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August 1, 1951
Break up the Clippers! Norfolk goes 20-6 in July to take a nine-game lead of the Eastern Division. The defending champs have won eight of their last nine, including a three-game sweep of second-place Atlanta last week. CF Scott Heyer (.323, 19 HR, 69 RBI, 72 BB, 31 SB) again leads the top offense in the league.
Carolina's Tom "Juice" Birt (6-3, 3.93) cannot catch a break; he is out for the season with a torn bicep on July 4 after going down on opening day last year with the same injury.
In the West, a three-horse race is developing as New Orleans surges to within three games of San Antonio with Dallas just one game out of the top spot. The Pelicans rent SP Lawrence Gladden (6-12, 4.57) for a couple weeks to turn SP Roland Woods (to Carolina July 16, 9-4, 2.90) into CL Jeffrey May (from Nashville July 30, 3-4, 4 SV, 3.28). In other transactions news...
Memphis gets 37-year-old $8.3 million 2B John Foster (.247, 6 HR, 28 RBI) from Jacksonville for prospect SP Charlie Munford (2-9, 3.97 in AA Augusta) on July 30.
New Orleans adds Pitcher of the Month Paul Jones (12-5, 2.74) and cash for Bill Wetzel (9-2, 1.98), who's now on his fifth team in the last three years.
1B Brian Gray (.358, 18 HR, 60 RBI, 33 2Bs) will remain a Miami Meteor for the next seven years at $11 million a season. Other extensions around the league include:
Dallas SS Jerry Carroll (.263, 17 HR, 56 RBI) gets $7.5 million for three years.
Jacksonville 2B Richard Safford (.277, 7 HR, 49 RBI) gets $7.4 million for three years.
Tampa SP Dave Haskell (9-9, 3.81, OAVG .210) gets $8.5 million for three years.
Tampa CF Nick Bacon (.302, 7 HR, 45 RBI) gets $7.9 million for three years.
Western Division Batter of the Month:
1B Kevin "Pluto" Pierce (MEM) - Hit .429 with 3 HR and 12 RBI
Western Division Pitcher of the Month:
Paul Jones (NWO) - Went 4-0 with a 1.33 ERA for Nashville
Eastern Division Batter of the Month:
1B Brian Gray (MIA) - Hit .455 with 5 HR and 20 RBI
Eastern Division Pitcher of the Month:
John Williford (ATL) - Went 3-1 with a 0.66 ERA
Western Division Standings
San Antonio... 59 - 47 .557 -
Dallas........ 58 - 48 .547 1
New Orleans... 56 - 50 .528 3
Memphis....... 51 - 54 .486 7.5
Houston....... 46 - 60 .434 13
Nashville..... 46 - 60 .434 13
Eastern Division Standings
Norfolk....... 66 - 41 .617 -
Atlanta....... 57 - 50 .533 9
Miami......... 53 - 54 .495 13
Carolina...... 50 - 57 .467 16
Jacksonville.. 49 - 57 .462 16.5
Tampa......... 47 - 60 .439 19
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