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1972 World Sim

Seattle Cascades (2) vs. Indianapolis Racers (0)

vs.

Game 3



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Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Game 3 of the 1972 World Sim on October 22, 1972.
We are live from Victory Field in Indianapolis as the World Sim shifts to the heartland, where the Racers look to change the course of this championship series. The Seattle Cascades have seized control, winning the first two games at home to take a 2-0 series lead. Now, Indianapolis returns to friendly confines, hoping to follow the pattern they set in the Eastern League Championship Series—where each home team won the first five games before the Racers clinched the pennant on the road. Can they hold serve once again on the biggest stage, or will Seattle continue their march toward a title? The stakes are high, and the stage is set for a pivotal Game 3!

Top of the 1st – Seattle Strikes First
Seattle wastes no time getting on the board as Wes Parker steps in against Rick Wise and works a full count before driving a double into the gap in left-center. Joe Torre follows and quickly falls behind 0-2 but then hits a sharp ground ball that gets mishandled at second, allowing him to reach safely while Parker comes around to score. Al Bumbry shows patience at the plate, working a walk to put two men on. Frank Robinson steps in and fouls off a pitch before taking a ball, but a wild pitch sends Torre to third and Bumbry to second. With a chance to drive in more runs, Robinson gets under one and lifts a fly ball to left-center that is caught, holding the runners. Dave Duncan follows and, after evening the count at 1-1, lines a ball to left, but it hangs up for the second out. Glenn Beckert keeps the pressure on with an infield single off the pitcher toward the third base side, scoring Torre while Bumbry races to third. Sonny Jackson steps in and fights off a couple of pitches but ultimately goes down swinging to end the frame. The Cascades strike first, pushing across two runs on two hits with the help of an error to take an early 2-0 lead.

Bottom of the 1st – Moose Starts Strong
With Seattle right-hander Bob Moose on the mound, Indianapolis looks to cut into the early two-run deficit. Tony Perez leads off and works a 2-1 count before sending a line drive to right field, but it hangs up just enough for the outfielder to make the catch. Dusty Baker steps in next and takes a ball before grounding out to shortstop. Billy Williams follows, taking a called strike before rolling a ground ball to the second baseman, who throws him out at first to end the inning. A quick, efficient frame for Moose, and the Cascades maintain their 2-0 lead.

Top of the 2nd – Wise Settles In
Rick Wise looks to rebound after a shaky first inning as he takes the mound for the second. Mike Anderson leads off and quickly falls behind 0-1 before grounding out to the third baseman. Bob Moose steps in and takes a called strike, then fouls off a pitch to fall into an 0-2 hole before swinging through strike three. Wes Parker, batting for the second time tonight, wastes no time and sends a ground ball to the second baseman, who fields it cleanly and throws to first for the final out. A smooth, three-up, three-down inning for Wise as Indianapolis keeps the deficit at 2-0.

Bottom of the 2nd – Racers Get on the Board
Buddy Bell steps in to lead off against Bob Moose and works the count to 1-1 before lifting a fly ball into shallow right for a single. Tito Fuentes follows, taking a ball and then a called strike before sending a fly ball to deep right-center, but the center fielder tracks it down for the first out. Ellie Rodriguez steps up and fouls off the first pitch, then takes a ball before lining a sharp single into right field. Bell advances to second and, with aggressive baserunning, slides safely into third on the throw. Eric Soderholm follows and, after taking a ball and swinging through a strike, lifts a deep fly ball to right. The right fielder makes the catch, but Bell tags and comes home to score, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Juan Beniquez looks to keep the rally going and takes a ball before swinging and missing. He then works the count to 3-1 before lining a single past the shortstop into left, moving Rodriguez to second. With two men on, Wise steps in and fouls off the first pitch, then swings and misses to fall behind 0-2. He lays off a ball but then grounds one softly to the first baseman, who fields it and steps on the bag to retire the side. The Racers scratch across a run, making it 2-1 Seattle as we head to the third.

Top of the 3rd – Torre Sparks Another Run
Joe Torre leads off against Rick Wise and wastes no time, grounding a sharp double down the third-base line. Al Bumbry steps in and quickly works ahead 2-0 before taking a called strike. He then grounds one softly to the first baseman, who fields it cleanly and makes the unassisted putout as Torre advances to third. Frank Robinson follows, looking to bring in the run, and lifts a line drive to right. The right fielder makes the catch, but Torre tags up and beats the throw home, extending Seattle’s lead to 3-1. Dave Duncan then steps in, takes a ball, and evens the count with a called strike before fouling one off. He fights off another pitch but then swings through strike three to end the inning. The Cascades add a run on Torre’s leadoff double and sacrifice fly, pushing their lead to 3-1 as we head to the bottom of the third.

