KOD 13 - Tier C Playoffs - Jints win over Braves in 5

10/8/1981 - GAME 1 - Fulton County Stadium
Alexander (2-4) vs Niekro (4-6)
Giants 4, Braves 0

Doyle Alexander spins a complete game 3 hit shutout vs a frustrated Braves lineup.  Alexander was protecting a 1-0 lead until his mates supplied him with 3 insurance runs over the final 2 innings.  Jack Clark had 2 RBI's on one swing of the bat, as he recorded his 13th roundtripper of the season.
Giants lead series 1-0

10/9 - GAME 2
Griffin (3-7) vs Mahler (5-3)
Giants 6, Braves 4

Tom Griffin gave up just 1 run on 5 hits in 6 innings of work.  Fred Breining did his best to get the Braves back into the game by surrendering 3 runs in he 7th to make it a 6-4 ball game.  Al Holland would come to the rescue and get the final out in the 8th and a scoreless 9th for the save.  Darrell Evans hit is 5th homer and went 3 for 5 with 2 RBI's.  Larry Herndon had 2 RBI's as well.
Giants lead series 2-0

10/11 - GAME 3 - Candlestick
Boggs (2-6) vs Blue (4-3)
Braves 6, Giants 4

Atlanta scored early and often, but had to hold on to dear life to avoid elimination.  San Fran scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th off of Rick Camp, which made the game much closer than anyone in the Atlanta dugout wanted.  3 of Atlanta's 13 hits came off the bat of Chris Chambliss, who is no stranger to post season heroics (refer to 1976 ALCS).  Linares, Murphy, Chambliss, Washington and Ramirez all had multi-hit days for the victors.
Giants lead series 2-1

10/12 - GAME 4
Perry (2-7) vs Whitson (2-8)
Braves 14, Giants 2

In their second attempt to close out the series the Giants failed miserably.  Heading into the 5th Ed Whitson was doing a great job protecting a 2-1 lead.  Over the course of the next 5 innings the Braves beat up on the Giants to the tune of 13 runs.  Whitson gave up 5 of those runs.  Rowland was responsible for 1 run and Hargesheimer was victimized for 7.  Bob Horner had one of those magical days at the plate going 5 for 6 with 3 runs scored and 4 RBI.  Horner had a double and a homer to punish the Giants and force a decisive game 5.
Series tied at 2-2

10/13 - GAME 5 - Fulton County Stadium
Alexander (3-6) vs Niekro (4-7)
Giants 7, Braves 1

In a series where the home team was incapable of winning the first 4 games, the series finale would be no different.  The Giants jumped all over future HOF'er Phil Niekro in the top of the first for 4 big runs and never looked back.  Every Giant partook in the 14 hit barrage with both Darrell Evans and Milt May posting 3 hits apiece.  May and Johnny LeMaster each notched 2 RBI's.  Doyle Alexander had himself a shutout until the bottom of the 9th when he gave up a solo run before leaving the game with 1 out to go.  Greg Minton got the final out to put away the Braves.
Giants win series 3-2

KOD 13 - Tier B Playoffs - Rangers sweep Brew Crew in 3 straight

10/8/1981 - GAME 1 - Arlington Stadium
Slaton (0-5) vs Darwin (5-3)
Rangers 10, Brewers 1
A 3-1 Rangers lead became a 10-1 blowout after Texas posted 7 runs in the bottom of the 7th.  Milwaukee reliever Dwight Bernard was victimized for all 7 runs in just 2/3 of an inning.  Danny "origin of the bullpen" Darwin was spectacular fanning 7 and yielding just 1 run in 8 2/3 innings of work.  Left Fielder Billy Sample had a perfect 4 for 4 day with 2 runs scored and 1 run knocked in.  DH Al Oliver was 3 for 5 with a run scored.
Rangers lead series 1-0

10/9 - GAME 2
Caldwell (1-7) vs Honeycutt (6-4)
Rangers 5, Brewers 2
In a battle of southpaws Rick "don't call me BJ" Honeycutt came out on top with a complete game effort.  Honeycutt had a shutout going until the 9th, when he tired and allowed two back door runs.  Rick Honeycutt fanned 7 Brewers, while walking just 1.  Robin Yount had a 3 hit day in a losing effort.  Texas offered up a balanced attack with both Bump Wills and Al Oliver getting 2 hits each.  Oliver and Buddy Bell both had 2 RBI's
Rangers lead series 2-0

