Pennant Crunch: Tuesday, September 23, 2003

Tuesday, September 23 2003 @ 02:00 AM EDT

Contributed by: robertdudek

A juicy matchup between Kevin Millwood and rookie sensation Dontrelle Willis. Florida can virtually lock up the wildcard by taking 2 out of 3 after a convincing victory over Mike Hampton and the Atlanta Braves Monday night.

AL West/Wildcard
TeamWinsLossesRemainingYesterdayScheduleElim
Oakland94635Tex 7-3  Tex 2, @Sea 3__
Boston92646Bal 7-5  Bal 3, @TB 3__
Seattle90675Ana 5-1  @Ana 2, Oak 34

Oakland once again dismissed the Texas Rangers with relative ease. Jamie Moyer's great effort fell short of a shutout because a throwing error in the 9th allowed the only Angel run to score. Seattle's TV guys waxed poetic about Moyer's Cy Young candidacy, but even Buhner had to admit that Doc's 250+ innings look awfully good. Boston inched closer to the wildcard by beating the limp Orioles.

NL Central
TeamWinsLossesRemainingYesterdayScheduleElim
Houston84726SF 3-6  sf 2, mil 4__
Chicago84726idle  @cin 3, pit 3__
St. Louis81765idle  @mil 2, @arz 33

Houston held Barry Bonds to an 0 for 4 day (no walks!) but failed to convert their large edge in hits into more than a 3-2 lead. Frisco tied the game on 4 consecutive walks in the 7th. In the top of the 9th, minor closing diety Billy Wagner gave up back-to-back jacks and the Giants prevailed 6-3.

NL Wildcard
TeamWinsLossesRemainingYesterdayScheduleElim
Florida86706Atl 6-3  phi 3, nym 3__
Philadelphia85716idle  @fla 3, atl 36
Chicago84726idle  @cin 3, pit 34
Los Angeles82737SD 5-9  @sd 3, @sf 43
Arizona81756Mil 4-6  @col 3, stl 31

Much to Coach's chagrin, the south fish look ready to return to the playoffs. Kudos to Florida for putting two dead-ball slap hitters at the top of their lineup (Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo) - Pro Players is a great place to play little ball. The Dodgers were pummeled by San Diego: Trevor Hoffman pitched a mopup ninth, giving up a run on two hits while striking out the side. It looks like LA is toast.

AL Homefield
TeamWinsLossesRemainingYesterdayScheduleElim
NY Yankees97596CWS 3-6  @cws 2, bal 4__
Oakland94635Tex 7-3  tex 2, @sea 33

NL Homefield
TeamWinsLossesRemainingYesterdayScheduleElim
Atlanta97605Fla 3-6  mon 2, @phi 3__
San Francisco96597Hou 6-3  @hou 2, la 4__

Braves lose, Giants win, homefield is a virtual tie again. The Yankees lost ground to Oakland and their division clinching number remains 2.

AL Central
TeamWinsLossesRemainingYesterdayScheduleElim
Minnesota87696idle  cle 2, @det 4__
Chicago82746NYY 6-3  nyy 2, @kc 42
Kansas City82746Det 12-6  det 2, cws 42

My tea leaves have indicated that the coronation is scheduled for Wednesday. The question is ... how will Mr.Gleeman celebrate the occasion.

Today's Probable pitchers
PHIKevin Millwoodat FLADontrelle Willis7:05
SFJason SchmidtatHOUWade Miller8:05
CHIKerry WoodatCINS Randall7:10
STLWoody WilliamsatMILBen Sheets8:05
MONJavier VazquezatATLShane Reynolds7:35
LAWilson AlvarezatSDJake Peavy10:05
BALEric DuBoseatBOSTim Wakefield7:05
SEAFreddy GarciaatANAScot Shields10:05
TEXRyan DreseatOAKRich Harden10:05
NYYJose ContrerasatCWSMark Buehrle8:05
CLEJake WestbrookatMINKenny Rogers8:05

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