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Flyers Weekly, Volume XXIV, Issue 17 - July 12, 1971

The Flyers stayed in lockstep with the Ospreys last week. With four wins followed by three losses, the team remains one game back going into the All-Star break. Play will resume Thursday with a four game set at Nashville.


Last Week's Results

July 5 - vs NSH - W 11-5

Mike Sutton's (2 for 4, 2B, HR, 2 R) 455-foot moon shot to left scores two, capping a nine-run Flyers 2nd for a rout of the Hounds on Baseball Cap Day. Valentine Stephens also hits a three-run double in the inning, helping to give Bill Morgan (6 1/3 IP, 5 R, 7 H, 1 BB, 7 K) a gift win.

W - Morgan (9-3)
HR - Sutton (3)

After the game, the team announces that C Jack Lowe [5/6/5] (.269, 10 HR, 27 RBI in AAA) has been claimed via waivers from San Antonio. 3B Darrel Robinson is sent back to Winston-Salem to open a roster spot for Lowe.

July 6 - vs NSH - W 7-3

Steven Robinson (3 for 4, 2 R, 2 RBI, CS) and Jeff Harvey (3 for 3, 2 RBI) both drive in runs as part of a four-run Flyers 5th, breaking a three-all tie and earning Bud Fox (7 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 K) his second victory in a row despite allowing three solo shots.

W - Fox (2-1)

July 7 - vs NSH - W 1-0 (15)

It takes the Flyers five hours, six minutes and fifteen innings to complete the sweep of the Hounds. Nashville's first-baseman -turned- emergency-pitcher Dan Arnold walks Russ Roderick and Steven Robinson (4 for 6) to begin the 15th, then Mike Weber drives the first strike he sees to right for a base hit, scoring Roderick from second to finally end the game. A stellar performance by Keith Becker (8 2/3 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K) is followed by equally impressive outings by Hodgkins (2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 4 K), Bingham (2 IP, 1 H, 1 K), Thorn (1/3 IP, 2 BB, 1 K) and Randolph (1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K) to keep the shutout alive. Newly acquired Jack Lowe goes 2 for 4 for his second straight game.

W - Randolph (8-2)

July 8 - vs NWO - W 5-4

Dave Powell's (2 for 3, 2 R) two-run homer in the 8th turns out to be crucial as Robin Houston (0 IP, 2 R, 2 H) puts the tying run on deck and Kevin Hodgkins (2/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, WP) moves the tying run to first before Terry Bingham (1/3 IP, 1 K) rings up Pelicans 2B Ralph Miller for his third save of the year. The bullpen antics in the 9th nearly ruin a fine start by Matt Halstead (6 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K).

W - Randolph (9-2)
SV - Bingham (3)
HR - Powell (4)

After the game, Steve Brown is sent down to Winston-Salem, and Darrel Robinson is recalled to Carolina once again. Brown hit just 3 of 26 (.115) with nine strikeouts in two weeks with the club.

July 9 - vs NWO - L 1-7

Only a no-hitter could snap the Flyers' six-game winning streak, and that's exactly what the Pelicans get, Jim Wright's (W, 6-4, 9 IP, 1 R, 0 H, 5 BB, 5 K) third career no-no. Wright takes a perfect game into the 7th before three straight walks and a sacrifice fly break the shutout. Bill Frazier (4 2/3 IP, 6 R, 5 ER, 12 H, 2 BB, 1 K) is hit hard, especially by New Orleans 2B Ralph Miller, who goes 5 for 5 with a double, a triple, two runs and two RBIs.

L - Frazier (0-2)

Frazier, 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA and WHIP of 1.98 in his three starts, is returned to Winston-Salem following the game. The team recalls 2B Clark Davidson [5/5/5] (.300, 12 HR, 47 RBI, 65 R, 55 BB, 13 2Bs in AAA) for his first big-league action this season.

July 10 - vs NWO - L 1-3

Each team has just one hit in the first eight innings, Carolina's being a solo shot by Darrel Robinson in the 8th, but Bill Morgan's (7 IP, 1 H, 4 BB, 9 K) gem is spoiled by Hodgkins' (1/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K) eighth blown save. George Thorn (2/3 IP, 1 H) cannot hold back the Pelicans, entering a tie game with the bases full and just one out, while Powell and Harvey both strike out with the tying runs on second and third in the 9th. Walt Finney leaves after a tough catch in the 2nd; he is listed as day-to-day with a bruised hand.

L - Hodgkins (3-5)
HR - D. Robinson (5)

July 11 - vs NWO - L 3-4

The club goes into the All-Star break on a sour note, as the Pelicans' four runs in the top of the 3rd off Bud Fox (4 IP, 4 H, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 K) beats the Flyers' three runs in the bottom half of the inning, started by Weber's two-run homer. Again the game ends on a strikeout with the tying run in scoring position, with Matt Kirk whiffing after pinch runner Clark Davidson stole second with two outs.

L - Fox (2-2)
HR - Weber (10)

Last week: 4 - 3
This month: 7 - 4
Overall: 51 - 38, 2nd, -1 of Jacksonville


Who's Hot

Steven Robinson
Last 5 games: 9-17 (.529), 0 HR, 2 RBI

Who's Not

Russ Roderick
Last 5 games: 1-17 (.059), 0 HR, 0 RBI

Matt Kirk
Last 5 games: 1-13 (.077), 0 HR, 0 RBI

Lloyd Mitchell
Last 6 games: 1-12 (.083), 0 HR, 0 RBI

Darrel Robinson
Last 8 games: 2-15 (.133), 1 HR, 2 RBI

Mike Weber
Last 5 games: 2-14 (.143), 1 HR, 3 RBI


A Closer Look - AAA Winston-Salem

At 65-24, Winston-Salem is nineteen games clear of the other Eastern Division AAA teams. All three outfielders are seeing the ball well: RF/CF Rudy Olson (age 22, .311, 6 HR, 41 RBI, 43 R, 14 2Bs, 11 SB), LF John Tidwell (age 24, .309, 1 HR, 29 RBI, 40 R, 41 BB, 12 2Bs) and RF Rick Roberts (age 28, .267, 7 HR, 28 RBI, 39 R, 58 BB). LF Frank Thomas (age 32, .224 in 58 AB, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 18 BB) has been working on his eye and his power stroke as a DH since his demotion a couple weeks ago. Bill McCue (age 27, 14-3, 2.70, WHIP 1.19) is angling for a callup as the #5 starter, now that Bill Frazier (age 24, 11-2, 3.41, WHIP 1.30) has returned, while leftie Christopher Horan (age 20, 4-3 in 8 GS, 4.45, WHIP 1.29) has looked good, considering he was just drafted six weeks ago.


The View From The Top (The Manager's Column)

Well, we nearly had the winning streak we needed to take over the division lead, but then two things happened. First, Jacksonville also went on a run at the same time, and second, we only had one hit between two games on Friday and Saturday. That makes for a lot of cold hitters.

I think we were very fortunate to get Jack Lowe off waivers. Gary Armitage is fine as a backup, but you wouldn't want to play him every day. Lowe, however, can be the regular catcher, which lets us move Weber to first while Wayman is out, keeping Weber in the lineup more often than he would be if he were behind the plate.

Not needing a fifth starter for a couple weeks (and knowing it wouldn't be Bill Frazier), I decided to put an extra bat on the bench. Clark Davidson will probably be starting at second next year, since Russ Roderick is a free agent, so keep an eye on him.

Time to start working the phones to see who's looking to deal... enjoy the All-Star Game!