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Game 1: ATL 16, WAS 7
Game 2: ATL 4, WAS 2
Game 3: ATL 8, WAS
7 (10)
Game 2: ATL 5, WAS 4
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 GAME 1 --
Atlanta 16, Washington 7
BOXSCORE
Toppers Destroy Mons in Opener
ATLANTA (Oct. 2) -- Johnny Podres' return to the World Series was an
event he would just as soon forget. Facing Steve Carlton again on the
fourth anniversary of their first World Series encounter, the
39-year-old was tapped for five runs in the first inning and never even
batted in one of the shortest outings of his career. The Atlanta
Hilltoppers won, just as they did four years ago when Podres started
Game 1 for the Cleveland Barons.
Atlanta's 3-4-5 hitters each
homered and combined for 9 RBIs, setting the pace for a Game 1
demolition of the defending champions at Fulton County Stadium. The
home team wasted no time, jumping to a lead in the first inning after a
catcher's interference call unleashed a 5-run torrent. Washington put
up a 3-spot in the next two innings to briefly take a 6-5 lead, but a
six-run fourth inning, highlighted by Felix Mantilla's 3-run homer, put
the game out of reach. Washington starter Johnny Podres lasted only one
inning and the league's best bullpen was tapped for 11 runs, including
five each off Mike Torrez and Chuck Hartenstein. Atlanta shortstop Bill
Russell, filling in for the injured Bernie Allen, had four hits, and
even Carlton got in the act, delivering a 2-run double in his only
at-bat in an abbreviated outing. Al Oliver homered twice for
Washington, and he and Dave Cash each had 3 RBIs in the game.
Game 2 will see Andy Messersmith (14-13, 3.91), who missed the strikeout
title by three Ks, battle Ron Reed (14-7, 2.98), owner of the 5th best
ERA in the league.
 GAME
2 --
Atlanta 4, Washington 2
BOXSCORE
Reed Gives Toppers 2-0 Lead
ATLANTA (Oct. 3) -- Ron Reed pitched eight solid innings, allowing 12
baserunners but only two runs, at the Hilltoppers won Game 2, 4-2, to
take a 2-0 series lead to Washington. The Monuments struck first
on Bernie Carbo's RBI double in the first, but as in Game 1 the lead
evaporated just as soon as it was established, as Atlanta plated a pair
in the bottom half of the inning on Sal Bando's double and Joe Torre's
sac fly. After a three-up, three-down second inning, Andy
Messersmith had control issues in the third, allowing two runs on two
hits and three walks. Rocky Colavito singled home Terry Crowley
and Torre scored when Bill Freehan drew a walk with the bases loaded.
Washington got a run back in the top of the fourth, when Gene Alley
doubled to score Ed Charles, but for the Mons left five men on base in
the next four innings, as Reed, the 28-year-old righthander from
Indiana, buckled down. Cito Gaston singled off closer Eddie Watt
to lead off the ninth, but Dave Cash grounded into a fielders choice and
Ray Fosse hit into a game-ending double play. Colavito was 2-for-2
with two walks, and is 4-5 with 4 walks and 5 RBIs for the Series.
After a travel day tomorrow, the series resumes at Griffith Stadium
on the 5th. Expected starters are righthander Tom Timmermann
(16-8, 3.54) and righthander Rick Wise (13-7, 3.29).
GAME
3 --
Atlanta 8, Washington 7, 10 inn.
BOXSCORE
Rocky Homers in 10th After Narleski Falters
ATLANTA (Oct. 3) -- Rocky Colavito homered in the tenth to cap a
four-run rally and extend the visiting Hilltoppers series lead to 3-0.
With the game tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth, the Monuments took a
7-4 lead on a two-run homer by Ray Fosse--his second of the game--and a
RBI double by Al Oliver. Don Drysdale gave up three straight
singles in the top of the ninth, and Ray Narleski failed to put out the
fire, allowing three runs to scored by walking Felix Mantilla, plunking
Bill Russell, and giving up a Terry Crowley single. It was
Narleski's first blown save in a big game as long as anyone could
remember.
Narleski gave way to John Strohmeyer in the
tenth, who promptly coughed up a solo homer to Colavito, Atlanta's first
round-tripper of the game. Washington nearly rallied on Eddie Watt
in the bottom of the tenth. Oliver and Danny Thompson singled with
one out, and Ron Blomberg flied out to deep right-center, nearly missing
a game-winning dinger. Gene Alley then feebly grounded out to
third to end the game.
Cleanup hitter Joe Rudi took the collar
for the third straight game; he is hitting 0-13 with no walks.
Washington out-homered Atlanta 4-0 in the first nine innings, but in the
end only Colavito's blast matters. Washington starter Rick Wise
was wholly ineffective, allowing nine hits and three walks in five
innings, but only four runs. Atlanta's 1-5 hitters combined for 12
hits, but only 4 RBIs and 15 men left on base.
Atlanta's
Steve Carlton allowed just seven hits in seven innings, but four of them
were homers. Eddie Watt has pitched in all three games, earning a
win and a save with a 0.00 ERA in four innings.
Game 4 starters
are Tom Timmermann (16-8, 3.54) and Bill Butler (13-12, 3.05).
