Game 1 at San Diego: St. Louis -1, San Diego-0, 10 innings Ray Washburn and Mark Thurmond took the mound to start the four game series between the ’63 Cardinals and ’85 Padres. Thurmond set the tone of the game right away by striking out Curt Flood to start the game, and retired the Cardinals in order. Washburn faced only three Padre batters in the first as well, but surrendered a walk to Tim Flannery, but he was erased in a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Steve Garvey. The two pitchers battled through 7 innings of scoreless ball, rarely facing trouble. Craig Lefferts came on for San Diego in the 8th and retired the Redbirds in order. Manager Bike Mike allowed Washburn to hit for himself in that 8th inning. In the bottom half, Washburn quickly retired the first two hitters before Garvey lined a single. Graig Nettles then hit a sharp two-hopper that handcuffed Julian Javier, who was given an error on the play, Garvey stopping at second. On came Bobby Shantz. Carmelo Martinez greeted Shantz with a sharp single to center. Curt Flood charged the ball as Garvey lumbered around third. Flood uncorked a perfect one hop throw home to Gene Oliver, who blocked the plate and tagged out Popeye. On to the ninth, still scoreless. Lefferts allowed a single to Javier, but no further damage. Shantz surrendered a single and wild pitch in the bottom half, but kept the Padres at bay. The Cardinals finally broke through in the 10th off of Tim Stoddard. George Altman stroked a one out single to right, and Gene Oliver doubled him to third. Tim McCarver replaced Oliver on second base, the hope that his better speed might net an insurance run. Shantz was due up, so manager Roberts went to the bench for veteran Stan Musial, mired in an early season slump. Stan was hitless, and did not get his first hit this time either, but got enough of the bat on the ball to loft a fly to medium deep center. Altman tagged and scored. That was the lone run of the inning, and the game. Ron Taylor came on for St. Louis and gave up a hit, but retired the Friars without further incident and the Cardinals had their second win of the season against three defeats. The Padres dropped to 1-4. Game 2 at San Diego: St. Louis -4, San Diego-2, 16 innings The Cardinals and Padres again
went extra innings in game two, a four hour thirty-nine minute marathon that wasn’t decided until the 16th inning. This was the fourth overtime game for the Cardinals, out of six games played. Ernie Broglio and Eric Show toed the slab for the two clubs. The game was scoreless after three, when the Cardinals put together a two run rally in the fourth. Curt Flood walked to lead off the frame, followed by a perfectly executed hit and run by bat magician Dick Groat. Bill White kept it going, singling home Flood and sending Groat to third. Kenny Boyer then launched a deep fly to center fielder Kevin McReynolds that plated Groat. The snake bit Musial then lined a shot right at Garvey, who snagged it and tagged White to complete and unassisted double play. The Padres got solo home runs in the fourth and fifth innings, Terry Kennedy and Steve Garvey taking Broglio deep, to bring the score even at two. And there is stayed through 15 innings of baseball. A weary Tim Stoddard took the hill as San Diego’s sixth pitcher in the top of the 16th. Stoddard didn’t have it, giving up two runs on three hits. Veteran Lew Burdette came on for the Cardinals in the bottom of the 16th, and gave up one out singles to Jerry Royster and Carmelo Martinez. Could the Padres pull off the comeback? Not this time. Burdette bore down and retired McReynolds and Kennedy on ground outs to end the game.
went extra innings in game two, a four hour thirty-nine minute marathon that wasn’t decided until the 16th inning. This was the fourth overtime game for the Cardinals, out of six games played. Ernie Broglio and Eric Show toed the slab for the two clubs. The game was scoreless after three, when the Cardinals put together a two run rally in the fourth. Curt Flood walked to lead off the frame, followed by a perfectly executed hit and run by bat magician Dick Groat. Bill White kept it going, singling home Flood and sending Groat to third. Kenny Boyer then launched a deep fly to center fielder Kevin McReynolds that plated Groat. The snake bit Musial then lined a shot right at Garvey, who snagged it and tagged White to complete and unassisted double play. The Padres got solo home runs in the fourth and fifth innings, Terry Kennedy and Steve Garvey taking Broglio deep, to bring the score even at two. And there is stayed through 15 innings of baseball. A weary Tim Stoddard took the hill as San Diego’s sixth pitcher in the top of the 16th. Stoddard didn’t have it, giving up two runs on three hits. Veteran Lew Burdette came on for the Cardinals in the bottom of the 16th, and gave up one out singles to Jerry Royster and Carmelo Martinez. Could the Padres pull off the comeback? Not this time. Burdette bore down and retired McReynolds and Kennedy on ground outs to end the game. 
Game 3 at St. Louis: San Diego-4, St. Louis-6 Young flame thrower Bob Gibson took the hill in front of the home town fans for game 3, facing Padre right-hander Andy Hawkins. The Padres looked like they were on their way to their first win of the series, jumping on Gibson for a run in the fifth and three more in the sixth, Gibson’s control getting him into trouble. The Cardinals stuck back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two on a Curt Flood double, and singles by Groat, White (scoring Flood), Boyer (scoring Groat) and McCarver. Up stepped the struggling Musial with the bases juiced. But alas, Stan’s slump continued as he fouled out to catcher Terry Kennedy. George Altman grounded out, ending the inning. Ray Sadecki took over for Gibson, and blanked the Pads in the seventh. The Cardinals then jumped on Hawkins in the seventh, with four singles, a double, and a walk, all good for four runs and a 6-4 lead. Sadecki retired the visitors in order in the 8th and 9th innings to nail down the victory. Game 4 at St. Louis: San Diego-4, St. Louis-5 Gene Oliver
put a crimp in the Padres hope of salvaging a win in this series, but unloading a second inning grand slam home run off of Dave Dravecky to jump start the Cardinals to 4-0 lead. Curt Simmons, roughed up by the ’85 Mets in his first start, was much sharper this time around. The Redbirds made it 5-0 with a run in third, which was answered by San Diego in their half of the fourth. The Padres hit Simmons for a three spot in the seventh, bringing them to within a run at 5-4. But the crafty veteran retired the Friars in order in the eighth and ninth innings to give the Cardinals a sweep of the series.
put a crimp in the Padres hope of salvaging a win in this series, but unloading a second inning grand slam home run off of Dave Dravecky to jump start the Cardinals to 4-0 lead. Curt Simmons, roughed up by the ’85 Mets in his first start, was much sharper this time around. The Redbirds made it 5-0 with a run in third, which was answered by San Diego in their half of the fourth. The Padres hit Simmons for a three spot in the seventh, bringing them to within a run at 5-4. But the crafty veteran retired the Friars in order in the eighth and ninth innings to give the Cardinals a sweep of the series.-contributed by Mike "bike mike" Roberts-
No comments:
Post a Comment