbids any inning from beginning after 1 a.m. local time. So the teams left the field and will complete the game tomorrow before playing the scheduled contest from the start. Reliever Dale Murray's throwing error scored two Tigers and lifted Detroit to a 4-2 win over Toronto. Four home runs, including two by Dan Meyer, guided Oakland to an 8-3 win over the Twins at the Metrodome. Rickey Henderson stole his sixth base of the season. Jim Palmer took a 5-0 lead into the fifth against Kansas City only to implode and give up five hits, all of whom scored, and gave up the mound to Sammy Stewart. John Wathan scored in the sixth and the Royals held on for a stunning comeback win, 6-5. Charlie Moore's single scoring Paul Molitor lifted Milwaukee to a 9-8 won over Cleveland in ten. Mike Morgan's Yankee debut after two seasons in the minor was a success, as he scattered 8 hits and gave up 3 runs in 6.1 innings en route to a 6-3 New York win over Texas. Lou Piniella and Rick Cerone homered for the Bombers.

The White Sox released Lynn McGlothen, and the Rangers signed Jim Anderson.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

April 14, 1982
Atlanta Braves 5 (W: Camp, 1-0)
Cincinnati Reds 2 (L: Kern, 0-2)
8-0
1st place
Lead: 3.5 games

BRAVES SWEEP REDS FOR 8TH STRAIGHT WIN;
INCREDIBLE 9TH INNING KEEPS STREAK ALIVE;
HALOS BEAT M'S IN 20 - AND GO EXTRAS AGAIN

Two years ago, the Atlanta Braves entered a season hopeful they could contend for a pennant for the first time in a decade only to see their hopes gone in the season's first ten games when they lost 7 of 8 to the Reds and started 1-9, creating an impossible hole out of which they had to climb. Had the Braves simply been able to go .500 against the Reds, they would have won 90 games and been in the thick of an exciting pennant race, but their 2-16 record against Cincinnati was enough to end their hopes. So how satisfying it is for the Braves to complete a four-game sweep of the Reds in Riverfront Stadium with a tenth inning small ball rally that netted three runs just when their hopes of breaking the NL record of ten wins to start the season seemed bleak.

The game story can be told rather easily: Tommy Boggs and Frank Pastore matched each other pitch-for-pitch for six innings until reliever Al Hrabosky came on for Boggs. Both struck out two, both allowed two runs, and both allowed an average of one hit per inning. Neither surrendered a home run or a triple. What was new for the Braves was that the Reds scored first when Cesar Cedeno led off the 2nd with a double and came home on Clint Hurdle's single to give Cincinnati an early 1-0 lead. But the Braves got the run right back when Brett Butler reached first on a fielder's choice, stole second, went to third on a throwing error, and scored on a wild pitch. But the Reds recaptured the lead in the bottom of the inning when Eddie Milner led off with a single, raced to third on a failed pickoff attempt thrown wildly by Boggs, and scored on a Dan Driessen double. And nothing more happened until the Atlanta winning streak was on the line in the top of the ninth.

Reds Manager John McNamara decided to let Pastore finish the game, and he surrendered a leadoff single to Chris Chambliss. The Reds appeared to catch a break when pinch runner Jerry Royster got picked off first and thrown out at second for the first out, but Rufino Linares reached first on a bunt and then raced around the bases to tie the game on Bruce Benedict's double. With the runner in scoring position and only one out, Pastore got the hook in favor of reliever Tom Hume, who benefited by a baserunning mistake by Benedict that retired him at third, a blunder that assumed cosmic significance when pinch-hitter Larry Whisenton singled. Hume retired Butler on a force out, and all the Reds needed to end the Atlanta streak was a run. And for a moment, they appeared to have it.

Rick Camp came on to pitch the ninth and after retiring Wayne Krenchicki for the first out gave up a double to pinch-hitter Larry Biittner, bringing rookie Paul Householder to the plate with a chance to win the game. Householder hit a sinking liner to left that had "Reds win" written all over it, so much so that pinch runner German Barranca raced home. But Linares somehow caught the ball right at the ground, shocking himself when he found the ball in his glove and threw into second where Rafael Ramirez doubled up Barranca to save the game and the streak. He would save it again in the tenth.

