The opening game will see Detroit’s Charlie Root<\/strong> taking on San Francisco’s Lefty Grove<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With Hank Greenberg<\/strong> out, Detroit will insert JD Martinez<\/strong> into the lineup, with Juan Ben\u00edquez<\/strong> taking over for Greenberg at 1B. They’ll also opt for more offense, with both Ray Chapman<\/strong> and Tony Lazzeri<\/strong> starting the game at SS and 2B respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The game was scoreless until Reggie Jackson<\/strong> took Root deep in the bottom of the 2nd. Rickey Henderson<\/strong> added a 2-run shot in the 3rd, increasing the lead to 3-0. And then it was Bobby Bonds<\/strong>‘ turn, with a 2 run shot for a 5-0 lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, Grove was dealing, allowing only 2 hits through 5 innings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Root settled down and made it through 6 innings before yielding to Justin Verlander<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oscar Gamble<\/strong> broke up the shutout with a homerun in the 8th, a blow that also chased Grove from the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the top of the 9th, Ken Howell<\/strong> gave up a pinch-hit double to Victor Martinez<\/strong>, who was replaced by pinch-runner Charlie Gehringer<\/strong>. Howell uncorked consecutive wild pitches, and Gehringer came home, closing the score to 5-2. But Howell got out of it, and San Francisco opened the series with a win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The story of the game was really Grove, who allowed 4 hits and 1 run while fanning 5 in 7+ innings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DET 2 <\/em><\/strong>(Root 0-1) <\/em>@ SFS 5 <\/em><\/strong>(Grove 1-0)<\/em> The mercurial Hal Newhouser<\/strong> will take the ball for Detroit, with San Francisco looking to Eddie Plank<\/strong>–1 of only 2 20 game winners this year in the WBL–to extend the Sea Lions’ edge to 2 games to none.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, Detroit is stacking its lineup, trading extra offense for Ty Cobb<\/strong>‘s lack of skill patrolling CF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It looked like they would need all of that and more as Newhouser surrendered 5 consecutive hits to start the game: a double by Rickey Henderson<\/strong>, singles by Dick Lundy<\/strong> and Reggie Jackson<\/strong>, a 3 run homer from Jack Clark<\/strong> (Lundy had already brought Henderson home), and a single by Turkey Stearnes<\/strong>. Royce Clayton<\/strong> drove in 2 more before Henderson grounded out to end the inning with San Francisco up, 6-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ernie Lombardi<\/strong> took Plank deep in the 3rd for Cleveland’s first hit, and Ray Chapman<\/strong> did the same for their second, making it 6-2. But Newhouser continued to struggle, eventually walking Henderson with the bases loaded, making the score 7-2 and bringing in Johnny Marcum<\/strong> from the Wolverines’ bullpen. Lundy greeted Marcum with a bases clearing triple, and it just got worse from there for Detroit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the time it was over, San Francisco had pounded out 23 hits and 17 runs, winning easily, 17-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stearnes had 4 hits, Clark drove in 5, and Henderson scored 4 times in the rout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DET 4 <\/em><\/strong>(Newhouser 0-1) <\/em>@ SFS 17 <\/em><\/strong>(Plank 1-0)<\/em> Detroit will turn to Connie Johnson<\/strong>, trying to win their first game of the series while San Francisco will counter with Bump Hadley<\/strong>. Johnson has been fine since Detroit brought him over midseason, while Hadley is the third jewel in San Francisco’s rotation, finishing the season with a record of 18-6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Detroit took an early lead, with Ty Cobb<\/strong> singling, stealing 2nd, and scoring on a Hank Greenberg<\/strong> single, but the lead was short-lived, as Turkey Stearnes<\/strong> doubled home Jack Clark<\/strong>. Stearnes would hit one out in the top of the 4th, giving San Francisco the 2-1 edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But in the bottom of the frame, Al Kaline<\/strong> hit 1 out with Oscar Gamble<\/strong> on first and Ernie Lombardi<\/strong> scored on a Chili Davis<\/strong> sac fly. 4-2 Detroit. Johnson was chased in the 5th via a Dick Lundy<\/strong> triple, a double from Rickey Henderson<\/strong>, and a 2-run shot from Reggie Jackson<\/strong>. Jimmie Foxx<\/strong> added an RBI single, and the Sea Lions now had a 2 run lead, 6-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lundy added a solo shot in the top of the 6th, but Gamble answered with a homer of his own in the bottom of the inning. JD Martinez<\/strong> delivered a pinch-hit single, scoring a