September 16, 1997 Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs Box Score and Play by Play

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MIN 9
@ANA 3 CLE 4
@BAL 2 BAL 7
CLE 2 NYY 2
BOS 0 NYY 4
BOS 3 TEX 4
KCR 2 ATL 6
SFG 4 CHC 5
CIN 0 FLA 9
COL 6 HOU 15
SDP 3 PHI 3
NYM 2 PIT 8
MON 2 LAD 7
@STL 6

Standings at end of play this day

Wrigley Field, Attendance: 22,190

Tuesday, September 16, 1997, 7:05
Time of Game: 1:57

Reds

69-81

Lost 1

3rd, 7 GB

                1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9    R  H  E
                -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -    -  -  -
Reds            0  0  0   0  0  0   0  0  0    0  1  1
Cubs            0  0  0   0  0  2   0  3  X    5  8  0

W: K Tapani (7-3), L: K Mercker (8-11)

Cubs

64-87

Won 1

5th, 12½ GB

BATTING

Cincinnati Reds              AB   R   H RBI   BB  SO    BA   OPS  Pit   PO   A  Details
P Reese SS                    3   0   0   0    0   2  .222  .578   11    1   3   
  D Jackson PH                1   0   0   0    0   0  .125  .364    2    0   0   
J Nunnally CF                 3   0   0   0    0   1  .299  .900    8    3   0   
  P Watkins PH                1   0   0   0    0   0  .333 1.000    1    0   0   
C Stynes LF                   3   0   0   0    0   0  .347  .884    5    4   0   
  A Boone PH                  1   0   0   0    0   0  .095  .190    4    0   0   
E Perez 1B                    3   0   0   0    0   0  .261  .822    9    8   0   
W Greene 3B                   3   0   0   0    0   0  .249  .809   11    0   3   
R Sanders RF                  2   0   0   0    1   0  .255  .887    8    2   0   
J Oliver C                    3   0   0   0    0   0  .260  .739    8    3   1   
B Boone 2B                    2   0   1   0    1   0  .219  .621   16    3   0   
K Mercker P                   2   0   0   0    0   1  .140  .422    5    0   1   
  S Sullivan P                0   0   0   0    0   0  .000  .000         0   0   
  E Taubensee PH              1   0   0   0    0   1  .261  .775    5    0   0   
  D Graves P                  0   0   0   0    0   0  .000  .000         0   0   
  F Rodriguez P               0   0   0   0    0   0  .000  .000         0   0   
Totals                       28   0   1   0    2   5               93   24   8

BATTING

TB: B Boone.

Team LOB: 3.

With RISP: 0 for 1.

FIELDING

PB: J Oliver (4).

E: D Graves (1).

Chicago Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI   BB  SO    BA   OPS  Pit   PO   A  Details
D Glanville CF                4   1   1   0    0   0  .304  .735    8    4   0   
T Lowery LF                   3   1   1   0    1   0  .286  .661   14    2   0   SB
M Grace 1B                    4   1   1   0    0   0  .324  .882   17   14   0   
S Sosa RF                     2   2   2   2    2   0  .257  .799   16    0   0   HR,CS,IW
R Sandberg 2B                 4   0   1   3    0   1  .273  .727   12    1   4   2B
K Orie 3B                     4   0   0   0    0   1  .275  .785   13    0   2   
S Servais C                   4   0   0   0    0   0  .260  .674   16    5   0   
M Alexander SS                3   0   1   0    0   0  .253  .675   11    1   6   
K Tapani P                    2   0   1   0    0   1  .176  .398   12    0   0   SH
Totals                       30   5   8   5    3   3              119   27  12

BATTING

2B: R Sandberg (25, off F Rodriguez).

HR: S Sosa (34, off K Mercker; 6th inn, 1 on, 1 out).

SH: K Tapani (3, off K Mercker).

IBB: S Sosa (9, by F Rodriguez).

TB: S Sosa 5; R Sandberg 2; D Glanville; T Lowery; M Grace; M Alexander; K Tapani.

RBI: R Sandberg 3 (62); S Sosa 2 (115).

Team LOB: 5.

With RISP: 2 for 8.

BASERUNNING

SB: T Lowery (1, 2nd base off F Rodriguez/J Oliver).

CS: S Sosa (10, 2nd base by K Mercker/J Oliver).