Newly acquired closer Jim Kern, who lost yesterday's game, came on and walked Glenn Hubbard leading off the tenth. He struck out Dale Murphy before giving up a single to Bob Horner and then a walk to rookie Ken Smith, loading the bases with one out. Kern then walked Benedict with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run and Ramirez followed with a double that plated two more runs and gave the Braves a 5-2 lead. Camp, who was 1-for-37 coming to the plate, grounded out to end the inning then retired the Reds in order to nail down the win. After several games of racing out to big leads, the Braves showed they could overcome poor baserunning and adversity to win their 8th in a row. Both the Braves and Reds are off tomorrow.

After suspending yesterday's contest at the end of the 17th inning, play resumed between the Angels and Mariners in Anaheim, with California eking out a 4-3 win in the bottom of the 20th thanks to singles by Don Baylor and Bob Boone sandwiched around a Doug DeCinces bunt. Then as if to show that 20 innings wasn't a fluke, the two teams played another ten innings in the day's scheduled game, the Angels AGAIN won by one run (2-1) when Rod Carew scored from first on a double by Bobby Grich. It was sweet redemption for Grich, whose wild throw in the 9th enabled Seattle to tie the game. The two teams combined over 30 innings for ten runs and 50 runners left on base. With new acquisition Lee Mazilli sidelined by injury, Billy Sample, who lost his starting job to Mazilli, reached base once via walk and once hit by a pitch, stole second both times, and scored twice to lead Texas to a 4-1 win over the Yankees despite netting only four hits against New York starter John Pacella. Toronto took a 4-0 lead to the 9th only to see Detroit tie it with a six-hit inning, but the Blue Jays prevailed in the bottom of the 9th when reserve catcher Buck Martinez singled home Tony Johnson with the winning run, 5-4. Howard Johnson, playing in his first major league game, kindled the Detroit rally by leading off the 9th with a single. The White Sox are now 4-0, off to their best start since their last pennant in 1959, after Tom Paciorek's three-run bomb proved the difference in their 5-4 win over Boston. The White Sox have won all four games on the road. Two home runs by Tony Armas, a game-tying solo shot in the 8th and a game-winning two-run bomb in the 12th, lifted Oakland to a 7-5 win over the Twins in Minnesota, a game that saw the Athletics blow a 3-0 first-inning lead. Oakland went 5-for-5 in stolen bases, including two by Rickey Henderson, who is on pace to steal 162 bases this year. A two-out ninth inning single by Amos Otis after an intentional walk to George Brett scored U.L. Washington and gave Kansas City their second straight one-run come-from-behind win over the Orioles, 4-3. Former teammates in St Louis, John Denny and Pete Vuckovich, squared off in Cleveland, and Denny got the better of it, going 7 innings and scattering six hits as the Indians beat the Brewers, 6-2. The two teams combined for 15 walks before a smattering of 7,000 fans.

Alan Ashby's solo shot in the 7th broke a 1-1 tie and lifted Don Sutton to his first win of the season over his former teammate, Burt Hooton, as the Astros edged the Dodgers, 2-1. Pinch-hitter Jerry White smashed a three-run sixth inning home run to put Montreal into the lead, and the Expos held on for a 5-4 win over the Pirates. Mookie Wilson led off the fourth inning with a solo home run off Dick Ruthven to break a 1-1 tie, and the Mets added six more runs over the duration to top the Phillies, 8-1. Andy Rincon tossed a three-hitter and Tommy Herr drove home two runs that made the difference in the Cardinals' 3-1 win over the Cubs. San Diego carried a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the 9th before a two-run shot by Champ Summers narrowed the gap to one. But the Giants could get no closer in a 3-2 loss to the Padres.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

April 14, 1982
Travel day
8-0
1st place
Lead: 4 games

BRAVES FANS ALREADY THINKING WORLD SERIES;
HEAVY HEARTED RHODEN PITCHES WELL IN LIGHT OF BROTHER'S DEATH
HRBEK HITS 5TH AS TWINS ROUT OAKLAND

Rookie Kent Hrbek's fifth home run of the season plus a three-run bomb by Randy Johnson that was part of a six-run eighth inning lifted the surprising Twins to an 11-5 win over Oakland. The Twins end their opening homestand of nine games with a 5-4 record as they hit the road. Steve Kemp hit a two-run homer and Jim Morrison ended an 0-for-13 skid with two hits as the White Sox won their fifth in a row, 8-4, over Boston. Don Baylor and Tim Foli singled and the Angels held on to complete a three-game sweep over the Mariners, 3-2. It was the second win of Angel Moreno's brief career. Bert Blyleven allowed two hits over seven innings as the Indians beat the Brewers, 8-1, behind two runs apiece driven in by Bake McBride and Rick Manning. Despite a plethora of injuries necessitating lineup creativity, Sparky Anderson continues to push the right buttons. Two of his newest acquisitions, Larry Herndon, who stole a base and raced home from first on a ball in the gap and Enos Cabell, who drove in two runs, lifted Detroit to a 4-2 win over Toronto. Detroit is down so many players they called up Glenn Wilson for his major league debut, the second Tiger to make his first appearance in the bigs this week.

