Sens take 2 of 3 from Tribe as only 1,500 fans show.

9/20/71 - RFK Stadium - WAS 4, CLE 3
Both teams entered this contest with one goal in mind: avoid 100 losses. For the first 6 innings we were treated to something that resembled a pitcher's duel. The reason I say that is that I'm not quite sure it wasn't an inept hitting duel instead. Cleveland scored 2 in the top of the 7th and looked to have broken it open, if one can call a 3-1 lead that. Washington surprisingly posted 2 in the bottom half of the inning to take starter Denny McLain off the hook. Phil Hennigan came on for Cleveland in relief of Alan Foster. Hennigan allowed a run in the 8th and Horacio Pina (5-2, 3.02) was the beneficiary with the win. Washington's run in the 8th came on 2 walks, a wild pitch and a single by pinch hitter Larry Biittner.

9/21/71 - RFK Stadium - WAS 6, CLE 4
Rich Hand was dominating the feeble Senator batters for 5 innings of shutout ball when the wheels started to fall off. Defending a 4 run lead that Dick Bosman spotted the Tribe Hand yielded a huge 3 run shot (406 feet) to the Capital Punisher, Frank Howard. Knowing that the Nats and Howard's days in our nation's capital are dwindling down to a presious few, the sparse crowd gave the big man a standing ovation that lasted 5 minutes. Once the game resumed the crowd just expected their soon to be gone Nats to go easy into the night. Steve Hargan (4-8, 5.08) came on in relief of hand and attempted to close the door. Pinch hitter Tommy McCraw fanned on 4 pitches, but Del Unser lined a clean single to center. Dave Nelson walked and up stepped veteran Don Mincher. With Frank Howard looming on deck Hargan had no choice but to pitch to Mincher, who lined his first offering into the right field bullpen to make it 6-4. Mincher was 2-2 with 2 walks on the day with a homer and 3 RBI's. Paul Linblad came on in the 9th to get his 15th save of the season.

9/22/71 - RFK Stadium - CLE 1, WAS 0 (10 inn)
Vince Colbert and Bill Gogolewski both posted goose eggs in regulation. Cleveland scored the lone run of the game on a booted ground ball by Toby Harrah with 2 out. Fred "Chicken" Stanley's routine grounder went through Harrah's wickets and on into left center field. Washington threatened in the bottom of the inning but Larry Biittner inexplicably decided to go from 1st to third and was thrown out by Ted Uhlaender to end the game. Colbert (12-3, 4.51) tossed a 10 inning shutout in front of 1,458 fans and about 53,000 empty seats. Washington will head up to Boston for 3 and then return for their final 3 games in D.C. vs the Bronx Bombers. Owner Bob Short officially announced that the franchise will be transferred to Dallas Texas next season.