[bpbrooksy]

July 25th, 1961

VS

The homestand continues (and ends in three days) as we welcome the Washington Senators into town. After that, it's another long east coast trip - a quick stop in Detroit kicks us off, and then we see Memorial Stadium, Yankee Stadium, and Fenway Park before getting back home. Can the run continue against some legitimate teams?

First we have to get through the Senators, who are 9-11 this month and tied with Los Angeles for last in the league.

FINAL/10
WASHINGTON (38-61) - 3
MINNESOTA (46-52) - 1
WP: Marty Kutyna (8-7) / LP: Johnnie Stott (5-7) / SV: Joe McClain (4)

It's always disappointing to lose a Pascual start, but when a rolling offense can only muster up a single run, it's hard to ask for your ace to be absolutely perfect. Pascual went 7 strong, striking out eight, and lowering that ERA to 2.16. Antonelli pitched a pair of scoreless innnings, too.

The game went into extras knotted up at one, and Stott allowed the go-ahead two-run double to Gene Woodling. We went down without a fight in the home tenth, and Washington took the first game of the week.

Allison and Meisner had a pair of hits each out of the five and six slots.

Elsewhere...Stan Musial has been recovering from bone spurs in his elbow for about a month now, and his recovery isn't going all that well. It's now up in the air as to whether or not he will even reappear on the field in 1961. At 40 years old, have we seen the last of the Cardinal legend? Stan the Man is a 17-time All-Star and three-time MVP, and one of the most surefire Hall of Fame players still active.

The Cubs ship 3-time All-Star Frank Thomas to Kansas City for a couple prospects. With the deadline a matter of days away, what other last-minute deals will we see?

July 26th, 1961

MINNESOTA (47-52) - 8
WASHINGTON (38-62) - 2
WP: Jack Kralick (7-6) / LP: Pete Burnside (5-7)

The bats are back today, as a four-run first sets the tone for the Twins. Three different Twins had three-hit ballgames: Versalles, Oliva, and Meisner. Zoilo and Meisner had an RBI each, and Oliva had three for himself. The Killer and Allison each walked twice.

Kralick went the distance and struck out eight. He leads the American League with 4.5 pitching wins above replacement.

July 27th, 1961

MINNESOTA (48-52) - 11
WASHINGTON (38-63) - 1
WP: Jim Kaat (7-3) / LP: Ed Hobaugh (2-10)

This has been an almost unbelievable run after the way we started this season. Fresh off a losing month, the Twins are now 15-8 in July, and a winning record now isn't that far beyond belief. We're by ourselves in sixth and three back of the Boston Red Sox.

Killebrew went 3-for-5 with a trio of runs batted in, doubling and hitting his 28th homer of the year. Oliva had two hits, a pair of walks, and scored three times. Billy Consolo is now hitting .284 after three hits and four driven in. He's got to be enjoying Gardner's departure more than just about anybody.

Thirteen hits in total aided Kaat's complete-game performance, where he was the absolute definition of effectively wild. Five hits allowed, seven walks, twelve strikeouts. (Pascual set the team record last year, with 15 Ks.)

After the game, the Reds ask if we have any interest in giving them Pedro Ramos. Their offer is LF Carlos Bernier; maybe they're thinking we want a corner outfield vet to spell Oliva from time to time. We don't, and we don't want to give up Ramos for peanuts, either.

July 28th, 1961

VS

Before we can blink, we're right back in Detroit, lining up for three weekend games after splitting a two-game set two weeks ago. The league is abuzz to see which teams - if any - will be making last-minute deadline deals. Sunday is our last game of the month, and Monday marks the end of July.

DETROIT (63-38) - 4
MINNESOTA (48-53) - 3
WP: Jim Donohue (3-6) / LP: Joe Antonelli (0-2)

Bunning vs. Ramos never looked like it was going to shake out in our favor, but we almost had this one. After the Tigers scored two in the first, it was all blanks until we tied it in the fifth. Then, Billy Consolo doubled home the go-ahead runner in the eighth.

But Rocky Colavito was ready for Johnny Antonelli, and he drilled a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to steal a big win for the Tigers. Detroit has taken six straight, and trail the Yankees by only a half-game. Is this their year?

Green doubled twice and had three hits; Meisner had two.

Speaking of the Yankees, Mickey Mantle knocked homer number 43 today. All eyes are on the box scores out of the Bronx.