Lonnie Smith and George Hendrick hit solo homers and Steve Mura took a three-hit shutout into the 9th only to lose it when Keith Moreland clubbed a homer with two outs, but the Cardinals still dominated the Cubs, 6-1. Mura lost a league leading 14 games last year. Pirates starter Rick Rhoden took the mound after learning his brother, Bill, had been killed in an auto accident in North Carolina and gave up one earned run in six innings before Pittsburgh rallied for 3 runs in the final two innings to beat Montreal, 4-3. Tied after twelve, Luis Aguayo, starting at third in place of a resting Mike Schmidt, clubbed a three-run home run in the 13th as part of a four-run inning that lifted Philadelphia to an 8-4 win over the Mets. Fernando Valenzuela only gave up five hits - three in a one-run first inning - but a series of intentional walks and one UNINTENTIONAL one with the bases loaded put LA in a 2-0 hole to the Padres, and they never scored, losing by that same 2-0 final count.

In today's failure to keep the feet on the ground moment, fans of the Atlanta Braves are already asking about World Series tickets six month hence. No doubt the 8-0 start has contributed to the optimism and Public Relations advocate Wayne Minshew even joked that the Braves players were already being measured for ring size. It's a long way to October, folks.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

April 16, 1982
Atlanta Braves 5 (W: McWilliams, 2-0; SV: Camp, 2)
Houston Astros 3 (L: Ryan, 0-3)
9-0
1st place
Lead: 4.5 games

BRAVES RALLY FROM 3 DOWN TO BEAT NOLAN RYAN, NOW 9-0
CAN TIE BROOKLYN FOR BEST NL START TOMORROW;
DECINCES WALKS OFF THE TWINS

Brett Butler may have an infamous (sounding) name in Atlanta, and he may be a rookie, but he's a pretty smart rookie, too. With runners at second and third and one out, and the Braves trailing the flame throwing Nolan Ryan, 3-0, and in danger of their first loss of the season, Butler knew the heater was coming from Ryan, and he hit the top of it, driving it through the middle to send both runners home and narrow the Atlanta deficit to 3-2. Butler then stole second, went to third on an infield ground out by Glenn Hubbard, and tied the game when Ryan threw a wild pitch, allowing Butler to race across the plate. When Dale Murphy walked after the wild pitch, Bob Horner drove Murphy in with the go-ahead run with a double in the gap, and in the process drove Ryan from the game in favor of reliever Dave Smith. Smith's error on a shot by Chris Chambliss allowed Horner to give the Braves and insurance run, and the Atlanta bullpen held the rest of the way to lift their record to 9-0 on the young season and set themselves up to tie the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers with ten wins to start the season should the win tomorrow. Larry McWilliams picked up his second win of the season in relief of Rick Mahler, and Rick Camp retired the Astros in order for his second save of the year.

For five innings, it was all Houston and all Ryan. The Braves had only one hit, only two baserunners, and Bruce Benedict, who had the hit, was thrown out trying to steal second to end the Atlanta third. In the fourth, two Houston singles and a double by Alan Ashby plated two runs, and Ashby advanced home when Art Howe singled and drew a throw to second for the third out of the inning to give Houston a solid 3-0 lead. Then in the fifth, Atlanta's winning streak came the closest it has come thus far to entering history.

After striking out Dickie Thon, Mahler surrendered consecutive singles to Ryan and Phil Garner and then walked Terry Puhl, loading the bases with one out. McWilliams came on with the Braves in danger and struck out Tony Scott before getting the dangerous Jose Cruz to fly out to center, ending the inning and keeping the game close. That's when the only Brave to have solved Ryan thus far, Benedict, doubled, which apparently broke Ryan, as he then walked Rafael Ramirez. Needing runs, Manager Joe Torre sent Biff Pocoroba to pinch-hit for McWilliams, and while Ryan retired the backup catcher, it was a productive out as Pocoroba bounced out to first, advancing both runners and setting the stage for Butler's heroics and Houston's collapse. To tie the NL record, Atlanta will have to beat Joe Niekro via Bob Walk.

