Updated 28 August 1998

Playoff statistics

Game 1 saw Gibson face Sudden Sam McDowell in a classic matchup. Both flamethrowers were on early, with Gibby being just a bit "on-ner"

Bot 4th saw Don Pavletich in his only start of the series lashing a double off the wall to get things going. Don Kessinger, who is rumored to be headed to the Explorers in a trade during the coming offseason, wanted to show his intended betrothed what they're in store for by ripping a single into leftfield.

Pavletich, knowing runs don't come easy versus Sam, turns on the afterburners, rounds third and heads for home! Somehow he outruns the ball and slides in safe under Johnny The Bench. Kessinger tries to sneak into second on the throw but wasn't so lucky, and gets nailed by an alert JB. Spans up 1-0

Top 6....Two quick doubles by Rose and Billy Williams make it look easy and tie the game up 1-1 for Siouxland.

Bot 6...Spans threaten with second and third......looking to break it open, and Johnny Bench lets one get underneath him for a passed ball. One run scores the other moves to third. 2-1 Spans

We get that run in from third to make it 3-1 and that's all the scoring for today.

The big story is Gibson, who tosses a complete game four hitter. We know he doesn't give up many, and Sioux got to Gib about as much as the rest of the league did all year.......for one run in 9 innings.

Home town fans rejoice and revel.

Game 2.....Dave McNally versus Jerry Koosman -- A battle of two quality lefties.

Spans come out smoking with Mike Andrews cracking a two run homer in the first inning. They smack Koosman around pretty good, even their outs put the defenders against the outfield wall, but Koos gives up no more actual runs. We will look back and just wish we can hit the ball like that again.

Explorers scratch out 2 runs in the 5th to tie it up. Then comes the fateful 7th inning. With the score tied 2-2, Siouxland mounts a rally. With runners on first and third, the hitter bloops one into short left field.

Oh my, this hurts just to think about it.

Kessinger runs out, Oliva charges in, and ........OUCH! Man thats gotta hurt! The ball squirts out between them, the run scores, the other guy goes to third, but more importantly I've got two Spans sprawled out on the field like cartoon characters with their arms and legs in 90 degree angles.

Oliva's carried off on a stretcher and we all know that he's history for the rest of the series. Kessinger bounced off the bigger man and mostly got the wind knocked out of him and the crap scared out of him. He wobbles off the field and takes the rest of the day off. He'll be back, but he won't be too aggressive backing up into leftfield anymore.<g>

Mickey Stanley comes in to replace Oliva and the manager tells him the job is his for however long the series goes. We're hoping Mickey didn't shoot his wad with his 15 consecutive hits in the last month of the season. Please God, let their be a few hits left in his bat!

We get out of the inning without giving up any more runs; or getting any one else disabled, and we know we still got a chance being down 3-2.

8th inning.....Merv Rettenmund takes care of us having any chance when he hits a pinch hit two run homer for Siouxland to stretch the lead to 5-2. It was a demoralizing blow.

Bot 9...we rally with two hits and even send up Roger Maris to pinch hit with two runners on and the chance to tie it up with one swing of the bat. But.........its '68 and NOT '61 and the big man did what he did most of the late 60's; struck out with a mighty swing!

Game over. The series is tied 1-1. Koos and 2 relievers shut us right down after the first inning. Oliva will be but a memory the rest of the way. We're sending over a case of Schnaaps to the Siouxland dugout and hoping they can't get out of bed for the early wakeup call!<g>

Game 3 A TCBA playoff game was played on Iowa soil for the first time (the franchise had one other playoff series while in Boulder Bluff), but it was not the result Iowans had been waiting for. Stan Bahnsen took the hill for the Explorers, and struggled. He allowed a leadoff single to Don Buford, who promptly stole second on a H&R. Dick (Don't Call Me Richie) Allen singled him home, and Reggie (no, the other one...Smith) ripped a double in the gap, scoring Allen, and it was 2-0 Spans after 1.

