Griffins Grounded, Mons Win Pennant
Tiebreak Loss Completes Detroit's 'Epic Collapse'
DETROIT (Sept. 30) -- Washington edged Detroit 7-6 in the UL's first playoff tiebreaker, giving GM Doug Aiton his first pennant and the Monuments a shot at their first league title in 14 years.  The loss completed the 'epic collapse' (in the pre-game words of GM Sean Holloway) of the Griffins, who lost 22 of their last 25 after going 43-14 from July 1 to Sept. 3.  Ironically--for a team with four Rookies of the Month--it was Washington's oldest player, Ray Narleski, who sealed the pennant. 

The Monuments built a lead slowly and steadily, scoring one run in each of the first five innings, as Don Wilson pitched four shutout innings.  But Dick Allen's fifth inning grand slam breathed new life into the Griffins, slicing the lead to 5-4.  A pair of insurance runs in the eighth, including the decisive RBI double by Rich Reese, put the Mons up 7-4, but Detroit pulled back within a run in the bottom of the eighth.  Narleski walked Bobby Bonds to lead off the ninth, and Bonds (the tying run) reached third on a sac bunt and an error by Gene Alley, but Carl Yastrzemski grounded out to first for the final out, silencing a disappointed but not altogether surprised Kiner Field crowd.

The loss culminated the wildest pennant race in UL history.  Detroit, Washington, and Boston were locked in a dog, cat, and bird fight through early June, when the Monuments pulled ahead with a 14-2 run and Boston began to fade away.  At the All-Star Break, Washington led Detroit by six games, but a month later Detroit led by three--a lead they expanded to eight by Sept. 1.  But Detroit's 4-2 loss to Los Angeles on Sept. 4 was a turning point.  Not only did it end an eight-game winning streak, it was the beginning of a 1-15 skid that allowed the Monuments to pull within two games heading into the final week.  Washington struggled in September, going 10-12 through the 24th, but won four of their last five to take the flag. 

Return to Glory
Washington was the UL's first dynasty, stringing together seven straight 90-win seasons (a record matched only by Brooklyn, 1957-66), winning four of the first six championships, and narrowly missing the first two East Division titles in 1957-58.  Skyrocketing payroll forced the club to disband in 1959, the year GM Doug Aiton took over, and the team plummeted to the bottom of the league, where they lingered for four long seasons.  The Mons re-emerged in the mid-60s, with four winning seasons out of five years but finished no higher than third, but in 1968 the club crashed again, finishing 57-103.  Last year saw a modest improvement to 65 wins but the club was still 12th in the league.  Aiton undertook a facelift project this season, and while he didn't swing a huge number of deals, everything he touched turned to gold, from first rounders Bernie Carbo, Ray Fosse, and Dave Cash, to bit player-turned-regular Gene Alley, to veterans added in deadline deals (Harmon Killebrew and Narleski).

Monuments Force Playoff with 16-3 Rout
Ramos Rapped
WAS 16, BRO 3
BROOKLYN (Sept. 29) -- Monuments batters punished Brooklyn pitchers with a 21-hit barrage, including four by club MVP Ray Fosse, to rout their way to a 16-3 win for a first-place tie and the first one-game playoff in UL history.
BOS 10, DET 3 
DETROIT (Sept. 29) -- Jerry Koosman beat Pedro Ramos in a battle of 19-game winners, as Boston crushed four homers to hand Detroit their 19th loss in 21 games.

Washington is 16-4 against Detroit this season, the most lopsided record between any pair of teams in the league, and has won the last nine meetings. 
Likely starters are Don Wilson (15-8, 2.48) and Joey Jay (12-13, 3.51).  Wilson is 0-0, 1.66 in 3 starts vs Detroit.  Jay is 1-4, 3.53 in 5 starts.

