‘67 Redbirds take 3 of 4 from ‘76 Reds

Game 1 at Cincinnati: St. Louis 1, Cincinnati 5

Santo Alcala dominated for eight innings, surrendering only 4 hits as the Big Red Machine steamrolled the El Birdos 5 to 1 to start a fairly big mid-season series between the two NL Alston Division contenders. It was Alcala’s second victory against no losses.

The only run Alcala surrendered was in the top of the first inning, as with two outs veteran Roger Maris reached back for some past glory and slammed a hanging curve ball over the right field fence at Riverfront for his third home run of the year.

The Reds countered in the bottom half against lefty Steve Carlton, when Dal Maxvill misplayed Pete Rose’s sharp ground for an error, and an out later Joe Morgan walked and George Foster singled home Rose.

The Reds plated another run in the third and two in the fifth as they hit Carlton hard; ten hits in 5 1/3 innings. Carlton exited in the bottom of the sixth with a slight ankle strain, but is not expected to miss his next start. The young lefty dropped to 1 and 2 on the season.

Game 2 at Cincinnati: St. Louis

The Cardinals turned the tide on the Machine in game two, getting a similar start from their own righthander as what Alcala dealt them in game one. Like Alcala, Ray Washburn gave up only four hits in eight innings of work, and also like Alcala all the runs against him were scored in the first inning. And like in game one, the righthander bested a lefty from the opposing team.

After Red starter Don Gullet retired the Redbirds in order in the top of the first, again as in game one, Pete Rose lead off the game by reaching on an error. This time it was second baseman Julian Javier who made the miscue. Washburn then walked Ken Griffey, before getting Joe Morgan on a liner to Cepeda at first, and George Foster on a pop-up. But Tony Perez hit a two-out double into the right center field gap to score Rose and Griffey.

The Cardinal bats were quiet until the third, when Dal Maxvill started things by working Gullett for a walk. Washburn bunted him over, but Lou Brock flew out to shallow center for the second out. Julian Javier, a tough out against lefties, atoned some for his error by singling in Maxvill. Curt Flood followed with a single, and then the booming bat of Orlando Cepeda, an potential MVP candidate, powered a towering three run homer into the second deck in left field to put the Cardinals on top 4-1.

Washburn continued to mow down the Reds when the Cardinals came up in the sixth inning, still up 4-2. Again the lower part of the order started things as Alex Johnson, a future Red, doubled with one out. It looked like a quiet inning though, as Dal Maxvill flew out to center, bringing up Washburn with two gone. The Redbirds got a big break though, as Washburn squeaked one barely inside the foul line past first. Griffey was playing Washburn shallow, and had to dig all the way back into the right field corner to retrieve the ball, by which time a gassed Washburn was almost to third base, getting himself an unlikely triple.

An intentional pass to Lou Brock brought Javier to the plate, and righthander Pedro Bourbon to the mound for the Reds. Hoolie promptly singled homed Washburn. Flood followed with a single, as did Cepeda, who knocked in Javier for his fourth RBI of the game. Mike Shannon finally ended it by grounding out.

That was all the scoring in the game as Washburn coasted in the 7^th and 8^th, before little Al Jackson came on to finish up in the 9^th.

Game 3 at St. Louis: Cincinnati 3, St. Louis 4 (13 innings)

The series shifted to St. Louis for a double-header on a cloudy, muggy day in the Midwest. The Reds sent Gary Nolan to the hill to counter Cardinal ace Bob Gibson.

Both clubs scored single tallies in the second, the Reds on doubles by Foster and Dan Driessen, the Cardinals on Orlando Cepeda’s ninth home run of the year.

The Reds added two more in the third under threatening skies, when Ken Griffey homered, and Joe Morgan singled, stole second, and scored on George Foster’s single.

The skies opened up in the fifth, and it looked like the game might be over. But things quieted down and after a little over an hour and a half of a delay, the clubs got back to the business of finishing the game. Bob Gibson couldn’t get loose, so manager Bike Mike lifted him after the big delay and brought in Nelson Briles to take over the pitching duties. Gibson, despite his discomfort, was upset about not going back out there, and stayed on the bench displaying a grouchy demeanor throughout the rest of the game, encouraging his teammates never the less.

Bike’s decision became somewhat complicated by the fact that Briles could only throw six pitches, before straining a muscle in his side and he had to be removed. Lefty Joe Hoerner was summoned. Hoerner pitched scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh, keeping the game within reach at 3-1 Cincinnati.

Lefty Fred Norman had taken over for Nolan after the rain delay, and after a scoreless sixth remained on the hill in the seventh. Maris stayed in against the lefty to lead off the inning, and worked the count full before walking. Norman retired Cepeda and McCarver, but Mike Shannon doubled home his pal Rog, and Julian Javier singled home Shannon to tie the score.

On the two teams battled as the score remained tied at 3 after nine. Dick Hughes had come on for St. Louis, and was pitching magnificently, so well that manager Bike Mike kept him in there. Years later you would not see a relief pitcher throw true “long relief”, but the well rested Hughes was strong and effective and just kept getting outs. As the game went into the bottom of the 13^th, Hughes had thrown six innings of two hit, shutout ball, prompting Bike to ponder putting the bespectacled righty into the rotation from here on out. He has started three games among his six appearances, completing two of them, so it looks like his place will be in the rotation from here on out.

At any rate, the Cardinals looked to have a shot at ending the game in the 13^th against Rawly Eastwick when Hughes was finally lifted for pinch-hitter Alex Johnson, and Johnson reached on Davey Concepcion’s misplayed grounder. But Phil Gagliano foiled the good start, when he not only failed to get Johnson over to second, but he was nabbed as well at first for a rare double-play on a sac bunt attempt.

With the momentum all but gone, Lou Brock then took matters into his own hands by drilling an Eastwick fastball over the wall in right to end the game.

Game Four in St. Louis, Cincinnati 8, St. Louis 11

After the marathon first game, the weary clubs set to battle it out in game two as the Reds looked to even the series behind righthander Pat Zachry. The home club countered with lefty Larry Jaster.

Runs were relatively cheap in this one, as the score was tied at 4 after five innings, then the Reds put two on the board in the seventh to take a 6-4 lead before the Cardinals countered with four of their own to leap frog in front 8-6. The Cardinals poured it on in the eighth with 3 more, to take a comfortable 11-6 lead going into the ninth.

But the Reds put two more runs across, and had two on with none out when Ron Willis finally settled down and got George Foster on a fly out and Tony Perez to end it by hitting into an around the horn 5-4-3 double play.

This one featured 29 hits, including four home runs, and four errors, all by the Reds. The Cardinals three and four hitters, Roger Maris and Orlando Cepeda, combined to go 8 of 9, with six runs scored and three RBI.

--submitted by Bike Mike--