run and chasing Hadley. Watty Clark<\/strong> loaded the bases, bringing up Cobb, who delivered a 2-run single, and the see-saw kept moving, with Detroit now leading, 8-7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Detroit added runs in the 8th on consecutive doubles from Martinez and Charlie Gehringer<\/strong>, followed by a massive moon shot from Bob Bailey<\/strong>, giving them a 4 run edge heading into the top of the 9th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chad Bradford<\/strong> allowed a couple baserunners, but was able to close it out, and Detroit clawed their way back into the series with their first win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cobb had 3 hits on the day, but the game was really won by the effectiveness of Troy Percival<\/strong>, Buddy Napier<\/strong>, and Bradford, who combined for 3 innings of 1-hit relief to end the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SFS 7 <\/em><\/strong>(Clark 0-1, 1 B Sv) <\/em>@ DET 11 <\/em><\/strong>(Verlander 1-0; Percival 1 H; Napier 1 H)<\/em> If Detroit is to fulfill the role of underdog, this is a pretty important game. The Wolverines would turn to the relatively unheralded Pete Conway<\/strong>–who might be their best starter right now–while the Sea Lions would trot out veteran Tim Hudson<\/strong>. The 38 year old Hudson has been dominant since his return from a long-term injury, so we may see just how much he has in the tank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With Chili Davis<\/strong> still looking for his first hit in the postseason, Detroit opted for its offensive lineup with Ty Cobb<\/strong> taking over in center, opening the DH spot for JD Martinez<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Sea Lions started hot: a Rickey Henderson<\/strong> triple followed by a sacrifice fly from Mickey Cochrane<\/strong> and a solo homerun from Reggie Jackson<\/strong> gave San Francisco an early 2-0 edge. Al Kaline<\/strong> got 1 back with a solo shot in the second, and Bob Bailey<\/strong> tied the game with a homerun of his own in the 3rd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jimmie Foxx<\/strong> was tossed from the game for arguing balls and strikes, bringing Sal Bando<\/strong> in for San Francisco at 3B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then Kaline took Hudson deep for his second of the game, putting Detroit on top, 4-2. Singles from Martinez and Bailey chased Hudson, with Martinez scoring on a sacrifice fly. 5-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jackson went deep for the second time, but Kaline drove in another, keeping Detroit’s 3 run cushion at 6-3 through 5. Conway was done at that point, with Detroit turning the ball over to Jack Wilson<\/strong>, who kept San Francisco scoreless until the 8th, when Buddy Napier<\/strong> took the mound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Napier gave up a single to Cochrane and a double to Jack Clark<\/strong>, bringing up Turkey Stearnes<\/strong>, who singled home a run, but Bando bounced into a double play, leaving the score 6-4. Which is where it stood when Chad Bradford<\/strong> came in for the save. He surrendered a double to Dick Lundy<\/strong>, but that was it and, improbably, the Wolverines have made it a best of 3 series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kaline drove in 4 on 3 hits for Detroit, and now has 3 homers and 7 RBIs in the series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SFS 4 <\/em><\/strong>(Hudson 0-1) <\/em>@ DET 6 <\/em><\/strong>(Conway 1-0; Bradford 1 Sv; Wilson 1 H; Napier 2 H)<\/em> Suddenly, there is only 1 series still in doubt, and it wasn’t the one anyone would have predicted: we’re looking at a best 2-out-of-3 to see who plays Cleveland for the AL crown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We would see a rematch of the first game, with Lefty Grove<\/strong> taking on Charlie Root<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Detroit continues to juggle its lineup, once again starting Ty Cobb<\/strong> in CF, but benching Juan Ben\u00edquez<\/strong> in this game in favor of Oscar Gamble<\/strong>‘s hot hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Sea Lions scored 2 in the top of the first on a homerun from Jack Clark<\/strong>, but it could have been much worse: Ernie Lombardi<\/strong> threw out Rickey Henderson<\/strong> on an attempted steal, and Al Kaline<\/strong> gunned down Mickey Cochrane<\/strong> on the basepaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Detroit answered immediately: Gamble doubled and scored on a single from Cobb. Cobb was gunned down trying to steal a pitch before Hank Greenberg<\/strong> hit a homerun to tie the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This feels like a wild one: Bobby Bonds<\/strong> walked, stole 2nd and 3rd, and scored on a passed ball then, in the 3rd, Henderson scored on a walk, steal, sacrifice bunt, and