Cardinals pull a '60 Pirates on Redlegs

In a wild series where the 1956 Cincinnati Redlegs out homered the 1960 St. Louis Cardinals 7 to 2, and outscore them 20-16, the Cardinals managed to eeke (sp?) out two one-run victories to capture the series. The wins were not a complete fluke, as the Cardinals actually outhit Cincinnati in all three games, but the Reds had the stronger fire power. Both Cardinal homers came in the third game off the bat of the recently activated Leon "Daddy Wags" Wagner.

Game one featured a two out pinch hit double from the struggling Joe Cunningham, which sent home Daryl Spencer who had walked to start the inning, tying the game at 1. The Cardinals won it in the 10th on singles by Ellis Burton, Moose Moryn, and Bill White.

Game two featured 13 hits, including homers from Frank Robinson and Ed Bailey, and 11 runs in an 11-5 rout. Bailey drove in four runs and Robinson three backing Hal Jeffcoat, who improved to 3-0 on the season. The Cardinals had plenty of hits, 15, but there hits were not as timely as the Reds. Young flamethrower Bob Gibson made his first start of the year in this one. Gibson really throws hard and looks to be a promising pitcher if he can develop a little more command and perhaps add a breaking ball to his repertoire (sp again?).

Game three featured 3 homers off the bat of Ted Kluzweski as the Reds went to rout the

Cardinals.....wait a second, the Reds lost?? Yep, that is correct. Despite the 3 Kluszewski homers, and a 7-5 lead going in to the top of the ninth, the Reds were not able to hang on. This game featured the Reds consistently taking leads, but the Cardinals consistently answering back to narrow the margin, and on a couple of occasions tie it. The Cardinals never lead though until the ninth, when they turned a 7-5 deficit into an 8-7 lead.  

Don Gross started the ninth, and surrendered a lead off pinch hit double to Bob Nieman, followed by a pinch hit single by Daryl Spencer, Nieman stopping at third. Enter Hersh Freeman, who walked Ken Boyer loading the bases. Bill White then got his second big late inning hit of the series, doubling home Nieman and Spencer. After Hal Smith popped up, another pinch hitter, Moose Moryn, hit a ball deep enough to right to plate Boyer with the lead run.

Lindy McDaniel came on in the bottom of the ninth to save it, but walked lead off hitter Johnny Temple, then Smoky Burgess' potential double play grounder was booted by an over-anxious Spencer. But Spencer got another shot off the bat of Frank Robinson, and the Cardinals turned it, sending Temple to third. Up came the three home run man Big Klu, who manager Bike Mike considered walking, but with left Gus Bell on deck he had McDaniel go after him. McDaniel was up to the task, getting Klu to end the game on a grounder to Bill White.

--submitted by BikeMike--