 GAME
4 --
Atlanta 5, Washington 4
BOXSCORE
Toppers Sweep, Colavito Series MVP After Another
Game-Winning Hit
ATLANTA (Oct. 3) -- Frank Linzy and Eddie Watt allowed a single
baserunner in 2.1 innings of work to nail down a narrow 5-4 win, and
Rocky Colavito was again the hero, with a two-run double off Bill Butler
in the seventh that proved to be the winning hit. Atlanta took a
3-0 lead on Butler with a two-run single by Juan Beniquez in the second
and a RBI single by Joe Torre in the fifth. Washington got on the
board in the bottom of the fifth with Ed Charles' leadoff homer and an
RBI single by Dave Cash. But after Tom Timmermann threw a wild
pitched and walked Al Oliver to load the bases, he beared down and
struck out Ron Blomberg on four pitches. The score held at 3-2
until the top of the seventh, when Colavito doubled home Sal Bando and
Torre for a three-run lead. Ray Fosse and Blomberg hit RBI singles
in the bottom of the inning, but Linzy came in and struck out Joe Rudi
to end the rally with the score 5-4. Linzy then struck out Charles
and Frank Fernandez in a 1-2-3 eigthth, and Watt struck out Lee Thomas
and Bernie Carbo after Dave Cash's leadoff single in the ninth. Al
Oliver then flied out to center for the last out of the game, and the
series.
Colavito was named Series MVP, hitting .533 with 2 HR and
8 RBI. The slugging left fielder had 16 total bases plus four
walks in four games, for a 1.698 OPS in one of the most commanding
performances in World Series history. Joe Torre led the club with
10 hits and a .625 average, and Bill Russell and Sal Bando each hit over
.350. Eddie Watt was the star pitcher for the Toppers, pitching
five shutout innings in four relief appearances for two saves and a win.
Carlton was an utter disappointment, with a 11.57 ERA and 2.04 WHIP in
two starts, but someone escaped with a pair of no-decisions.
Washington's starters were rocked for 18 earned runs in four starts--for
a 10.13 ERA--and the bullpen wasn't much better, posting a 6.88 ERA in
17 innings, one inning more than the starters pitched. Dave Cash,
Ray Fosse, Al Oliver, and Ron Blomberg each hit above .400, and the
Monuments outhit the Toppers in two of the four games, and were only
outhit 47-43 in the series, as Atlanta won the last two games by one run
and Game 2 by two runs.
Atlanta is now 8-0 in two World Series
appearances, and GM Glen Reed has won a remarkable seven straight Series
with a combined record of 28-5.
World Series Preview
The Atlanta Hilltoppers return to the Fall Classic after a four-year
absence, thanks to the most prolific offense in league history.
Toppers crossed the plate 945 times, an average of 5.8 runs per game.
1B Joe Torre won his fourth batting title and nearly bagged the first
Triple Crown in league history, with a league-leading 149 RBIs.
Lefty Carlton, who led the staff in wins and strikeouts gets the nod for
Game 1.
Washington narrowly edged out Boston on the last day of
the season to become the first back-to-back pennant winner in five
years, and the first in the East in seven years. The Monuments'
offense is not what is was last year, but it is balanced by the third
best starting rotation and the best bullpen in the league, led by
legendary closer Ray Narleski, who again was the key man down the
stretch.
BY THE NUMBERS
ATLANTA
1st in runs –
1st
in batting average, OBP, SLG, OPS, hits, XBH, HR, BB; 12th in
stolen bases
6th
in runs allowed
– 6th in ERA (5th in
starters, 11th in bullpen), 9th in strikeouts, 1st
in HR allowed
WASHINGTON
7th in runs
– 3rd in batting, 4th in
OBP and OPS, 6th in SLG, 7th in SB,
3rd in runs allowed
– 3rd in ERA (3rd in
starters, 1st in bullpen), 1st in strikeouts, 2nd
in HR allowed
ATLANTA
Top Hitters:
1B Joe Torre (.373-43-149,
1.118 OPS)
3B Sal Bando (.311-32-99, .957)
LF Rocky Colavito
(.301-28-116, .881)
2B Felix Mantilla (.294-23-100, .860)
Top
Pitchers:
SP Steve Carlton (16-11, 3.42 ERA, 1.37
WHIP)
SP Ron Reed (14-7, 2.98, 1.36)
SP Tom Timmermann (16-8,
3.54, 1.41)
Will not play:
SS Bernie Allen
(.315-18-74, .918) -- torn thumb ligament (3 months)
CF Bob Allison
(.286-15-61, .882) -- appendectomy (3-4 weeks)
World
Series history
1958 -- beat Brooklyn 4-1
1960 -- lost to Brooklyn, 1-4
1967 -- beat
Cleveland, 4-0
WASHINGTON
Top
Hitters:
RF
Bernie Carbo (.286-19-80, .833 OPS)
CF Al Oliver (.292-22-78, .863)
3B Richie Hebner (.341-13-43, .950)
C Ray Fosse (.270-14-76, .705)
Top Pitchers:
SP Bill Butler (13-12, 3.08, 1.31
WHIP)
SP Johnny Podres (11-12, 3.83, 1.16)
CL Ray Narleski (7-9,
3.31, 27 saves)
Will not play:
SP Don Wilson
(12-9, 3.55, 1.25) -- fractured elbow (7 months)
World
Series history
1970 -- beat Chicago 4-3
Pre-World Series League titles: 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956
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