In the 2nd, the X's got to Jim Hardin with a Rich Reese double and a wild pitch. Aspromonte brought the run home with a grounder, and it was 2-1, and looked like another close game. But Bahnsen just didn't have it. In the 3rd, Mike Andrews singled and Allen singled him to 3rd. Reggie Smith walked to load the bases with none out. Bahnsen sucked it up to fan Mickey Stanley (playing for the injured Tony O.), but then simply sucked as Tom Satriano took him deep over the centerfield wall for a grand salami, and it was 6-1 Starrucca.

Hardin was just too tough, allowing only 6 hits and the 1 run, striking out 6, in going the distance. The X's bullpen was solid, with the lone exception of Al Worthington giving up a solo shot to defensive replacement, Russ Snyder, as the Spans took game 3, 7-1 for a 2-1 advantage in the series.

Game 4 Sam McDowell starts on 2 days rest for the X's against Span hurler, Bobby Bolin. Siouxland needs this game, as they aren't looking forward to facing Gibson down 3 to 1.

The Ainspans are the first on the board in the 4th on a couple of hits by Reggie Smith and Mickey Stanley (playing for the injured Tony O.), a SF by Bob Barton, and a wild throw to first by McDowell. Bolin hasn't allowed a base runner through four, and things are looking bleak in Iowa....

But lightning strikes in the 6th inning. Rich Reese pinch hits for Ron Hansen, and rips a single to right. Gary Holman comes on to hit for McDowell (allowing McDowell to pitch in game 7, if it goes that far), and follows with another single. After Pete Rose grounds out, advancing the runners to 2nd and 3rd, Bolin drills Lou Johnson. It looks like Johnson will be out of the game, (but he's a lot tougher than those wimpy Spans!) but he stays in. Up comes Roberto Clemente, who has been striking out at an extraordinary rate. Clemente hits Bolin's pitch high and far to center field, the second grand salami of the series, giving the X's a 4-2 lead. Marty Pattin, Jim Ray, and John Hiller come on to preserve the victory for Sam McDowell, allowing only one walk in the last 3 innings. The series is tied at 2 games apiece, but next up for the Ainspans is Bullet Bob Gibson....

Game 5 For once the Explorers get on the board first, on a double by Lou Johnson and RBI singles by Billy Williams and Johnny Bench, for a 2-0 lead against Gibby in the first. Now, if Pat Jarvis can hold the Spans in check....

In the 2nd, Kessinger (who is rumored to be moving to Iowa next season) singles (he has been tearing the cover off the ball!), and Gibson takes matters into his own hands with an RBI double to make it 2-1.

The double may have been too much for Gibson, as with 2 out in the 3^rd inning, he had to be taken out of the game with a sore shoulder, and is lost for the series (remember, the Spans have already lost Oliva). Things are looking much brighter for the X's.

Then...the bizarre 6th inning. Reggie Smith leads off with a single, and Mickey Stanley (in for Oliva, you remember) doubles him home to tie it up. In a surprise move, reminicent of Branca-Thomson, the X's bring on Game 3 starter, Stan Bahnsen, to face Tom Satriano, who had hit the first grand salami of the series off Bahnsen. Bahnsen, obviously still angry about the dinger, drills Satriano, fracturing his elbow, and putting him out for the series. (If only Branca had drilled Thomson...) After Sajdak stops laughing, and with runners on 1st and 2nd, none out, and Bill White up, Mgr. Fiehl puts on the sacrifice, but apparently White missed the sign (or Marty clicked the wrong button -- take your pick) and Stanley was hung out to dry at third...except that Bob Aspromonte dropped the ball!!! With runners at 2nd and 3rd and none out in a tie game, Sajdak gambles and walks White to face...Kessinger (who's been tearing the cover off the ball, remember?). Kessinger pops out, Barton PHs and fouls out, and Buford grounds into a FC, to get the X's out of the wildest inning with a tie game, and a third Ainspan injured for the remainder of the series. (If only Kessinger had hit Oliva a little harder....)

Unfortunately for the home fans, Bahnsen gave up a big fly to Richie...er...Dick Allen, and former X, Gibbon (W) and Knowles (S) hold on to give the Spans a 3-2 victory and a 3-2 series lead, as the series returns to South Starrucca.

Game 6 was played this morning, and it was another doozy.

