|
We were up and down the rest of August and early September and after losing 3 of 4 to the Reds, we were 5 1/2 back with 16 to play. After another week we were 5 back with 11 to play, not much hope, but a glimmer.
Our pitching flexed their arms in back-to-back 3-1 wins in San Diego to cut the lead to 4 with 10 to play. Hitchcock upped his record to 9-6 with 8 k's in the first game and Fernendez had a rare complete game in the 2nd game striking out 6 Padres.
After a day off, David Cone did one better, shutting out the Giants on 3 hits and striking out 12 while walking just 1 in a 1-0 win.......and the lead is 3 with 8 to go.
In the 2nd game against the Giants, we jumped on them for 4 runs in the 1st as Lynn cleared the bases with a double. The bad news is that Willie Hernandez strained his back in the 2nd and is out for 2 weeks, so basically the rest of the season. Our bullpen only allowed 3 runs the rest of the way and we won 8-4, but the Reds won as well and the lead was still 3 with 7 to go. Andy Hawkins got roughed up in the 3rd game of the series and the Giants won 7-5, but a Reds loss meant we were still 3 back.
Hitchcock had his best start as he shutout the Padres on 3 hits, striking out 10 in a 2-1 Dodger win. The Reds.....lose again and it's 2 back with 5 to go.
The next game was an 18 inning classic. Our bullpen allowed just 3 hits and 2 walks and no runs in 11 innings of work. Their bullpen was great as well, allowing just 3 hits and 7 walks in 13 innings of work........but they allowed a single run as we won 3-2 in 18. The Reds won though, and it was 2 with 4 to go.
The last game against the Padres was a pitchers duel until John Jaha hit a 3-run homer off Cone in the 5th and we were down 4-2. But singles by McGee, Hayes and Lynn gave us a 5-4 lead in the 6th, and the bullpen did the rest as we won 5-4. The Reds won again. 2 back, 3 to play.
|