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Flyers Weekly, Volume XXV, Issue 27 - September 18, 1972

The Flyers clinched the pennant last week and are on a six-game winning streak, but not all the news is good (see Sunday's game). The club finishes its "victory lap" this week with two at Miami, two at Norfolk and three at Tampa.


Last Week's Results

Sept 11 - OFF

Sept 12 - at ATL - W 5-3

Clark Davidson goes 2 for 4 with a homer, a stolen base, two runs and two RBIs to lead the Flyers to victory at a wet Lexus Park. Bill Morgan (6 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 5 K) throws an outstanding game, and Mike Weber (2 R) hits a 452-foot bomb to straightaway center in the 8th, tying his career longest longball. Terry Bingham (1 IP, 3 K) enters the 9th with two in, one on, nobody out and the tying run at the plate but strikes out the side for his thirty-sixth save.

W - Morgan (13-4)
SV - Bingham (36)
HR - Davidson (5), Weber (19)

Sept 13 - at ATL - W 7-0

Bill Frazier (7 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K) may have secured a playoff start with a stellar performance to win his fourth straight start and clinch Carolina's second consecutive Eastern Division pennant. Westerman (2/3 IP, 1 BB), Elliot (1/3 IP) and Williams (1 IP, 1 H) complete the shutout on another wet night in Atlanta. Paul LaFontaine hits 4 of 5, scoring once and driving in two, while Mike Weber (2 for 5, R) adds a two-run triple in the 8th.

W - Frazier (11-4)
HR - Brown (3)

Sept 14 - OFF

Sept 15 - at JAX - W 9-5

John Hoyle (2 for 5, 2 R) hits a double and a tater, driving in four, and Dale Francis (3 for 5, R, 2 RBI) adds a pair of doubles as the Flyers win their fourth straight. Christopher Horan (7 IP, 4 R, 7 H, 1 BB, 4 K), in his first start this season, takes a shutout into the 6th before giving up back-to-back homers.

W - Horan (1-0)
HR - Hoyle (6)

Sept 16 - at JAX - W 11-6

Ron Ayres (2 for 5, 2 R) hits a grand slam for his second career homer, capping a six-run Carolina 7th as the Flyers "B-team" tops the Ospreys. Bruce Rafferty (1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 BB) blows a one-run lead in the 6th, stealing win #20 from the grasp of Justin Randolph (5 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 4 K) despite the latter hitting 2 for 2 with a two-run double in the 2nd. John Trull goes 2 for 5 with a double, two runs and two RBIs.

W - Rafferty (2-0)
HR - Ayres (1)

Sept 17 - at JAX - W 8-6

Davidson goes 2 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs, but the night's big news happens in the 3rd inning when Weber (2 for 2, 2 RBI), after homering in the 1st, hits a double but comes up lame and leaves the game. The diagnosis comes back as a season-ending torn back muscle. Meanwhile, Gerald Bonham (6 IP, 6 R, 8 H, 3 BB, 5 K) earns the first win of his career despite allowing three taters, while both Mike Schaaf (3 for 5, 3 2Bs, 2 R) and John Swanson (3 for 4, 2 2Bs, 2 RBI) collect three hits in the game.

W - Bonham (1-0)
SV - Bingham (37)
HR - Davidson (6), Weber (20)

After the game, Mike Weber is placed on the 60-day disabled list.

Last week: 5 - 0
This month: 12 - 3
Overall: 99 - 50, 1st, +21 on Tampa


Who's Hot

Paul LaFontaine
Last 5 games: 12-23 (.522), 1 HR, 4 RBI

John Swanson
Last 6 games: 6-12 (.500), 0 HR, 3 RBI

Clark Davidson
Last 5 games: 9-20 (.450), 3 HR, 9 RBI

Bill Morgan
Last 3 games: 3-0, 1.42 ERA, 19 IP

Bill Frazier
Last 3 games: 3-0, 1.71 ERA, 21 IP

Who's Not

Tom VanWinkle
Last 8 games: 3-22 (.136), 0 HR, 3 RBI

Ken Green
Last 3 games: 0-2, 6.52 ERA, 19 1/3 IP


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

We clinched the pennant, we're on a six game winning streak, and we've already broken last year's team record for wins... yet I'm depressed...

I'm trying to convince myself that losing the team's MVP for the rest of the year isn't so bad... After all, he only went 2 for 24 in last year's Confederate Series... It's not working, though...

Ron Ayres will be the new starting catcher... VanWinkle has not been hitting well since he was called up, and Ayres has the better arm...

I think five season-ending injuries are enough for one year, don't you? Let's hope so... see you next week!