10/11 - GAME 3 - County Stadium
Jenkins vs Vuckovich

Rangers 9, Brewers 4 (12 inn)
Texas rallied for 3 runs in the top of the 6th to tie the game at 4 all.  For the next 5 innings neither team could score.  As the game went further along into extra innings the tension really mounted for the home team (Brewers).  After pitching 2 scoreless innings in relief, Rollie Fingers was asked to do the impossible and go a third.  The Texas bats came to life and scored 5 runs in the top of the 12th (2 off of Fingers) to close out the series.  A tell tale sign that Fingers had hit the wall was Mario Mendoza's lead off double in the 12th.  Things got progressively worse after that.  Mickey Rivers' double scored the first run and Buddy Bell's single plated two more as the landslide was now unstoppable.  Rightfielder Leon Roberts was 4 for 5 with 3 RBI's.  Catcher Jim Sundberg scored 3 runs.  Charlie Hough got the win, his 7th, with 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.
Rangers win series 3-0

KOD 13 - Tier A Playoffs - Tigers sweep Halos to meet A's in ALCS

Game 1  - Anaheim Stadium

Morris (5-5, 3.20) vs K.Forsch (9-2, 1.67)

Tigers 7, Angels 0

Jack Morris is perfect through 7 innings, throws three hit shutout, and outduels Cy Young hopeful Ken Forsch.  Leadoff hitter Lou Whitaker went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's and 1 run scored

Game 2

Wilcox (9-1, 2.37 vs Zahn (6-5, 4.73)

Tigers 9, Angels 0

Milt Wilcox throws shutout and cruises to an easy victory thanks to 7 big runs scored in the top of the 1st.  Tom Brookens went 3 for 4 with 3 RBI's.

Game 3  - Tiger Stadium

Whitt (5-4, 3.80) vs Petry (6-3, 3.91)

Tigers 5, Angels 4

A rusty Tiger bullpen, no work for six days, lets the Angels back in, but the Tigers hold on 5-4 to sweep the series.  Kirk Gibson stole two bases off of the Whitt/Ott battery.  Lou Whitaker again has 2 hits, as did Champ Summers

Editor's note:  The Angels and Tigers have now met four times in the KOD playoffs and their record is even at 2-2.  This is also the first time that Tom has beaten Doug since the latter moved to Israel.  --submitted by T.Davis--

KOD 13 - Tier A Playoffs - A's upset Bombers in 4

10/8/1981 - Yankee Stadium
Steve McCatty (5-6) vs Rudy May (5-4)
A's 5, Yankees 2

The Yankees entered the series with the best record in baseball.  They have a formidable lineup with 2 Hall of Famers and a pitching staff, especially their bullpen, that was the class of the American League.  Oakland is a team built around intangibles.  They have a very good rotation, that somewhat overachieved, and maybe the best young outfields in baseball.  In the top of the 1st all 3 parts of Oakland's "best young outfield in baseball" took part in staking starter Steve McCatty to a 3-0 lead.  Rickey Henderson led off with a walk, then moved to second on an infield single by Shooty Babitt.  Centerfielder Dwayne Murphy bunted both runners over and rightfielder Tony Armas delivered them both home with a double that rolled to the fence in Death Valley.  After DH Cliff Johnson popped up to short, former Yankee Mike Heath singled home Armas for the third and final run of the inning.  Heath would lead off the top of the 4th with a double down the left field line.  After moving to third on Jeff Newman's single Heath scored on a single by another former Yankee, Mickey Klutts.  With 2 out Babitt singled home Newman to give McCatty a 5-0 lead.  With 2 out and 2 runners on May was lifted from the game in favor of Doug Bird, who pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings of baseball.  The Yanks posted a run in the 4th, when Bucky "F-in" Dent singled home Bobby Murcer.  They also posted a run in the 7th when Willie Randolph singled home Dave Revering.  McCatty had great stuff and was able to go the distance allowing just 2 runs on 6 hits.  Former Yankee farmhand, Klutts was 3 for 3 with one RBI.  Henderson stole his 31st base of he season.
Oakland leads series 1-0

