Days 151-160: Races tighten as Cobb, Cabrera, Bunning, and Newhouser chase huge milestones

Only 13 days remain in the season and the division races are getting close again.  Should be very exciting down the stretch this week!  Steve W.'s 2013 team is now tied with Mike's 1946 club in the ultra-competitive Navin Division, both with 92-58 records that are the best in the whole league.  Chuck's 1935 team lost a step and now has a 1.5 game lead over Tim's 1950 team in the Ilitch.  The Brigg is a three-way dance, with Mike's 2006 club currently just 1 game ahead of both PJ's 1909 team and Chuck's 1993 team.  The Fetzer is squarely in my 1961 team's grasp, now with a 6 game lead over Mike's 1915 and a magic number of 7.

Some individual performances are amazing.  1915 Ty Cobb has continued to pad his all-universe stolen base total with 157!!!!  1911 Ty Cobb checks in a .419, far ahead of 1961 Norm Cash at .385.  2012 Miguel Cabrera league-leading power numbers now stand at 58 HRs and 155 RBI's, extraordinary totals with 12 games left for him to play.  1961 Jim Bunning is up to 29 wins now, looking for #30 any day.  1968 Darryl Patterson leads in saves with 40, but 2006 Todd Jones is still in striking range with 36.  1946 Hal Newhouser leads all with 292 K's, and could surpass 300 in his next start.

The Players of the Block for this set are 1934 Tommy Bridges and 1915 Hooks Dauss!  Some good hitting by the likes of 1984 Darrell Evans and 1945 Eddie Mayo in particular, but these two pitchers had great weeks.   Bridges went 3-0, allowing only 4 earned runs and 18 hits over 26 innings.  Hooks went 2-0, with 18 scoreless innings!

Tommy Bridges went 194-139 in 16 years in

real life, all with the Tigers

Hooks Dauss is the Tiger's all-time

real-life leader in wins (and losses!).

He went 223-182 in his 15 year Tiger career.  

Day 151   2013 Justin Verlander shut out 1934 on just two hits and no walsk!   1003 Kirk Gibson hit two dingers to help John Doherty pick up his 8th win.  1924 Bob Fothergill drove in the game-winner with a walk-off single.  1944 Rudy York had 3 hits and 3 RBIs in a 10-3 romp over Walt Terrell and the 1987 team.  1946 pieced together 2 runs in the top of the 12th with hits from Eddie Lake, Roy Cullenbine, and Pat Mullin.  1968 Denny McLain struck out 13 and Norm Cash hit 2 HRs.  2006 Marcus Thames had 2 taters himself, #28 and #29 for the season.  

Day 152   1911 Ty Cobb tripled in the top of the 11th and was brought home with the game-winner by Sam Crawford.  1984 Jack Morris moved to 18-7 with a win over 1908.  1909 Ed Willett blanked 1968 in a 1-0 game.

Day 153   2962 Jim  Bunning continued his dominance, limiting 2011 to just 1 run and 5 hits in earning his 28th win against just 4 losses.  2012 Miguel Cabrera hits #54 and #55 in a 5-2 win over 1935.  1987 Frank Tanana threw a complete game and moved his record to 15-12.  2014 Max Scherzer scattered 7 hits in a shutout of 2006.  1984 Darrell Evans singled, doubled, and homered in a 12-11 victory over Al Benton and the 1945 squad.  1909 Ed Summers went all 10 innings to earn his 20th win of the season.  1968 Norm Cash hit a grand slam and Mickey Lolich moved his record to 14-9.  

Day 154   1973 Gates Brown had 3 hits in a close 6-5 win over 1924.  1950 beat 1908 in 15 innings!  1987 won their own 15 inning game, this one 4-3 against 1940.  1046 Fred Hutchinson won his 20th game of the season.  1945 won 6-1 over 1984, with the creatively named duo of Stubby Overmire and Skeeter Webb leading the way.  1968 Don Wert hit a grand slam and drove in 7 in a 19-4 shellacking of 1944. 1909 3B George Moriarty had 4 hits and the team rallied for 3 in the top of the 9th to  top the 1907 team 5-3.  

Day 155   2011 Victor Martinez delivered a walk-off homer. to beat Hank Aguirre and the 1961 team.  1950 Art Houtteman collected his 20th win in a tidy 5 hit, 1 run allowed effort.  1909 George Mullin threw a three-hit shutout at 1907.  Big night for Chester Lemon as Chet racked up 4 hits and 5 RBIs in a 7-4 win over 1945.  1934 scored 3 runs in the top of the 11th to edge 1911 6-4.  

Day 156   1934 Tommy Bridges blanked 1945 on just 3 hits.  1968 Jim Northrup had 2 triples in a 3-1 win over Rip Collins and the 1924 team.  1984 Jack Morris won his 19th game, this one over 2011 6-5.  1935 Schoolboy Rowe whitewashed 1907 on six hits.  1950 Vic Wertz homered and drove in 5.  1909 beat 2006 when Ty Cobb got aboard in the bottom of the 10th, stole second, and came home on a Donie Bush single.  

Day 157   2012 got a walk-off single from Delmon Young to finally defeat 2014 in 11 innings.  2011 Miguel Cabrera hit his 27th and 28th homers.  1940 Rudy York blasted his 24th and 25th of the seaon.  1935 Tommy Bridges blanked 1907 on just five hits.  1987 Alan Trammell had a monster game, with 4 hits and 6 RBIs in a 19-10 shootout against 1993.  1950 Vic Wertz is still hot, homering again and driving in 5 tonight against 1911 Ed Willett.  

Day 158   2014 Max Scherzer struck out 11 in a 5-4 win over 2013.  1973 Woodie Fryman gets his 10th win and Aurelio Rodriguez collected 3 hits and 3 runs.  1993 Alan Trammell cranked a walk-off homer to defeat 2006 9-8.  `1940 Johnny Gorsica shut out 1950.  2011 Will "Busta" Rhymes had 2 hits and 3 RBIs to help Max Scherzer win against 1915.  1961 Al Kaline had a walk-off single in the 11th to top 1909 8-7.  

Day 159    1908 catcher Boss Schmidt had 4 hits in a 5-3 win over 1934.  1973 Mickey Stanley hit homers #21 and 22.  1946 Hal Newhouser outdueled 1907 Wild Bill Donovan in a 2-1 game.  2006 Carlos Guillen's walk-off single off of 1993 Sean Bergman sealed a 6-5 win.  1945 Hal Newhouser shut out 1984 and struck out 11.  1944 Stubby Overmire got tagged with his 20th loss. 1961 Al Kaline homered twice and drove in 4 in a 6-2 win over George Mullin and the 1909 team.  

Day 160   1907 dropped their 9th in a row, 7-2 against 1946.  1973 used 4 hits from Dick McAuliffe to edge 2012 3-2.  1987 Jack Morris only allowed 4 hits while blanking 1924.  1984 Jack Morris notched his 20th win of the season while blanking 1945, only allowing 2 hits this time!  2013 Rick Porcello and Joaquin Benoit combined to shutout 2014.  1961 Charlie "Paw Paw" Maxwell doubled and homered in an 11-6 win over 1909.