Reds vs. Stars

The 1934 NNL champion Philadelphia Stars battled the 1975 MLB champion Cincinnati Reds in our next first round matchup. Though the Big Red Machine boasted a stronger offense, the Stars deployed an elite pitching staff led by their ace Slim Jones. The dominant southpaw displayed his excellence by striking out six straight Reds. But with one out in the bottom of the third, Cesar Geronimo broke that string of Ks with a solo homer to right.

Gary Nolan, Pedro Bourbon, and Clay Carroll kept the Philadelphia offense in check, preserving the 1-0 Cincinnati lead into the ninth. Though the Reds offense generated only two hits the entire game, that did not seem to be a problem as fireballing closer Rawley Eastwick came in to finish off the win for the Big Red Machine. But the Stars Hall-of-Fame catcher Biz Mackey singled to right with one out. After Jake Dunn grounded out, the light-hitting Pete Washington was due up next. Pitcher-manager Webster McDonald called on Phil Cockrell to pinch hit as his team's last hope. Though a pitcher, Cockrell was a good hitter who had batted over .300 on the year. Connecting on an Eastwick fastball over the outer edge of the plate, he drove the ball over the right field wall to give the Stars the lead. McDonald retired the Reds in order in the ninth to close out the stunning victory for the visitors. One out away from elimination, Philadelphia advances to the semifinals with a dramatic ninth-inning rally. Though his only appearance in this contest came in one pinch hit at-bat, the Player of the Game is Phil Cockrell.

Philadelphia Stars 2, Cincinnati Reds 1

Next up is the final first round game, the 1934 St. Louis Cardinals vs. the 1975 Boston Red Sox.