10/9
Rick Langford (6-5) vs Ron Guidry
Yankees 6, A's 4

Oakland jumped out to a 3-1 lead and Rick Langford looked like he was in the same groove that McCatty was in the day before.  Then, like a bolt of lighting in the Bronx sky, the Bombers struck for 5 runs in the bottom of the 6th.  After Cliff Johnson and Rob Picciolo hit solo shots in the top of the inning the hometown fans saw their boys in pinstripes suits in deep trouble looking up from a 4-1 hole.  Dave Winfield led off the bottom of the inning with a walk.  Reggie and Bobby Murcer followed with singles to load the bases.  Craig Nettles, who possesses a lethal lefty bat in Yankee stadium lined a single just inside the chalk on the right field line to score Winny and Reggie to make it 4-3.  Revering doubled off the wall in right to score Murcer to tie the game a 4-4.  Dent singled home Nettles and the Yanks had their first lead of the series.  Tom Underwood was brought on to replace Langford, who couldn't get Ray Oyler out at this point.  Underwood got "the Italian Stallion", Rick Cerone to ground into a 6-4 3 DP, but on the play Revering scored easily to make it 6-4.  Yankee starter Ron Guidry, who was replaced the previous inning by Ron Davis, did not figure into the decision.  Davis would toss 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to get the win.  George Frazier would pitch 2/3 scoreless innings before handing the ball over to "the Goose", who blew away Dave McKay and Rickey Henderson with heat, before Keith Drumright flew out to shallow center to end it.
Series tied 1-1

10/11 - Oakland Coliseum
Dave Righetti (6-2) vs Mike Norris (9-1)
A's 6, Yankees 0

The series moved 3,000 miles to the Bay Area where two native Californians would hook up in the pitching matchup.  21 year old Dave Righetti was pitching before an angry crowd in his hometown.  With many family member in attendance the 1981 AL Rookie of the Year was bound to have some butterflies and feel his nerves jangling.  Mike Norris, who is one cool customer came right out of the starting blocks throwing gas.  Rags gave up a lead off double to Henderson, then recovered to get the next 3 outs.  In the bottom of the 2nd he would again find trouble when he loaded the bases with a walk to Babitt.  Klutts, who for the second straight day was in the lineup vs another Yankee lefty lifted a sac fly to Winfield in left to make it 1-0.  Oakland once again took advantage of young Righetti's nerves in the bottom of the 4th with 3 big runs.  After Armas walked, Health singled to put runners on the corners.  Cliff Johnson's single scored Armas to make it 2-0.  Babitt's single scored Heath to make it 3-0 and Klutts, who is no klutz, singled home Johnson to give Norris a 4-0 lead.  Oakland scored 2 more in the 8th, but by that point it was all academic.  Norris was well on his way to a complete game 3 hit shutout and just like that the Yankees were on the brink of elimination.
Oakland leads series 2-1

10/12
Tommy John (5-5) vs Matt Keough (5-3)
A's 6, Yankees 1

New York's manager John Clingan had an uneasy feeling about this game when he put the ball and his season firmly in the hands of Tommy John.  Clingan was quoted as saying, "TJ has been awful all season".  There wasn't much of a wait needed to see how awful New York's 4th consecutive lefty starter would be.  Oakland bolted right out of the gate with 3 pace setting runs in the bottom of the 1st.  Henderson led off with a double and moved to third on Picciolo's single.  Murphy bunted Picciolo over to second, as Henderson held tight on third not wanting to risk getting thrown out on a ball that didn't roll too far from the plate.  Tony Armas stepped to the plate and with one mighty swing deposited a 2-0 offering from John into the left field pavilion.  Dave Winfield, who has been maligned by his owner as "Mr. May", showed today that he too can perform in the glaring lights of October Baseball.  With 1 out in the top of the 4th "Winny" hit a sinking liner to the opposite field that wound up 6 rows deep to make the score 3-1.  Winny would single in his next two times up, but never find his way back home like he did in the 4th, because Matt Keough was pitching like his career was on the line.  Keough, who entered the game with a gaudy ERA well over 5.00 had his best stuff of the season.  He would scatter 4 hits on the day, 3 of which came off of Winfield's bat, and never really be in danger of losing.  Oakland would finally chase John from the hill in the 6th after New York's embattled lefty gave up another 3 spot the previous inning.  The bottom of the 5th started off with Klutts hitting a humped back liner to center.  He would head to third on another Rickey Henderson double.  Picciolo followed that up with a single to right to score Klutts.  After Dwayne Murphy stuck out for the second time in a row Tony Armas cleared the bases with a double.  Ron Davis and Goose Gossage would come on to stop the bleeding, but by this point the patient had virtually bled out.  By the time pinch hitter Oscar Gambles pop up fell comfortably into the glove of another former Yankee, Fred "Chicken" Stanley A's fans were ready to celebrate their improbable upset of the heavily favored Bronx Bombers in 4 games.
Oakland wins series 3-1

Round 1 (Tier B) - Expos advance by taking 3 of 4 from Cubbies

10/8/1981 - Stadie Olympique'
Rick Reuschel (2-7) vs Steve Rogers (7-3)
Expos 2, Cubs 1

