[luckymann]

TIGERS, SENATORS IN A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED DOGFIGHT – A’S, WHITE SOX, O’S STILL LURKING DANGEROUSLY – ORPHANS SEEMINGLY IN CONTROL OF THE NL

Notable Performances

• 2nd: Powered by Abraham Nunez’s 5-for-5 with two doubles, a trip and two ribbies, the Pirates take down the Reds 13-2.
• 3rd: Third basemen Wid Conroy cracks a pair of taters for the O’s in an 8-4 win over the A’s.
• 4th: On a day of doubleheaders, the Senators lose both games to the A’s and Detroit wins its two against the Browns, putting Washington out of first place for the first time this season.
• 11th: Right fielder Emil Frisk’s 5 hits and 2 RBI pushes the Pale Hose past the Browns in a 14-3 romp, with St Louis 2B Heinie Reitz matching his feat in a losing cause.
• 12th: The A’s continue their charge back into playoff contention, moving within 6 of the lead with a 15-4 bashing of the Americans. Second baseman Damian Jackson leads the way, going 5-for-5 with a triple and 4 RBI.
• 18th: Beaneaters RF Clete Thomas becomes the first player in the Footnote League to hit for the cycle, driving in 4 and leading his team to a 10-8 win over the Superbas.
• 19th: The top-of-the-table heavyweight series between the Senators and Tigers lives up to the hype and results in a 3-1 points decision to Washington. The final game sees the Sens rally from 5 down in the 9th to win it 8-7 walkoff on a Heinie Peitz single, putting the two teams in a tie for 1st atop the AL.
• 23rd: A four-hit shutout by Billy Hoeft gives the Senators a valuable 1-0 win over the Bronchos, putting them back in front of Detroit by a game in a race that seems set to go right to the wire.

Feats and Streaks

• 7th: Giants third baseman Billy Johnson hits his 6th round-tripper of the season, setting a new FL HR mark by eclipsing Charlie James’ 5 from the year before.

Monthly Awards
American League

• Batter: Gene Richards DET (.473 / 1 HR / 29 RBI / 22 R)
• Pitcher: Juan Nieves BAL (6-0 / 58 IP / 3.26 ERA / 29 K / OBA .248)
• Rookie: Rich Hand DET (5-0 / 53 IP / 2.55 ERA / 20 K)

National League

• Batter: Damian Jackson PIT (.455 / 18 RBI / 20 R)
• Pitcher: Don Robinson PIT (6-0 / 69.1 IP / 3.38 ERA / 26 K)
• Rookie: Don Robinson PIT

Leaders
American League

• BA: Danny O’Connell BAL .424
• HR: 5 tied on 4
• RBI: Steve Cox CWS 73
• BWAR: Solly Hemus CWS 4.8
• SB: Willie Wilson CLE 62

• W: 3 tied on 13
• ERA: Steve Cooke PHA 2.74
• K: Andy Messersmith CWS 93
• SV: 3 tied on 4
• PWAR: Dickey Kerr CLE 3.4

National League

• BA: Otis Clymer NYG .411
• HR: 2 tied on 8
• RBI: Todd Dunwoody CHC 86
• BWAR: Todd Dunwoody CHC 5.3
• SB: Otis Clymer NYG 47

• W: Wilbur Wood CHC 18
• ERA: Wilbur Wood CHC 2.58
• K: Chappie McFarland BSN 89
• SV: Alex Pearson NYG 6
• PWAR: Chappie McFarland BSN 4.3

Transactions

• 3rd: Poor old Moonlight Graham has his CL hopes dashed yet again when he is released for the fourth time, on this occasion by Washington.
• 12th: A blockbuster interleague trade sees LF Manny Mota shipped from the Tribe to the Bucs in return for C Kurt Suzuki and reliever Frank Seminara.
• 26th: Looking to shore up their middle infield, the Pirates acquire boom 2B Damian Harris from the Phillies, giving up SP Ed Killian, reliever Marcelino Lopez and 3B Don Lang for the privilege.
• 27th: Cincinnati finally comes to terms with #1 draft pick Joe Connolly, locking him down with an $880 signing bonus.
• 29th: The Phillies and White Sox engage in a spot of wheeling and dealing that sees 3B Bill Mueller sent to Philadelphia in return for reliever Blake Wood and 2B Logan Forsythe.

Injuries

• 10th: Just as they start playing some good baseball, the A’s suffer a major setback with the loss for the season of gun starter Ed Head after he suffers a partially torn UCL.
• 15th: Browns gun reliever Jim Hackett has his rookie season cut short by a torn triceps.
• 26th: The White Sox lose rookie SP Greg Harris for the remainder of the season to a herniated disc.
• 28th: Another blow for the A’s as rookie SP Trevor Cahill goes down for the year with radial nerve compression. Two days later they would lose prized offseason recruit for 5 weeks with shoulder tendinitis to really test out their farm system.

Life in a Minor Key (news from the lower levels)

• 4th: Newark’s Ben McDonald celebrates the nation’s birthday by striking out 7 and allowing just 3 hits in a 7-0 CG shutout win over the Panthers.
• 9th: Williamsport RF Marc Newfield has a game for the ages, going 5-for-5 with a double, a dinger, 5 runs scored and 9 driven in as his team mauls Wilmington 36-15.
• 11th: A 5-run 9th gets the Grays out of jail in a 9-8 win over the Pirates, while the Spudders pull off a similar Houdini act scoring 3 late to pip the Bees 5-4.
• 13th: A 3-dinger, 7-ribbie outing by catcher Geronimo Gil powers the Miners to a 15-4 humbling of the Bees.
• 23rd: Wichita Falls’ Pete Harnisch pitches a two-hitter and fans 16 to help his team get past the Buffaloes 7-0.
• 29th: The Spudders overcome a crooked number 1st to nip the Keystones 13-12 in a wild one, with first baseman Greg Pryor’s single delivering the walkoff win.
• 31st: Reading’s Ray Phelps one-hits the Bunnies, fanning 14, in a 6-0 cakewalk.

Standings