Pittsburgh prevailed over Chicago when Tony Pena singled home Omar Moreno and beat the Cubs and Willie Hernandez, 7-6. Al Oliver led off the 9th with his second home run of the season off Jesse Orosco, lifting Montreal to a 4-3 road win against the Mets. Jeff Reardon got the win in relief. St Louis got two quick runs in the first off Mike Krukow and Cardinal starter Bob Forsch got two hits himself as the Cards held on to beat Philly, 3-2. San Diego struck with 3 quick first-inning runs, immediately gave up three, and then rode the RBI double of Sixto Lezcano and the two-run shot of Luis Salazar to an 8-3 win over the Dodgers. New starter Rich Gale went the distance as the Giants blistered Mario Soto for four runs on seven hits in just four innings in a 6-1 win over the Reds.

U.L. Washington tripled home Lee May while Vida Blue and Dan Quisenberry combined on a four-hitter as the Royals beat the Indians, 3-1. The key play to the game was due the rain delay as Len Barker slipped covering first on what appeared to be an infield out on May. Washington then drove him home for the win. Texas erupted for a three-run tenth against Brewer closer Rollie Fingers to prevail, 4-1. Pinch-hitter extraordinaire Bill Stein, who set a record last season with seven consecutive pinch hits, drove in the eventual game winner. Lou Piniella's two doubles and Ron Guidry's first complete game in two years helped the Yankees pound the woeful Tigers, 10-2. Jesse Barfield's two-RBI triple and Luis Leal's eight innings of scattering seven hits helped Toronto top Boston, 3-0. Doug DeCinces smashed a two-out Doug Corbett pitch into the bleachers for a game ending two-run home run as California topped Minnesota, 4-2. Floyd Bannister scattered 7 hits and went the distance courtesy of Al Cowens' three-run shot that carried Seattle to a 5-0 win over Oakland.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

April 17, 1982
Atlanta Braves 2 (W: Hanna, 1-0; SV: Garber, 2)
Houston Astros 1 (L: Niekro, 1-1)
10-0
1st place
Lead: 4.5 games

BRAVES TIE BROOKLYN DODGERS' NL RECORD 10-0 START WITH 2-1 WIN OVER HOUSTON;
REDS END SIX-GAME SKID WHILE CHISOX SWEEP TWO FROM O'S

How many times since the Braves got terrible in 1976 have we seen what happened tonight against Houston? The Braves would jump on a team for a couple of early runs, go flat the rest of the game, and wind up losing when the opposition scored late. It's happened too many times, including Opening Day 1977 (against these same Astros), April 28, 1978 against the Cubs (where the Braves scored 3 runs in the first two innings and lost, 4-3), and April 23, 1979, where Atlanta got two early runs and allowed the Cardinals to tie it in the 9th then win it in the 10th, while the Braves got no hits over the last four innings. It's been a common theme in Atlanta losses over the last six seasons. Tonight, the Braves did that exact same thing - except the bullpen held and after bringing in Preston Hanna to face a bases loaded jam in the fourth, Atlanta's pitchers allowed exactly one of Houston's last 15 batters to reach base (a walk) and nailed down their tenth straight win to tie the NL record of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers for most consecutive wins at the start of a season. The Braves will attempt to both break the NL record and tie the MLB record set just last year by Oakland.

The Braves didn't exactly tear the cover off the ball themselves. Were it not for an errant pickoff throw from Houston starter (and loser) Joe Niekro that put two Atlanta runners in scoring position with one out in the top of the first, the Braves might not have scored at all. But Bob Horner drove both runners home with a two-run double - and Atlanta never scored again, despite six more hits and five more walks by the Astros pitchers. Braves starter Bob Walk did a highwire act before getting pulled as eight of the 20 hitters he faced reached base - but only one, Terry Puhl, crossed the plate. With the winning streak on the line, Atlanta Manager Joe Torre pulled Walk after he gave up the RBI double to Phil Garner, bringing Larry McWilliams into a one on, nobody out mess against the heart of the Astros batting order. McWilliams retired the first two dangerous hitters before walking Ray Knight and then giving up an infield single to Tony Scott that loaded the bases. McWilliams got the hook and Hanna came on to induce an inning-ending out to left by Art Howe. Nobody knew it, but Houston's night was over. Gene Garber nailed down the win with a sinker that struck out Garner. The Braves will send rookie Joe Cowley to the mound tomorrow night against Bob Knepper in hopes of tying Oakland's record and breaking Brooklyn's.

