The 1967 St. Louis Cardinals scored early, and often enough to take the 1976 Cincinnati Reds out of the post season picture, earning a 6-2 victory in the Alston Division play in game.
After Ray Washburn set the Reds down in order in the top of the first, the Cardinals loaded the bases off of Jack Billingham on an error, and two singles. Veteran Roger Maris stepped to the plate and crushed a Billingham change up to the wall in right, clearing the bases. Maris just missed a grand-slam.
There would be no further scoring until the fifth, as Washburn
was pitching brilliantly, facing only 18 batters through five innings of work. In the bottom of the fifth, with Pedro Borbon now on the hill for Cincinnati, one out singles by Julian Javier and Curt Flood brought Orlando Cepeda to the plate. Cepeda also singled, scoring Javier and sending Flood to third. Maris then hit a sharp grounder to Joe Morgan at second, but in his haste to start a double play, Morgan booted the ball allowing Flood to score. But no further damage was done.
The Cardinals added one more in the seventh, as Washburn continued to cruise. It was 6-0 Cardinals going into the ninth, as Washburn was still out there going for the shutout. But he tired in the ninth, giving up a lead off single to George Foster, then a ringing double off the bat of Tony Perez sent Washburn to the showers, the capacity crowd giving him a standing ovation as he walked off the field.
Ron Willis took over, allowing the two runners to score on an infield ground out and a single, but nothing further.
Cincinnati manager Steve Tate had wished his club was a year younger, while Cardinal manager Bike Mike is savoring his first post season appearance since way back in KOD2 (I think).
--submitted by Bike Mike - El Birdos--
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