Bottom of the 3rd – Racers Answer Right Back
Tony Perez leads off for Indianapolis and patiently works a 3-2 count before bouncing a ground-ball single past the shortstop into left. Dusty Baker follows, taking a called strike and fouling one off before laying off a couple of close pitches to even the count. After fouling another pitch back, he lines a sharp single into left-center, with Perez hustling and sliding safely into third. That sets up Billy Williams, who takes the first pitch and then hits a sharp ground ball to the second baseman. It’s an easy 4-6-3 double play, but Perez comes home to score, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Buddy Bell steps in next and, after fouling off an offering, lines a single past the shortstop into left, keeping the inning alive. Tito Fuentes follows and grounds one to the second baseman, who fields it cleanly and makes the routine throw to first for the out, ending the inning. The Racers pull within a run, making it 3-2 Seattle as we head to the fourth.

Top of the 4th – Wise Retires the Side in Order
Glenn Beckert steps in to lead off the fourth against Rick Wise. He watches a first-pitch ball, then takes a called strike before fouling off a pitch. With the count at 1-2, he lays off another ball to even it up but then lifts a routine popup to the first baseman for the first out. Sonny Jackson follows, taking a first-pitch ball before grounding one softly to the first baseman, who fields it cleanly and steps on the bag for the unassisted putout. Mike Anderson steps in and takes a called strike before evening the count with a ball. He then takes another ball to move ahead 2-1, but Wise evens the count again with a called strike. Anderson watches another ball go by to work the count full but then rolls over a grounder to third, where it’s fielded cleanly and thrown across the diamond for the out. Wise keeps Seattle off the bases, holding it at a one-run game, 3-2.

Bottom of the 4th – Soderholm Goes Deep to Tie It Up
Ellie Rodriguez leads off the inning for Indianapolis and takes two balls before fouling off back-to-back pitches. He works the count full, then stays alive by fouling off another before grounding one to third, where the play is made to first for the out. Eric Soderholm steps in and wastes no time, launching a solo home run to right field, a blast that ties the game at 3-3. Juan Beniquez follows, taking a called strike before watching another go by for strike two. He then swings through the next pitch, going down on three pitches. Rick Wise comes to the plate and quickly falls behind 0-2 after taking a called strike and swinging through the next pitch. He lays off one in the dirt but then swings and misses for the strikeout. Indianapolis evens the score as the game moves to the fifth, now tied 3-3.

Top of the 5th – Bumbry’s Speed Sparks Seattle
Bob Moose leads off for Seattle and falls behind 0-1 on a called strike. He takes three straight balls to get ahead 3-1, then fouls off two pitches to run the count full. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, he watches ball four go by, drawing a leadoff walk. Wes Parker lays down a sacrifice bunt on the first pitch, fielded cleanly by the pitcher, who throws to first for the out as Moose advances to second. Joe Torre steps in and fouls off the first pitch, then rolls over a ground ball to the pitcher, who makes the play to first for the second out, with Moose holding at second. Al Bumbry follows, taking two balls to get ahead 2-0, then fouling one off before sending a hard ground ball through the left side for a single. Moose rounds third and races home, sliding in safely ahead of the throw to put Seattle back in front. Frank Robinson works a full count, fouling off a pitch along the way, before drawing a walk to put two men on. Dave Duncan follows and quickly falls behind 0-2 after two called strikes. He watches two pitches miss the zone to even the count, then takes another ball to work it full. He fouls one off to stay alive but eventually lays off a close pitch to take ball four, loading the bases. Glenn Beckert steps in and swings through the first pitch for strike one but then rolls a grounder toward second, where the fielder steps on the bag for the force, ending the inning. Seattle regains the lead, 4-3.

Bottom of the 5th – Moose Keeps Indy Quiet
Tony Perez leads off the inning for the Racers and swings through the first pitch before taking a called strike. He lays off one in the dirt but then grounds one to the shortstop, who fields and fires to first for the out. Dusty Baker follows, working a full count before swinging through a high fastball for strike three. Billy Williams steps in next and fouls off the first pitch before taking a ball. He lifts a fly ball to right, where it’s caught to retire the side. Moose handles Indianapolis with ease, and Seattle holds onto a 4-3 lead heading into the sixth.

Top of the 6th – Wise Settles Down Again
Sonny Jackson starts the frame for Seattle, taking two straight balls before getting a called strike. He then lines a ball toward second, but it’s caught for the first out. Mike Anderson follows, taking a ball, then a swinging strike before evening the count. He fights off a two-strike pitch but then rolls over a ground ball to short, where it’s fielded cleanly and thrown to first for the second out. Bob Moose steps in and works a tough at-bat, fouling off a couple pitches, but ultimately flies out to left to end the frame. Wise keeps the Racers in it, and the score remains 4-3.

Bottom of the 6th – Racers Battle Back Again
Buddy Bell leads off for Indianapolis and lines a sharp shot to second, but it’s caught for the first out. Tito Fuentes follows and rips a double down the third-base line, giving the Racers a runner in scoring position. Ellie Rodriguez steps up and pops one up to second, where it’s caught for the second out. Indianapolis calls on Matty Alou to pinch-hit, and he comes through, lining a single into right. Fuentes rounds third and slides in safely at the plate, tying the game once again at 4-4. Juan Beniquez follows but strikes out swinging to end the inning. The Racers continue to fight, bringing the game even again as we move to the seventh.