Joaquin Andujar pitched a three-hit shutout as the Cardinals drilled Steve Carlton for five early runs en route to a 6-0 win over Philly. Mookie Wilson's sacrifice fly scored Tom Veryzer with the winning run as the Mets beat the Expos, 2-1, as Rusty Staub got his 2600th career hit, the single that moved Veryzer to third. Bruce Berenyi and Tom Hume combined on a four-hitter as Cincinnait ended a six-game losing streak, 8-2, over the Giants as Paul Householder hit his second home run of the year. Terry Kennedy's two-run double helped Eric Show win his first game of 1982 with a 4-3 edging of Los Angeles. With a narrow 3-2 lead following a rain delay, the Cubs unleashed a barrage of eight hits in a five-run inning and thumped the Pirates, 10-2, on Leon Durham's home run. Larry Bowa busted out of a 1-for-25 slump with two hits.

Boston drove home five runs in the first inning, Glenn Hoffman's three-run bomb as the key point, then held on for dear life and topped Toronto, 5-4. The Jays chased 3 runs across the plate before Boston came to bat, but the Red Sox came to life immediately with four hits and a walk that all scored. The White Sox played 18 innings against Baltimore and only trailed for one as 3-1 and 10-6 scores made winners of Britt Burns and LaMarr Hoyt. Enos Cabell had 3 hits and 3 RBIs as Jack Morris and Kevin Saucier combined to beat the Yankees, 5-3. Amos Otis drove in five runs as the Royals pounded Cleveland pitching for 22 hits in a 12-10 escape. Kansas City trailed, 10-7, entering the seventh but rallied to win. Dan Quisenberry got his fourth save. Rickey Henderson stole two bases to lift his season total to 12 in 11 games, but Davey Lopes stole home and homered as the Athletics thumped the Mariners, 10-3 . The largest crowd in Anaheim Stadium history watched the Angels beat the Twins, 6-2, thanks to two home runs by Brian Downing, extending their win streak to five. They also saw Rick Burleson go down with an injury at shortstop that may keep him on the shelf for awhile. Lamar Johnson's two-run bomb in the sixth gave the Texas Rangers the lead, and the bullpen held it despite loading the bases in the ninth with nobody out. Steve Comer got Robin Yount to hit into a double play and Don Money to line out to third to end the game that saw Comer pitch 3.1 innings of relief for the save.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

April 18, 1982
Atlanta Braves 6 (W: Hrabosky, 1-0; SV: Camp, 3)
Houston Astros 5 (L: Smith, 0-1)
11-0
1st place
Lead: 4.5 games

POCOROBA DOUBLE, CAMP SAVE LIFTS BRAVES TO 11-0 START FOR NEW NL RECORD;
WHITE SOX NOW 8-0 AS ST LOUIS WIN STREAK HITS 8 GAMES;
HALOS LOSE BURLESON FOR SEASON

Tonight was the closest the Atlanta Braves have come in this short season to a loss. How close?
- the Braves trailed for four innings
- they didn't lead at the end of any inning until the 8th
- Houston had the tying run 90 feet away when the game ended
- had the Braves not scored with two out in the 8th, their win streak probably would have ended

After several games with 5-0 leads, a comeback from 3-0, and a quick 2-0 lead that they held for the entire game for a win, the Braves finally got into a contest that saw a great game unfold as history was in the making. With the win, the Braves become the lone NL record holders for longest win streak to start a season, a record that ties Oakland's MLB mark set last year. The Braves will attempt to set the record at hom in Atlanta against the Reds after an off day tomorrow.