sacrifice fly. Bonds added a more traditional run–a solo homer– in the 4th, making it 5-2, San Francisco in a game where Grove was a little rough–8 strikeouts through 4 innings, but also 7 hits allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A walk to Clark to lead off the 6th chased Root. His relief, Johnny Marcum<\/strong>, struggled, giving up a run-scoring single to Dick Lundy<\/strong>, and walked Henderson with the bases loaded for another. Steve Howe<\/strong> came in and finished the inning, but the damage was done: San Francisco now led 7-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bob Bailey<\/strong> went deep in the 6th, but Grove finished out the frame and, from there, the game slowly slipped further away from Detroit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Until Lombardi launched a grand slam in the 8th. That made it 12-8, but a 4 run gap is far better than the 9 runs they entered trailing by. Bonds added his 2nd of the game in the 9th, making the score 13-8 heading to the bottom of the frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kaline launched a 3 run shot with 2 outs, closing to 13-11 and forcing the Sea Lions to bring in Rod Beck<\/strong> … who closed it out for the key Game 5 win for San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lundy had 4 hits and Bonds 3 while scoring 4 times. Jackson and Clark each drove in 3 with 2 homers each. For Detroit, Lombardi had 4 RBIs with the grandslam, and Kaline drove in 3 in the losing effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the mound, Grove was just good enough, and Marcum, Howe, and Justin Verlander<\/strong> were all far too poor for the Wolverines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SFS 13 <\/em><\/strong>(Grove 2-0; Beck 1 Sv) <\/em>@ DET 11 <\/em><\/strong>(Root 0-2)<\/em> We’re back in San Francisco for the final 2 games of the series, with Detroit in a must-win situation. We’ll get the rematch from Game 2–Detroit’s Hal Newhouser<\/strong>, who was roughed up, against San Francisco’s 20 game winner, Eddie Plank<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ray Chapman<\/strong> led off the game with a dinger, but Turkey Stearnes<\/strong> evened it up with an RBI single in the bottom of the 1st. Newhouser continued to struggle, giving up a 3 run shot to Jimmie Foxx<\/strong> in the bottom of the 3rd, which gives San Francisco a 4-1 lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, Plank was near-perfect into the 5th, when he gave his 2nd hit, another solo homer, this one to Oscar Gamble<\/strong>. A walk to Bob Bailey<\/strong> and a deep shot from JD Martinez<\/strong> later, and we were all tied at 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Newhouser made it into the 5th, making it a much better performance than his first start of the series, but still not up to par. Plank looked better, but the results spoke loudly: with 2 outs in the 7th, Martinez launched his 2nd of the day, putting the Wolverines up, 5-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Buddy Napier<\/strong> came in for Detroit in the bottom of the 8th, and a walk to Bobby Bonds<\/strong> and a hit from Cochrane created a difficult situation, but Napier got Henderson to bounce into a double play, ending the inning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nursing the 1 run lead, Chad Bradford<\/strong> gave up a 2 out single to Jack Clark<\/strong>, bringing up Stearnes, who was 3-for-4 on the day and hitting .520 for the series. But Bradford got the groundout, and we were heading to a Game 7!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This has to be thought of as a game that got away: San Francisco outhit Detroit 11-4, but the Sea Lions left 10 runners on base and could not deliver what was needed to clinch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRs<\/strong>: DET – Gamble (1); SFS – Jackson (1), Henderson (1), Bonds (1).
Box Score<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n#Game 2, Fri Oct 5<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
HRs<\/strong>: DET – Lombardi (1), Chapman (1), Martinez (1); SFS – Clark (1), Stearnes (1).
Box Score<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n#Game 3, Sun Oct 7<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
HRs<\/strong>: SFS – Stearnes (2), Jackson (2), Lundy (1); DET – Kaline (1), Gamble (2), Bailey (1).
Box Score<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n#Game 4, Mon Oct 8<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
HRs<\/strong>: SFS – Jackson (2) 4; DET – Kaline 2 (3), Bailey (2).
Box Score<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n#Game 5, Tue Oct 9<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
HRs<\/strong>: SFS – Clark 2 (3), Bonds 2 (3), Jackson (5); DET – Greenberg (1), Bailey (3), Lombardi (2), Kaline (4).
Box Score<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n#Game 6, Thu Oct 11<\/h2>\n\n\n\n