Saturday, June 19, 2010

“It’s in the Cards”: Battle of the Gateway City goes to ‘67 squad.

8/26-8/27 - Busch Memorial Stadium
GAME 1 - 67-Cards 3, 46-Cards 1

Bob_Gibson_STL Headline:  Cardinals win...OK, that was a cheap headline considering the fact that this series was for the bragging rights of the Gateway city.  While most cities boast of having great fans, the city of St. Louis has the most loyal fans.  Win or lose they are behind their team, always wearing a sea of red and traveling for miles and hours across the highways and bi-ways of middle America to see their beloved Redbirds.  Fans were treated to a 7 2/3 innings of Bob Gibson gutting it out without his best stuff.  Fortunately for Bob, his "B" stuff is better than 90% of the leagues "A" stuff.  The 1946 team's starter Harry Brecheen found that out to be fact when he had a very decent game (7IP/3ER), but was still no match for the great Gibson.  All of the scoring occurred in the first.  1946 broke the ice in the top of the inning when Enos "Country" Slaughter singled home Red Schoendienst for what would turn out to be 1946's lone run of the day.  There is an old axiom in baseball and it clearly states:  "to beat the great ones (like Gibson), you have to get to them early".  1946 got to Gibby early, but their mistake was not getting to him often.  Making 1 run stand up for 9 innings was going to be an uphill battle.  That battle ended when catcher Tim McCarver launched a 3 run shot just inside the foul poll (with 2Tim_McCarver_STL out) to score Lou Brock and Curt Flood. The following 8 innings saw goose eggs posted to the scoreboard.  Ted Willis pitched to the final batter to get a 1 out save.  Rumor has it that Gibby was a trife ticked off at his manager BikeMike for taking him out with 2 outs in the 8th and not letting him face Slaughter with 2 on.  Gibby, who is the ultimate competitor doesn't take kindly to managers who prevent him from practicing his craft to it's logical conclusion.

GAME 2 - 67-Cards 8, 46-Cards 3
Orlando_Cepeda_STL Larry Jaster was the beneficiary of an 8 run offensive explosion that started in the bottom of the first when 1967 posted 2 runs.  1946 starter Howie Pollet had a miserable 7 inning / 8 run (7 earned) performance.  Every 1967 starter, with the exception of Alex Johnson, had at least 1 hit.  The "Baby Bull", Orlando Cepeda continued his dominance of NL pitching by going 4 for 4 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. Cepeda added his 4th homer of the season as did Lou Brock.  The '67 crew has show surprising power for a team built around speed and fielding.  Nelson Briles was awarded that rare 3 inning save.

8/28 - Sportsman Park
GAME 3 - 46-Cards 4, 67-Cards 3Stan_Musial_STL

The series moved across town to Sportsmans park as the '46  team's luck began to change.  '67 starter Dick Hughes was touched for 3 runs in the bottom of the first when Stan "the Man" Musial hit a 3 run homer.  Hughes settled down to go the distance, but again came up small in the 7th with the score tied 3-3.  With 2 outs Hughes gave up a long double to his opposing number, Muray Dickson.  Red Schoendinest had a great 12 pitch at bat that culminated in a  clean single to left to plate Dickson for what would Red_Schoendienst_STLbe the winning run.  '67 scored a solo run in the 5th when Brock singled home Dal Maxvill.  They scored 2 runs on back to back jacks by Cepeda and McCarver in the 6th to tie it.  After hitting the 100 pitch count in 8 innings Dickson was replaced in the 9th by Ted Wilks who closed out the game for his first save of the campaign.

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