The Braves had to start rookie Joe Cowley to try and set the record, which shows how special it is: Cowley is only in the majors because Phil Niekro is on the disabled list, which is the only reason Rick Mahler started the opener - and it was Mahler that hurt Niekro with a batted ball in spring training. If Atlanta manages to set this record, an immense level of credit must go to Mahler, whose own contribution to this streak has been 22.1 innings with a 2-0 record and a 1.21 ERA, 14 hits allowed, 16 strikeouts, and five walks while allowing neither a triple nor a home run. But Cowley is not Mahler, and while he has pitched well enough to keep the Braves' streak alive, the fact is that Cowley has yet to leave the mound at the end of an inning still possessing a lead. While it wasn't all his fault, Cowley dug the Braves into a quick hole after Dale Murphy managed to score Atlanta's first run without a ball leaving the infield in the top of the second. Murphy walked, moved to second on a passed ball, moved to third on an infield ground out, and scored on a fielder's choice. Much of Atlanta's success has been their ability to score runs without relying on the home run. But the lead only lasted three batters as Ray Knight singled, Art Howe was retired, and Dickie Thon ripped a triple to center to tie the game. Cowley then walked the next two hitters to load the bases, but he got Phil Garner to fly out to Murphy in right. But in his aggressiveness and with the runners all holding, Murphy gunned a heave high over catcher Bruce Benedict, allowing Thon to score and give the Astros a 2-1 lead. Jose Cruz then singled two runs home and in a matter of moments, the Braves were suddenly trailing, 4-1. Cowley allowed base runners in both the third and fourth then retired the side in order in the 5th, finding his groove. Glenn Hubbard singled to lead off the sixth and after Rufino Linares struck out, Bob Horner walked, bringing Murphy to the plate. Having scored one run by given up three by virtue of his error, Murphy evened the personal score as well as the game score with a long drive to deep centerfield that Denny Walling misplayed into a triple, bringing the Braves within one. Chris Chambliss doubled to right, scoring Murphy, and ending the day for Houston starter Bob Knepper. After walking Bendict, reliever Mike LaCoss got the speedy Rafael Ramirez to ground into a rally-killing double play with the scored tied at four.

Cowley took the mound and immediately walked Thon, who moved to second on pinch-hitter Joe Pittman's bunt. When Houston send Mike Ivie to plate as a pinch-hitter, Cowley got the hook in favor of Larry McWilliams. The Braves then caught a break when Thon attempted to steal third but was thrown out, which made the walk to Ivie harmless. Tony Scott ran for Ivie and moved to second when Garner singled to right. A walk to Cruz loaded the bases for Alan Ashby. With a chance to possibly end the Atlanta win streak, Ashby flew out to center to end the inning still tied at four. Al Hrabosky came on to pitch the Houston seventh and retired the side, which set him up for good fortune. Chambliss doubled to center with one out, which led Houston to walk Benedict intentionally to set up the double play. Ramirez grounded to short, retiring Benedict, but he beat the throw to prevent the double play. With runners at the corners and two outs, Hrabosky was due to bat. Pinch-hitter Biff Pocoroba then drilled an 0-1 delivery to center, the ball rolling all the way to the wall. Pocoroba got a double, and both Braves scored to give Atlanta a 6-4 lead as the top of the 8th ended. Rick Camp came on and despite giving up a single, he retired Houston without damage, setting the stage for the ninth. Needing three outs, Camp got into trouble immediately.

Cruz walked and Ashby's single put runners at the corners with nobody out, and the winning run at the plate. Alan Knicely then put Ashby at second with a bunt good enough to move the runner but not good enough to score Cruz. Knight then hit a sacrifice fly to center that made it a one-run game and put Ashby at third. But Camp then got Art Howe to bounce a harmless grounder back to the mound and threw him out to end the exciting game, earn the save, and give Atlanta the NL record they sought.

Lost in Atlanta's hot start is the win streak of the St Louis Cardinals, who extended it to 8 with a 6-5 win over the Phillies that saw David Green single home the tying run in the 9th and winning run in the 11th. Bo Diaz hit his second homer of the season for Philly. Home runs by Andre Dawson and Gary Carter gave Montreal a 6-0 lead after two, and Tim Wallach's single proved the difference as the Mets rallied but fell short, 7-6. Leon Durham's three-run bomb was the difference as the Cubs and Fergie Jenkins beat the Pirates, 5-2. Trailing 3-2 in the 8th, the Padres exploded with a 7-run inning off of relivers Dave Stewart and Steve Howe, leaving the bases loaded to end the inning but still winning, 9-3, over the Dodgers, the first time San Diego has taken a four-game series from Los Angeles since a four-game sweep in September 1969, the Padres' first year in the league. Reggie Smith's first homer as a Giant ruined Tom Seaver's long awaited season debut for the Reds in a 4-2 San Francisco win.