Awesome pitcher's duel between two veteran aces.  Montreal nicked Big Daddy for 2 runs in the first and made them stand up.  Speedsters Tim Raines and Rodney Scott led off the bottom of the 1st with back to back singles.  Both advanced 90 feet when Reuschel bounced one in the dirt.  Raines scored easily when Cromartie grounded to first.  After Dawson was called out on strikes "the kid", Gary Carter delivered a clutch 2 out single to score Scott and make it 2-0.  Those 2 runs meant the world to Rogers, who was posting goose eggs on the board inning by inning.  By the top of the 9th the Cubs had one lone hit, a single by Jody Davis in the 5th.  Ivan DeJesus led off the top of the 9th with a triple to dead center, then scored on Steve Dillard's sac fly to center.  Steve Rogers was now laboring, but the ball was still in his hand.  After Billy Buckner crushed a double off the wall in left center it was time to bid Rogers a fond adieu.  Jeff Reardon came in from the pen to get Bonds to fly out weakly to center and Durham to pop out to first to end the game.
Expos lead series 1-0

10/9
Mike Krukow (4-7) vs Bill Gullickson (7-4)
Expos 2, Cubs 1
Fast forward one day and both teams record similar results.  This time the Cubs got on the board early with a run in the top of the 1st thanks to a throwing error and a wild pitch by Gullickson.  Tim Raines tied it up in the bottom of the inning with a lead off homer.  Rodney Scott walked and stole second, then moved to third on a wild pitch with 2 out.  Once again "the kid", Gary Carter, delivered a 2 out RBI single to put the Expos up 2-1.  Gullickson rebounded nicely from his first inning wildness and blanked the Cubbies the rest of the way.  Once again the Cubs could only manage 1 run on 3 hits.  The Expos managed just 2 runs on 6 hits, but with their stellar pitching they were able to make it hold up.
Expos lead series 2-0

10/11 - Wrigley Field
Scott Sanderson (6-4) vs Randy Martz (5-5)
Cubs 5, Expos 2

A return to the friendly confines was just what the doctor ordered to cure the Cubbies' offensive woes.  Chicago jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 3 innings.  Billy Buckner hit his 11th of the season with the bases empty in the third.  Montreal scored a solo run in the 4th and another in the 6th on Andre Dawson's 23rd of the year, but they would not inch any closer.  A 2 run blast by "Hendu" (Steve Henderson) in the bottom of the 8th salted the game away for Chicago.  Martz went 6 1/3 and gave up 2 runs to collect the win and Dick "Dirt" Tidrow was perfect over the final 2 2/3 innings to notch the save.
Expos lead series 2-1

10/12
Ray Burris (4-4) vs Ken Kravec (1-7)
Expos 7, Cubs 1
The final score is quite misleading.  This was a 2-1 game with Ray Burris and the Expos hanging on for dear life, until Montreal's dormant offense exploded for 5 runs in the top of the 8th.  Burris was Brilliant allowing just 2 hit, while going the distance.  One of those hits happened to be a solo shot by Leon Durham in he 2nd.  Burris needed to be fantastic, because this looked to be another squeaker thanks to Montreal's offensive woes.  Up until the top of the 8th the Expos had scored just 6 runs over the three previous games.  Thanks to their stellar pitching they had a 2-1 series lead.  In the 8th the Expos almost matched their full series run output when they posted 5 runs and coasted to victory.  After catcher Gary Carter led off with a rare triple, Larry Parrish struck out swinging.  Pinch hitter Tim "Eli" Wallach grounded out to short to score Carter and make it 3-1.  At this point the game was still close.  Wallach was first because Cub shortstop Ivan DeJesus threw home in an attempt to nail Carter.  A balk by Lee Smith moved Wallach into scoring position.  Chris Speier singled up the middle to score Wallach and make it 4-1.  Another unforced error by Smith, this time a balk, moved Speier over to third (he took second on a throw to the plate).  Burris executed a squeeze play to perfection to make it 5-1.  Tim Raines hit a 2 run shot that landed just over the ivy in left center to serve as the final coffin nail on the Cubs season.

Expos win series 3-1

Final Standings and Playoff Tier Listings for KOD 13

Playoff Brackets will be posted along with the playoff file.  Each playoff tier will be seeded according to record, except tier A.  The division winners will be seeded 1 and 2, respectively, in tier A.  The brackets in tier A will be setup so that the 2nd place teams in each division (this applies only to the AL) do not play the first place team from their division in the opening round (league rule).  In the AL tier C seeds 1 and 2 get a bye and seeds 3-6 play a best 2 of 3 qualifier round.