PITCHING

Cincinnati Reds               IP     H   R  ER   BB  SO  HR    ERA   BF  Pit-Str  Ct·Sw·Lk   GB·FB·LD· ?   GmSc  IR-IS   LevI    WPA
K Mercker, L (8-11)            6     5   2   2    2   2   1   3.80   24   85-49   31· 5·12    8· 8· 4· 0     54    -     1.06   0.05
S Sullivan                     1     0   0   0    0   1   0   3.44    3    8-7     3· 0· 4    0· 2· 0· 0          0-0    0.35   0.03
D Graves                       0     2   2   2    0   0   0   5.40    2    7-4     2· 1· 1    0· 0· 2· 0          0-0    0.33  -0.03
F Rodriguez                    1     1   1   1    1   0   0   4.50    5   15-7     5· 0· 2    2· 2· 0· 0          2-2    0.26  -0.02
Totals                         8     8   5   5    3   3   1          34  115-67   41· 6·19   10·12· 6· 0          2-2

Chicago Cubs                  IP     H   R  ER   BB  SO  HR    ERA   BF  Pit-Str  Ct·Sw·Lk   GB·FB·LD· ?   GmSc  IR-IS   LevI    WPA
K Tapani, W (7-3)              9     1   0   0    2   5   0   3.73   30   93-57   35· 9·13   13· 6· 4· 0     88    -     0.88   0.52
Totals                         9     1   0   0    2   5   0          30   93-57   35· 9·13   13· 6· 4· 0           -

D Graves faced 2 batters in the 8th inning.

Balks: None.

WP: None.

IBB: F Rodriguez (2; S Sosa).

HBP: None.

OTHER

Umpires: HP - Frank Pulli, 1B - Greg Bonin, 2B - Eric Gregg, 3B - Rich Rieker.

Time of Game: 1:57.

Attendance: 22,190.

Field Condition: Dry.

Weather: 76° F, Wind 17mph out to Leftfield, Night, No Precipitation.

LINEUPS

   Cincinnati Reds               Chicago Cubs                         
1. P Reese              SS    1. D Glanville          CF 
2. J Nunnally           CF    2. T Lowery             LF 
3. C Stynes             LF    3. M Grace              1B 
4. E Perez              1B    4. S Sosa               RF 
5. W Greene             3B    5. R Sandberg           2B 
6. R Sanders            RF    6. K Orie               3B 
7. J Oliver             C     7. S Servais            C  
8. B Boone              2B    8. M Alexander          SS 
9. K Mercker            P     9. K Tapani             P

TOP 5 PLAYS (wpa explanation)

   Inn Out Score RoB  Pt wWPA  wWE  Batter          Pitcher         Play Detail
  +---+---+-----+---+---+----+----++---------------+---------------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
   b 6   1  0-0  1--  4   25%  83% S Sosa          K Mercker       Home Run (Fly Ball); Grace Scores; Sosa Scores
   b 4   0  0-0  1--  1   -7%  53% R Sandberg      K Mercker       Sosa Caught Stealing 2B (C-2B)
   t 6   2  0-0  -2-  6    5%  58% J Nunnally      K Tapani        Strikeout Swinging
   t 6   0  0-0  ---  4   -5%  45% B Boone         K Tapani        Single to LF (Line Drive to Deep SS-3B Hole)
   t 6   0  0-0  1--  4    5%  50% K Mercker       K Tapani        Strikeout (foul bunt)

PLAY BY PLAY (explanation)