Dave McNally and Jerry Koosman hookedup in a critical pitchers duel. Spans were up 3 games to 2 coming in, it was a Must Win day for the X's whereas the Spans could take a few chances as if they don't win, they'll still have one more game on Friday.

The scoring got under way in the 4th inning when Johnny B Good Bench teed off on a Mcnally pitch and sent it into the bleachers for a 1-0 Siouxland lead.

Top 6....Marvelous Merv Rettenmund leads off with a walk and makes it to second with two outs. (Rettenmund is spelling Clemente for the one game Roberto has to sit. If we make it to game 7, Clemente gets to play) Up steps Johnny Bench, and there is a conference on the mound. Mgr Fiehl says to issue a free pass and let Swoboda take his rips. Who has a better chance to beat you......Bench or Swoboda?

Well, Swobo bloops this little cheap, effeminite bleeder JUST beyond the outstretched glove of Kessinger at short. With two outs, Merv comes around to score from second and the X's take a commanding 2-0 lead.

The Spans keep getting baserunners but also keep finding themselves hitting into DP's to kill the rally.

In the 7th inning, Buford leads off with a sure single then gets thrown out at second trying to stretch it. Buford's benched in game 7 for THAT stupid play. Down by two and he gets himself thrown out! Jeeesh.

Koosman is looking like Cy Young out there....we go to the ninth still down 2-0.

Dick Allen leads off with a double. Richie's bat has picked up quite a bit in the playoffs from the slump he's been in all year. We're going to make it interesting.

Reggie Smith Flys out.....Mickey Stanley Flys out.....We're down to our last out.

Bob Barton hits an 8 hopper right to Pete Rose at second...it looks like its all over....he throws it to first......... and its in the dirt! It skips past Wes Parker for an error! Dick Allen makes it to third and Bob Barton chugs into second on the error. It looked like the game was over....but Dick Allen was talking to Pete around the second base bag and giving him a few tips on the ponies. It was enough to distract Sneaky Pete to make him throw low.

We get another life and up steps Roger Maris. Rajah came in two innings earlier pinch hitting a double off the wall. If he can do it again, the game is tied, If he can get three more feet of elevation and clear the fence, the game would be over and the Spans would be celebrating with a lacy black thing and a goat.<g>

Koosman thinks he can handle the lefty and stays in the game. He throws it in and Maris grounds a ball to Wes Parker at first. Wes gets in front of it and the Span Fans are envisioning Billy Buckner of '86. But its '68 and Parker gets down on the ball, snatches it, and beats the aging Maris to the bag. Thats all she wrote, end of game.

The Explorers tie up the series at 3-3 and Jerry Koosman is lifted on the shoulders of all the conquistadors in celebration of his complete game 2-0 shutout. The X's played some big defense, turning two double plays to kill rallys and nailing a runner trying to stretch it.

The finale pits Suddenly Sam McDowell versus Jim Hardin. Winner gets to play the Spiders of Cleveland. Loser gets the Green Weenie.

Game 7 The Siouxland Explorers today won the semi final matchup against South Starrucca and won the right to meet the Spiders for the World Championship.

Sudden Sam McDowell was pitching with a hangover but still bore down when he had to for a 5-2 X win. Sam was tough, but the Spans kept people on base in a lot of innings, just couldn't get the one big base knock when they really needed it.

The Explorers scoring mostly came as a result of homers as Pete Rose whomped one, the ever popular Billy Williams deposited one in the Grandstand at Fly Park, and the killing blow came from Lou Johnson (who?) when he parked a two run shot while hitting and running. Pete Rose came up in the 9th needing a triple for the Cycle, but had to settle for a dribbling single and his fourth hit of the ballgame.

Congratulations go out to a fine Siouxland team and we wish them the best against Cleveland. I know I had a GREAT time all week playing the series day by day. There were a lot of memorable moments.

BUT......if I see an application for membership to Yesterday from a Tom, Harry, or Billy Sajdak...........well, it might end up in the circular file!<g> Somewhere in the Constitution there's gotta be mention of a "two Sajdak limit"!<g>

Return to TCBA - Yesterday News & Notes

Return to TCBA - Yesterday Home Page