Oh Canada!

Crazy 48's Season Update:

Bobby Cox Division action from the Stars League, as it's a series battle (4 games) between two Canadian teams -- the 1985 Toronto Blue Jays (15-13) & the 1981 Montreal Expos (14-14). Toronto enters the series in 3rd place, while the Expos are 5th; The top two teams in the division are the 2001 Seattle Mariners (20-9) & 1998 Atlanta Braves (21-11).

Both teams are going to have a tough time getting into playoff contention, Toronto has the best chances entering play this series, as the 1912 New York Giants (16-13) are holding onto that 8th spot, who are in 4th place in the Ruth Division.

The four-game series will take place in Montreal (under N.L. rules) for the 1st two games, and the last two games of the series will take place in Toronto (under A.L. rules).

For the Crazy 48's League, the road teams have to play to the home team's rules. All National League teams & all American League teams prior to 1973 -- pitchers bat; All A.L. teams from 1973 to current use the DH rule when at home.

We are currently playing the Games #29-32 series of the season, while all teams are scheduled for 48 games each; There are two leagues of 4 divisions each, each division has 6 teams, all adding up to a total of 48 teams.

Game 1 (at Montreal)

The 85' Jays' Ernie Whitt played huge role in Game 1.

The Toronto Blue Jays strike first with two solo home runs (George Bell & Ernie Whitt) during the top of the 2nd, an RBI single in the third by Willie Upshaw would make it 3-0 Jays.

The Montreal Expos would bounce back in the bottom of the third with Rodney Scott scoring on a Warren Cromartie sac fly, while Tim Raines, the runner on second would eventually score as well with a RBI single by Andre Dawson. Cromartie's RBI double in the 5th would tie the game at 3-3.

Ernie Whitt was the star of the game for Toronto going 4-for-4, with a HR, double, two singles & 2 RBI; His RBI double during the top of the 6th would be the difference maker. Tom Henke would come into the 9th & get his 6th Save.

Dave Stieb (2-3, 2.76 ERA) gets the win, allowing 5 hits, 4 walks & 3 earned runs in 8 effective innings, while striking out 4 batters.

Steve Rogers (2-5, 3.29 ERA) is on the losing end, allowing 4 earned runs, 2 walks & 8 hits through 6 innings, with only 1 K.

Game 2 (at Montreal)

Milner presents Hammer Time!

Toronto once again, gets off to another 3-0 start, this time in the first inning, as Damaso Garcia leads the game off with a solo shot to right... for Garcia that is actually his 4th HR already. With one out, George Bell steps to the plate after a Garth Iorg double; Bell would make Bill Gullickson pay with a two-run HR to deep center (6th HR of the season / team lead).

Just like last game, the Expos bounce back in the bottom of the 3rd, with back-to-back RBI doubles by John "The Hammer" Milner & Larry Parrish; Parrish would eventually get hurt on the field in the top of the 4th, when Lloyd Moseby (caught stealing third) slid into Parrish.

Tim Raines would steal his 4th base of the young series & would eventually get knocked in, by a Warren Cromartie single, tying the game at 3-3, during the bottom of the 6th; Raines, by the way, has 32 steals in 30 games for the season -- on pace for 51 steals for the Crazy 48's, while his 162-game MLB rate would be 173 steals!

This game would go to extras -- Warren Cromartie leads off the bottom of the 13th by drawing a walk off of Toronto reliever Gary Lavelle, two outs later, John Milner would hammer in the winning run, with a walk-off double! Milner would go 3-for-5, with 2 doubles, BB, 2 RBI & a run.

Bill "Spaceman" Lee (1-0) would record his 1st win of the season in relief, while striking out 3 Jays in 3 strong innings, allowing no runs & only two hits; Lavelle falls to 0-2 for the season.

Montreal evens series, with 4-3 victory.

Game 3 (at Toronto)

All Scott Sanderson in this one for the Expos, as he accomplished the first complete game of the season for the Montreal Expos' team -- a four-hit shutout! Jerry Manuel (starting instead of Chris Speier) collects two doubles (scoring once), while Tim Wallach collects 2 RBI.

Jimmy Key is the hard-luck loser (3-2, 4.03 ERA) with 7 innings of hard work, allowing 3 hits, 4 walks & two earned runs, while striking out only 2 Expos.

Game 4 (at Toronto)

Ray Burris (Grade B-Z) on the mound for Montreal, Jim Clancy (Grade C) on mound for Toronto. The game remains a 1-1 pitchers duel through 7 full innings. Gary Carter's bat finally sounds off in this one, by going 3-for-4, with a clutch two-run HR off of Dennis Lamp (credited with loss & is now 4-3 in relief).

Toronto, not only suffered a loss in the standings, but Ernie Whitt got injured & will miss the next 6 games -- including entire full crucial series against division rival 1998 Braves.

Montreal gets to take its new momentum against the 1993 Philadelphia Phillies; The Phillies are currently in a four-game series with the first-place 2001 Mariners (losing Game 1).


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