Top of the 1st, Reds Batting, Tied 0-0, Kevin Tapani facing 1-2-3
  Scr/Out RoB  Pt  wWE  Batter          Play Detail
  +------+---+---+----++---------------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
   O      ---  3   52%  P Reese         Strikeout Looking
   O      ---  1   54%  J Nunnally      Flyball: LF (Short LF)
   O      ---  3   55%  C Stynes        Flyball: CF
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Bottom of the 1st, Cubs Batting, Tied 0-0, Kent Mercker facing 1-2-3
   O      ---  2   53%  D Glanville     Flyball: RF (Deep RF Line)
   O      ---  2   51%  T Lowery        Groundout: SS-1B
   O      ---  7   50%  M Grace         Flyball: LF
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Top of the 2nd, Reds Batting, Tied 0-0, Kevin Tapani facing 4-5-6
   O      ---  1   52%  E Perez         Flyball: CF
   O      ---  4   54%  W Greene        Groundout: 2B-1B (Deep 2B-1B)
          ---  6   53%  R Sanders       Walk
   O      1--  2   55%  J Oliver        Lineout: LF
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Bottom of the 2nd, Cubs Batting, Tied 0-0, Kent Mercker facing 4-5-6
          ---  2   59%  S Sosa          Single to CF (Line Drive)
   O      1--  4   55%  R Sandberg      Flyball: LF (Deep LF-CF)
   O      1--  1   53%  K Orie          Groundout: SS-1B (SS-2B); Sosa to 2B
   O      -2-  4   50%  S Servais       Foul Popfly: 1B (1B-C Foul)
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Top of the 3rd, Reds Batting, Tied 0-0, Kevin Tapani facing 8-9-1
   O      ---  5   53%  B Boone         Groundout: 2B-1B
   O      ---  1   54%  K Mercker       Groundout: SS-1B
   O      ---  6   56%  P Reese         Strikeout Swinging
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Bottom of the 3rd, Cubs Batting, Tied 0-0, Kent Mercker facing 8-9-1
   O      ---  4   53%  M Alexander     Groundout: 3B-1B
          ---  6   56%  K Tapani        Single to 2B (Ground Ball to SS-2B)
   O      1--  3   53%  D Glanville     Groundout: SS unassisted/Forceout at 2B (SS-2B); Glanville to 1B
          1--  5   55%  T Lowery        Walk; Glanville to 2B
   O      12-  2   50%  M Grace         Lineout: CF
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Top of the 4th, Reds Batting, Tied 0-0, Kevin Tapani facing 2-3-4
   O      ---  1   53%  J Nunnally      Groundout: 1B unassisted
   O      ---  1   55%  C Stynes        Groundout: SS-1B
   O      ---  5   56%  E Perez         Groundout: 3B-1B (Weak 3B)
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Bottom of the 4th, Cubs Batting, Tied 0-0, Kent Mercker facing 4-5-6
          ---  6   60%  S Sosa          Walk
   O      1--      53%  R Sandberg      Sosa Caught Stealing 2B (C-2B)
   O      ---  4   51%  " "             Strikeout Swinging
   O      ---  7   50%  K Orie          Popfly: 1B
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Top of the 5th, Reds Batting, Tied 0-0, Kevin Tapani facing 5-6-7
   O      ---  3   53%  W Greene        Flyball: CF
   O      ---  1   55%  R Sanders       Groundout: SS-1B (SS-2B)
   O      ---  3   57%  J Oliver        Groundout: SS-1B
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Bottom of the 5th, Cubs Batting, Tied 0-0, Kent Mercker facing 7-8-9
   O      ---  6   54%  S Servais       Groundout: SS-1B (SS-3B Hole)
          ---  3   57%  M Alexander     Single to RF (Line Drive to Deep 2B)
   O      1--  3   55%  K Tapani        Bunt Groundout: P-2B/Sacrifice (P's Left); Alexander to 2B
   O      -2-  1   50%  D Glanville     Groundout: 3B-1B
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Top of the 6th, Reds Batting, Tied 0-0, Kevin Tapani facing 8-9-1
          ---  4   45%  B Boone         Single to LF (Line Drive to Deep SS-3B Hole)
   O      1--  4   50%  K Mercker       Strikeout (foul bunt)
   O      1--  2   52%  P Reese         Groundout: 3B-1B; Boone to 2B
   O      -2-  6   58%  J Nunnally      Strikeout Swinging
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 0.

Bottom of the 6th, Cubs Batting, Tied 0-0, Kent Mercker facing 2-3-4
   O      ---  1   54%  T Lowery        Flyball: LF (Deep LF Line)
          ---  3   58%  M Grace         Single to RF (Line Drive to 2B-1B)
   RR     1--  4   83%  S Sosa          Home Run (Fly Ball); Grace Scores; Sosa Scores
   O      ---  1   82%  R Sandberg      Flyball: CF
   O      ---  4   81%  K Orie          Strikeout Looking
                  2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 2.

Top of the 7th, Reds Batting, Behind 0-2, Kevin Tapani facing 3-4-5
   O      ---  1   85%  C Stynes        Lineout: 2B (SS-2B)
   O      ---  3   87%  E Perez         Groundout: SS-1B (SS-3B Hole)
   O      ---  4   89%  W Greene        Groundout: 2B-1B (Deep 2B-1B)
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 2.

Bottom of the 7th, Cubs Batting, Ahead 2-0, Scott Sullivan facing 7-8-9
                  Scott Sullivan replaces Kent Mercker pitching and batting 9th
   O      ---  1   87%  S Servais       Flyball: CF (Deep LF-CF)
   O      ---  4   87%  M Alexander     Popfly: 2B (Deep 2B-1B)
   O      ---  3   86%  K Tapani        Strikeout Looking
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 2.

