| Team | W/L | Pct | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis Red Sox | 20-11 | .645 | — |
| New York Black Yankees | 18-13 | .581 | 2 |
| Cleveland Spiders | 11-17 | .393 | 7.5 |
| Detroit Wolverines | 11-20 | .355 | 9 |
| Baltimore Black Sox | 8-22 | .267 | 11.5 |
Baltimore Black Sox
John Tudor is back from the disabled list, with Mike Mussina heading to AAA after an unimpressive brief return to the WBL.
Cleveland Spiders
Tris Speaker hit 2 solo homeruns in a 4-3 loss to Los Angeles.
Louis Santop is out about a week, and Tucker Barnhart has been recalled from Buffalo. With 37 year old Ed Bailey and John Ellis likely to get most of the starts behind the plate, Cleveland opted for a defensive backstop as the recall.
Willie McCovey hit 2 solo homeruns, the second a game winner, giving Stretch 6 on the year. Aroldis Chapman — who spent April turning leads into wild adventures — struck out the side in the 9th for his first save.
Detroit Wolverines
Sid Fernandez moves into the rotation, replacing the 0-5 Pete Conway, who goes to long relief (with his bat and legs likely to get some use on the side as well). Fernandez has earned the opportunity with a strong start to the season.
Connie Johnson had struck out 10, but ended up without a decision in a 3-1 win over Miami.
In his first start Fernandez struck out 16 Spiders over 6.2 innings, walking one. The 16 whiffs set a league record–which is a bit shocking if you think about it–and even though the Wolverines lost the game, they have to be pleased with what looks like a solid surprise starter.
Wander Franco‘s rehab assignment ended without a recall. Damion Easley has held the flex-infield seat since Franco went down in the first week and keeps it; Franco stays at AAA.
Memphis Red Sox
Ted Williams hit 2 solo homeruns off Walter Johnson — one in the 1st, one in the 3rd — in a 4-1 win over Portland, in support of Don Drysdale, who struck out 9 over 7 innings.
The next day, Tom Seaver, Jon Lester, Rollie Fingers and Andrew Miller combined on a 5-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over the Sea Dogs.
Rick Wilkins went 4-for-5 with a homerun and 2 doubles in a 10-6 win at Baltimore. Andrew Benintendi hit his first of the year and Williams his 15th as part of a 17-hit barrage.
New York Black Yankees
Ron Guidry struck out 12 over 7 innings against San Francisco, but it took 12 innings for the Black Yankees to win the game on a single by Thurman Munson, driving in Ed Charles.
The next afternoon Gaylord Perry and Hoyt Wilhelm combined on a 5-hit shutout, as New York topped the Sea Lions once more, this time 4-0.
Tony Brizzolara struck out 7 in 5 innings, Tony Mullane got the win in relief, Rhéal Cormier got his 2nd hold, and Goose Gossage closed it out as the 4 New York pitchers combined on a 4 hit shutout against Chicago for a 3-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader.
In the nightcap, Rogers Hornsby hit 2 homeruns, Babe Ruth and Don Mattingly added longballs of their own, Joe Sewell reached five times, and Lou Gehrig singled home the winner in the 10th in a 12-11 win for the Black Yankees.