Sep 23 W L GB MN DET 87 68 -- 4 WAS 85 70 2	Cepeda Spoils Wise's Perfect Game BOS 1, WAS 0  A masterful Rick Wise takes a perfect game to the ninth, where he loses the perfect game, the shutout, and the game on a pinch home run by Orlando Cepeda. CHI 1, DET 0  Pedro Ramos gives up a run in the first, then pitches 7 shutout innings, but loses as Wilbur Wood anchors a 4-hit shutout. Mantle 3-5, HR, 3 RBI (2,993 hits) Singer DNP (1.674) (Bob Moose, SF '68 1.707) Chicago wins #96 (5 games to go)
Sep 24 W L GB MN DET 87 69 -- 3 WAS 85 71 2	Jay Loses Again, But Mons Lose Too CHI 4, DET 1  Johnny Kucks four-hits the Griffins, and doubles by Tony Perez and Horace Clarke highlighted a 3-run 8th, as Joey Jay loses his third straight start (after a six-game winning streak). BOS 4, WAS 3  Gary Nolan got his 18th win, allowing just two unearned runs in 7.2 innings.  Manny Sanguillen drove in a pair and Bobby Tolan homered.  Injured Dave Cash's replacement Dick Green was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.  WAS third straight loss and 8th in last 11. Mantle 0-3 (2,993 hits) Singer DNP (1.674) (Bob Moose, SF '68 1.707) Chicago wins #97 (4 games to go)
Sep 25 W L GB MN DET 87 70 -- 3 WAS 86 71 1	Hands Loses His Grip, Mons Close Gap to One Game CHI 12, DET 8  Bill Hands let a 7-3 lead slip from his grasp as Tony Perez' 3-run homer capped a 6-run sixth inning.  It was Hands' fourth straight loss and Detroit's 17th loss in 18 games. WAS 8, BOS 1   Washington rattled Chris Short with a 5-run second inning and Ray Fosse homered in the seventh to complete the rout, as the Mons move within one game of first place. Mantle 2-5, 2 doubles (2,995 hits) Singer 0.1, 0 R (1.671) (Bob Moose, SF '68 1.707) Chicago wins #98 (3 games to go)
Sep 26	no games
Sep 27 W L GB MN DET 88 70 -- 1 WAS 86 72 2	Ellis Reverses Detroit's Skid, Mons Stymied by Rookies DET 5, BOS 1 Dock Ellis two-hit the Federals, and Charlie Lau hit a three-run homer, giving Detroit just its 2nd win in 19 games.  The win was Ellis' first in eight starts since Aug. 13. BRO 4, WAS 1  Clyde Wright got his first career win with a six-hitter, and Jerry Moses hit his first career home run, pushing the Monuments to the brink of elimination.  Washington must beat Brooklyn twice and hope that Boston beats Detroit twice to force a one-game playoff. Mantle 0-4 (2,995 hits) Singer DNP (1.671) (Bob Moose, SF '68 1.707) Chicago wins #99 (2 games to go)
Sep 28 W L GB MN DET 88 71 -- 1 WAS 87 72 1	The Butler Did It BOS 7, DET 6 (11)  Clete Boyer, who had 4 HR in his previous 113 games, homered twice, and Detroit close Tex Clevenger's woes (6.75 ERA in September) continued, as Boston won in the 11th on two singles and Alex Johnson's RBI groundout. WAS 4, BRO 1  Bill Butler, who had 22 losses a year ago, held the Bas to five hits and Bernie Carbo drove in two runs, keeping the Monuments alive going into the final day of the season. Mantle 0-4 (2,995 hits) Singer 0.0, 1 H, 0 ER (1.671) (Bob Moose, SF '68 1.707) Chicago wins #100  1st 100-win team since BRO '66 (1 game to go)
Sep 29 W L GB MN DET 88 72 -- 1 WAS 88 72 -- 1	Monuments Force Playoff with 16-3 Rout, Ramos Rapped WAS 16, BRO 3  Monuments batters punished Brooklyn pitchers with a 21-hit barrage, including four by club MVP Ray Fosse, to rout their way to a first-place tie and the first one-game playoff in UL history. BOS 10, DET 3  Jerry Koosman beat Pedro Ramos in a battle of 19-game winners, as Boston crushed four homers to hand Detroit their 19th loss in 21 games. Washington is 16-4 against Detroit this season, the most lopsided record between any pair of teams in the league, and has won the last nine meetings.  Likely starters are Don Wilson (15-8, 2.48) and Joey Jay (12-13, 3.51).  Wilson is 0-0, 1.66 in 3 starts vs Detroit.  Jay is 1-4, 3.53 in 5 starts. Mantle 0-4 (2,993 hits) Singer DNP (1.671) (Bob Moose, SF '68 1.707)

Worst to First; First to Worst