Top of the 8th, Reds Batting, Behind 0-2, Kevin Tapani facing 6-7-8
   O      ---  1   90%  R Sanders       Flyball: CF (Deep CF-RF)
   O      ---  3   92%  J Oliver        Lineout: SS (Deep SS-3B Hole)
          ---  7   90%  B Boone         Walk
                  Eddie Taubensee pinch hits for Scott Sullivan batting 9th
   O      1--  5   94%  E Taubensee     Strikeout Swinging
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 2.

Bottom of the 8th, Cubs Batting, Ahead 2-0, Danny Graves facing 1-2-3
                  Danny Graves replaces Eddie Taubensee pitching and batting 9th
          ---  2   95%  D Glanville     Single to RF (Line Drive to 2B-1B)
          1--      96%  T Lowery        Baserunner Advance; Glanville to 2B/Adv on E1
          -2-  5   97%  " "             Single to CF (Line Drive); Glanville to 3B
                  Felix Rodriguez replaces Danny Graves pitching and batting 9th
          1-3      97%  M Grace         Lowery Steals 2B
   O      -23  4   96%  " "             Flyball: LF (Short LF)
          -23  4   96%  S Sosa          Intentional Walk
   RRR    123  2  100%  R Sandberg      Double to LF (Ground Ball); Glanville Scores; Lowery Scores; Sosa Scores
   O      -2-  1   99%  K Orie          Groundout: 3B-1B (SS-3B Hole)
          -2-      99%  S Servais       Passed Ball; Sandberg to 3B
   O      --3  4   99%  " "             Flyball: RF
                  3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 5.

Top of the 9th, Reds Batting, Behind 0-5, Kevin Tapani facing 1-2-3
                  Damian Jackson pinch hits for Pokey Reese batting 1st
   O      ---  2  100%  D Jackson       Popfly: 1B (P's Left)
                  Pat Watkins pinch hits for Jon Nunnally batting 2nd
   O      ---  1  100%  P Watkins       Groundout: 2B-1B (SS-2B)
                  Aaron Boone pinch hits for Chris Stynes batting 3rd
   O      ---  4  100%  A Boone         Groundout: SS-1B
        0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Cubs 5.

Retrosheet.org Boxscore:CHN199709160

Play-by-Play Explanation

Scr/Out- This has a "O" for every out on the play and an "R" for every run that scored on the play. Some plays will have both in no particular order.
RoB- This gives the baserunner (Runners on Base) configuration at the start of the play. "1-3" would mean runners on first and third. Clicking on this will show the defensive players and baserunners on the field for this play. This is a subscriber feature, so non-subscribers are limited as to the number of times they can use this feature in a day.
Pt- When available, the number of pitches in this plate appearance. Clicking on this number will show the sequence of pitches thrown including, when available, things like runner going, ball blocked, attempted pickoffs and the like. We believe this data to be as accurate as humanly possible, but there are going to be some errors in the data, so please take it with a grain of salt. Clicking on this will show the defensive players and baserunners on the field for this play. This is a subscriber feature, so non-subscribers are limited as to the number of times they can use this feature in a day.
Batter- The batter at the plate when this play occurred. If the play is a baserunning event, then the batter's name will be repeated as indicated by quotes.
Play Detail- This is an explanation of the play that occurred. In some cases, batted ball location and type will be indicated within parentheses. Again, these are best efforts to the record the game as it happened. Also, plays made on the baserunners (including the batter as a baserunner) will be indicated in parentheses after the baserunner's name. Advancement of baserunners is given in cases where the advancement is not easily deduced or obvious from the play. For example, advancement for a walk will not be given, but for a single or double it will be given.

Please report any issues or strangeness you see with the description of plays given above. We have tested several hundred different types of plays, but, in all likelihood, there are still some errors or misinterpretations of the play-by-play data.

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at 20 Sunset Rd., Newark, DE 19711.

In some cases, the results from play-by-play data will contradict results in the official record. The official record has many, many errors, but we have not undertaken to reconcile those errors. Pitch-by-pitch data should not be taken as completely accurate, though we believe it to be as accurate as is currently possible.


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BATTING

PITCHING

OTHER

LINEUPS

TOP 5 PLAYS (wpa explanation)

PLAY BY PLAY (explanation)

Play-by-Play Explanation