Remember, every team has a chance to win either the A, B or C tier.  Champions in each tier will be considered KOD 13 co-champions.  An "A" championship is no more important than a "C" championship.  This was agreed upon when we decided to play a full season without the benefit of balance like we traditionally do in each KOD.

Good luck to everyone !!!

Expos take 2 of 3 from Amazin's at Big Shea

10/2/1981 - Shea Stadium
Burris (3-4, 3.90) vs R.Jones (1-8, 7.99)
Expos 5, Mets 4

After 3 shutout innings Randy Jones reverted back to the losing ways, which he has exhibited all season for the Amazin's.  Jones, the 1976 NL Cy Young Award Winner, has fallen on had times since he was the top hurler in the NL just 5 short years before.  Montreal's "big 4th innings" was aided by 3 walks issued by Jones along with an RBI single from Warren Cromartie and a RBI double from Elis Valentine, who is doing double duty today by performing for both squads.  Andre Dawson, who is vying for the NL MVP Award, singled home Rodney Scott, who walked and stole second with 2 out to make it 4-1 Expos.  Knowing that Montreal's pen is at best suspect Dawson launched a solo shot in the 8th, his 21st of the season, to give the Expos what would turn out to be a very much needed insurance run.  With the Amazin's rallying for 3 big runs in the bottom of the 8th, thanks to Burris tiring and reliever Elias Sosa's generosity, we now had a 1 run game.  A bases clearing double by "double duty" Ellis Valentine , off of Sosa made the 5,000 fans in Flushing leap to their seat.  Some were actually already up off their seats and heading to the parking lot.  Those that weren't hung tight.  After the Expos went quietly in the top of the 9th closer Jeff Reardon, also doing double duty, came on to close it out.  After the first 2 Met batter went easily, young Hubie Brooks a September call up, strode to the plate.  Reardon, not having a book on Brooks, decided to test the youngster with off speed stuff.  Reardon hung a curve that Brooks hit deep into the right center gap that none other than Ellis Valentine caught against the 8 foot blue wall, to end the game.

10/3/1981
Rogers (6-3, 2.79) vs Zachry (2-4, 3.00)
Expos 4, Mets 2

Once again the Amazin's perpetrated a comeback that was too little and too late.  For 8 strong innings Expo ace, Steve Rogers, blanked New York.  Entering the 9th the hope was to get 1 more inning out of Rogers, who was in search of the complete game shutout.  This hope was a pipe dream considering that Rogers labored through the 8th inning, but got out of a bases loaded jam by getting Mazzilli to fly out to center.  After walking slugger Dave Kingman to lead off the 9th, Rogers gave up a clean single to "The Dude" John Stearns.  Frank Taveras grounded out back to the box for the first out.  Ellis Valentine, who was not pulling double duty today, lined a single up the middle past his former teammate (Rogers) to plate "Kong" and the "Dude" to make it a 4-2 ball game.  With the shutout now gone, Rogers was lifted from the game in favor of former Met Reardon, who got Doug Flynn to ground into a 6-3 DP to end the game.  Reardon notched his 10th save of the season.  Montreal's offense, which built a 4-0 lead for Rogers was paced by "the Rock" Tim Raines going 2 for 4 and stealing his 21st and 2nd bases.  Raines scored 2 runs on the day and was knocked in both time by "The Hawk" Andre Dawson who had 3 RBI's and his league leading 22nd homer.

10/4/1981
Lea (3-5, 5.16) vs Scott (5-2, 2.97)

Mets 4, Expos 2

Both teams were anxious to get this one done quickly.  Call this a classic "getaway day" season finale.  Montreal served up sacrificial lamb Charlie Lea, who gave up 4 runs in just over 4 innings of quick work.  Mike Scott, who has been the anchor of the Mets rotation this season, gave up just 1 run as he exited with 2 out in the 6th.  Craig Swan, who has been trying to fight against career ending injuries turned the clock back and pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to bridge the gap from Scott to closer Neil Allen.  New York's up and down close was up today as evidenced by his perfect 9th inning, which afforded him his 10th save of the season.  Montreal had a 2-1 lead after 4 1/2 innings of play.  The Amazin's had another breakout inning (5th), where they scored 3 runs to double up the Expos 4-2.  Lee Mazzilli's RBI double scored the man who has supplanted the Brooklyn native in centerfield (Mookie Wilson).  Kong hit a high fly to left that got lost in the clouds, but eventually wound up in Raines' glove on the warning track.  That long fly ball was more than enough to score Brooks from third to make it 3-2.  Frank Taveras' rare two out hit, a double to right center, scored Maz to make it 4-2.