Top of the 7th – Cascades Surge Back in Front
With the game tied at 4-4, Indianapolis calls on Clay Carroll to take over on the mound. Wes Parker leads off and works a patient at-bat, drawing a four-pitch walk. Joe Torre follows, taking a called strike before seeing a pickoff throw to first. He works the count even, then fouls off a pair of pitches before lining a single to left-center, moving Parker to second. Al Bumbry steps in and delivers again, lofting a bloop single into shallow center. Parker rounds third, hustling home to score just ahead of the throw, putting Seattle back on top 5-4.

With runners still at first and second, Frank Robinson comes to the plate, but Carroll gets him to pop out to first for a much-needed out. Dave Duncan steps in next and, after fouling off a pitch, gets a hanging breaking ball and absolutely crushes it to deep right. It’s a no-doubt three-run homer, soaring over the fence to extend the Cascades’ lead to 8-4. Carroll regroups to get Glenn Beckert to fly out to right, then gets Sonny Jackson to ground out to the third sacker, but the damage is done. Seattle puts up a four-spot, breaking the game open and taking an 8-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Bottom of the 7th – Racers Keep Fighting
Billy Parker steps in to lead off against Bob Moose, working the count before striking out swinging. Tony Perez follows and reaches on an error, as the shortstop boots a routine grounder. With Perez on, Dusty Baker steps up and takes a strike as Perez swipes second. Baker then works the count full, battling back after falling behind 0-2, but swings through strike three for the second out. Billy Williams follows and stays patient, taking three straight balls before lining a single into right-center. Perez rounds third and races home, sliding in safely as the throw is just late, cutting the deficit to 8-5. Buddy Bell steps in next and works the count, but lifts a soft liner to first, where it’s caught to end the inning. Indianapolis gets one back, but they still trail 8-5 heading into the eighth.

Top of the 8th – Borbon Slams the Door
Pedro Borbon takes the mound for the Racers, looking to keep the game within reach. Mike Anderson leads off and takes a called strike before evening the count. He works it to 2-2, but Borbon fools him with a breaking ball, getting him to swing through for strike three. Roger Repoz comes in as a pinch-hitter and quickly falls behind 0-2 before laying off a ball. Borbon goes back to the fastball, and Repoz swings right through it for back-to-back strikeouts. Wes Parker steps up, taking a ball before lifting a liner to left, but it’s caught to retire the side. Borbon does his job, keeping the deficit at three as we move to the bottom of the eighth.

Bottom of the 8th – Knowles Takes Over, Keeps Racers Off the Board
Seattle turns to lefty Darold Knowles out of the bullpen. Tito Fuentes leads off for Indianapolis and works ahead 2-0 before taking a strike. He then lifts a fly ball to left, but it’s caught for the first out. Ellie Rodriguez steps in next and fights through a long at-bat, fouling off multiple pitches before grounding out to second. Garry Maddox is called on as a pinch-hitter, but Knowles gets ahead in the count and eventually catches him looking at strike three to end the inning. The Racers go down quietly, and Seattle remains in control, leading 8-5 heading to the ninth.

Top of the 9th – Seattle Adds Insurance
Jim Lonborg takes the mound for the Racers in the ninth, looking to keep Seattle off the board. Joe Torre leads off and lines a hard grounder past first for a single. Al Bumbry follows but quickly falls behind 0-2 before striking out swinging. Frank Robinson steps up and battles to a full count before popping up to first for the second out. With two down, Dave Duncan puts the ball in play, hitting a grounder to second, but it’s mishandled for an error, allowing Torre to move up. Glenn Beckert follows and rips a single through the right side. Torre rounds third and beats the throw home, making it 9-5. The throw to the plate allows the runners to advance, and a wild pitch on the next batter brings in another run, stretching Seattle’s lead to 10-5. Lonborg regains control and strikes out Sonny Jackson to end the inning, but Seattle has added two more runs to all but seal this one.

Bottom of the 9th – Knowles Finishes the Job
Down by five, the Racers have one last chance to rally. Juan Beniquez leads off against Knowles and works a full count before drawing a walk. Billy Parker follows, grounding into a fielder’s choice on the first pitch, erasing Beniquez at second. Tony Perez steps in next and fights through a deep count before lofting a fly ball to left for the second out. With one on and two down, Dusty Baker works a full count before drawing a walk, keeping the inning alive. Billy Williams steps up, but after working the count to 3-1, he pops one up to first, where it’s caught to end the game.

Final Score: Seattle 10, Indianapolis 5. The Cascades dominate late, putting up six runs over the final three innings to take a commanding 3-0 series lead in the 1972 World Sim. Indianapolis now faces elimination, needing to win four straight to complete a historic comeback. Can they keep their season alive in Game 4? We’ll find out next!




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