The White Sox, who had several games delayed due to snow, are a rather quiet 8-0 after a 6-4 win over Baltimore that extends the Orioles' losing streak to six. It's the best start in White Sox history. Aggressive baserunning in a 4-4 tie in the 7th led to two runs and the win for Chicago. Needing 3 outs for a 3-2 win over the Mariners, Oakland could only get one, and that one was on a sacrifice bunt. Richie Zisk led off the 9th with a game-tying home run. A single, an error, and two walks loaded the bases and Todd Cruz singled to right to win the game for Seattle, 4-3. Bruce Bochte smashed his first home run of the season. Alan Bannister doubled home two runs and Toby Harrah homered to lift John Denny to 2-0 in Cleveland's 8-2 win over the Royals. A four-run 8th inning rally capped by a three-run bomb from George Wright lifted Texas over Milwaukee, 9-6, in the Brewers' fifth straight loss. Dan Petry and Elias Sosa combined on a five-hitter as Detroit beat the Yankees, 5-2. Roy Smalley hit his first career home run as a Yankee. Carl Yastrzemski is 42 years old, but he connected on his third home run of the year in the fourth inning off Toronto starter Jim Clancy, narrowing the gap to 2-1. Boston eventually won, 4-3, when Glenn Hoffman led off the bottom of the 9th with a triple and then scored on Jerry Garvin's wild pitch. California lifted their record to 9-3 with a 6-2 win over the Twins behind two bombs from Don Baylor. Minnesota rookie Kent Hrbek socked his sixth home run in the short season.

The Angels took the field after learning the terrible news that starting shortstop Rick Burleson, a four-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger winner last year for the first time in his career, will miss the rest of the 1982 season with a torn rotator cuff.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

April 19, 1982
Travel day
11-0
1st place
Lead: 4.0 games

JAYS WIN AT FENWAY ON PATRIOTS DAY;
HRBEK'S BASES LOADED DOUBLE LIFTS TWINS;
PADRES SET HITS RECORD IN ONE GAME FOR TEAM

The (pretty much) annual tradition of a Red Sox game during the Boston Marathon on Patriots Day in the Commonwealth unfolded with disappointment on the 207th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution in nearby Lexington. Solo home runs by Barry Bonnell, Ernie Whitt, and Lloyd Moseby led a 12-hit attack by the Blue Jays, who leave Boston with a four-game split after a 5-4 win in today's finale. Relievers Dale Murray got the win and Mark Clear the loss in a game that saw Jerry Remy tally three infield hits. Bobby Grich doubled twice and scored twice as three Angels pitchers combined for a seven-hitter in California's 3-1 win over Seattle. The Minnesota Twins had only one baserunner for eight innings against Rick Langford, a third inning leadoff double by Butch Wynegar. But one out short of the win, Langford tired and the Twins erupted for five runs, the key blow a bases loaded double by Kent Hrbek that cleared the sacks and gave Minnesota a 5-2 lead. Oakland brought the tying run to the plate with one out, but new closer Ron Davis struck out Dwayne Murphy and retired Cliff Johnson to preserve the come-from-behind win. Kirk Gibson broke out of a 1-for-30 slump with a two-run bomb off closer Dan Quisenberry. Larry Pashnick, making his major league debut, went 7 innings and gave up only two runs, both driven in by Jerry Martin, but left trailing, 2-0. Detroit rallied to give Kevin Saucier the win and Elias Sosa the save. Quisenberry had saved four straight before blowing the lead tonight.

Don Sutton scattered five hits in seven innings and was bailed out of a 4-2 deficit by five straight hits that led to four Houston runs and a 6-4 win over the Dodgers, who dropped their sixth in a row. Philadelphia ended their three-game skid courtesy of four first-inning hits that plated the only two runs of the game, and the combined three-hit pitching of Larry Christenson and Ed Farmer. Scott Sanderson only allowed two hits after the first inning and struck out 8 going the distance, but he was saddled with the loss. The Padres set a team record with 24 hits, four of them by Terry Kennedy, in a 13-6 rout of Dan Schatzeder and the San Francisco Giants. The Giants banged out 11 hits and scored six runs, four on home runs in the defeat.

The Braves go for history tomorrow night against their longtime nemesis, Cincinnati. Tommy Boggs will square off against Frank Pastore.


CURRENT WIN STREAKS
Atlanta - 11
Chicago White Sox - 8
St Louis - 8
California - 7

LOSING STREAKS
Los Angeles - 6
Baltimore - 6
Milwaukee - 5