July 29th, 1961

MINNESOTA (49-53) - 3
DETROIT (63-39) - 1
WP: Chuck Stobbs (1-2) / LP: Terry Fox (4-7)

Today, it was our turn to win it late. In the top of the ninth, Killebrew and Meisner each hit solo homers off Tiger closer Terry Fox. The late heroics would have been the story of the game, were it not for what happened with the pitching.

On the second batter of the game, Don Lee had to come out. He's still being evaluated. This meant that swingman John Strzyzewski effectively had to make a start with a just a few seconds' worth of notice. Boy, did he ever deliver, pitching 6.1 innings and only allowing one run to the second-place Tigers.

Johnnie Stott and Johnny Antonelli combined for a shutout inning, and Chuck Stobbs got the win with an inning and a third of scoreless relief. That's an almost unprecedented performance from the bullpen. I'll take it.

Antonelli was also injured today, with a minor ankle sprain. He'll be monitored.

Cincinnati finds a suitor for Carlos Bernier - the Pittsburgh Pirates, who return the Reds closer Roy Face. Face was an All-Star in '59 and '60. I love the move for Cincy, who needed bullpen help.

July 30th, 1961

DETROIT (64-39) - 4
MINNESOTA (49-54) - 0
WP: Don Mossi (14-5) / LP: Camilo Pascual (11-5)

Great pitching matchup today - Don Mossi at 13-5 with a 2.81 ERA, and Pascual at 11-4 with a 2.16 mark. Mossi comes away with the win, firing a complete-game shutout and keeping the Twins off the board despite nine hits.

The American League race gets crazier every day; the Yankees have dropped four in a row and Baltimore has won seven straight. Now the Tigers and O's each have an even share of first place, and the Yanks are a game back. This has been thrilling to watch, and it's only July.

Mantle has 44 homers.

Reds center fielder Vada Pinson has a 20-game hitting streak.

The big news is Sandy Koufax - the 25-year-old lefty has hurled a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He walked only one batter and struck out eight. This is the second no-hitter of the season, after Bob Gibson did it in May. There were three last year.

Week in Review

• AL Player of the Week: LF Leon Wagner, LAA (.500, 3 HR, 11 RBI)
• NL Player of the Week: 1B Gordy Coleman, CIN (.400, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 10 R)

Gordy Coleman gets some recognition for being a very consistent player on a team loaded with title-worthy talent. Coleman is 27 and this is his first season with a starting job. He's hitting .292/.341/.501 with 21 homers and a 3.0 WAR.

Wagner came up with the Giants, and has yet to cross 240 plate appearances in a season, but he's started 49 games this year and has a .328 average.

POWER RANKINGS
1. Baltimore Orioles (67-42)
2. Detroit Tigers (64-39)
3. Cincinnati Reds (62-43)
4. New York Yankees (64-41)
5. San Francisco Giants (58-43)
...7. Minnesota Twins (49-54)

Hard to believe we're up to seventh in the Power Rankings.

The aforementioned jostling is reflected in the rankings this week. The O's are reminding us why they've been in the conversation all year, and the Tigers are just as complete as the Yankees are, even if the New York players are more well-known nationally. The Tiger rotation - Jim Bunning, Frank Lary, Don Mossi, Hank Aguirre - is made up of guys with sub-3.00 ERs. They've got the best rotation in the league, and a lineup featuring Al Kaline, Rocky Colavito, and Norm Cash. What more do you want?

~~~

Bad news from our trainer Chris Brinkman. Don Lee has an inflamed shoulder and will be out for the rest of 1961.

That wraps up his line for the year, and it was a pretty solid one as the number five guy: 6-5 record, 108.2 IP, 3.89 ERA, 2.8 BB/9, 4.1 K/9, 106 ERA+, 1.1 WAR.

In his stead, I'm promoting a 26-year-old from Syracuse called John Davolio. He's probably the best option at Triple-A that hasn't already appeared, and blown up, in the majors for us this year.

ROSTER MOVE

• SP Don Lee placed on 60-DAY INJURED LIST
• SP John Davolio, AAA (4-10, 146 IP, 4.62 ERA, 3.8 BB/9, 4.4 K/9, 91 ERA+, 1.4 WAR) PROMOTED to Minnesota

As expected, though, Davolio will be in the pen and Cookie will be handing starts to Strzyzewksi. I'm cool with that - but will this be enough of a setback to cool down our run?