SENATORS STAGE OWN FIREWORKS, SPOIL SOX HOME OPENER, 6-5
Home run by Cottier gives Senators lead, win
BY RICHARD DOZER
Chuck Cottier had his eyes on Jim Landis from the very first pitch.
The Senators second baseman flied out to Landis each of the first 3 times he was at the plate, then when the game counted, staged his own fireworks display with a lead-off double off Billy Pierce in the 8th and for good measure made Turk Lown a victim for the 2nd time in the young season in the 9th with a 2-run homer to help spoil the Sox home opener, 6-5 in front of a crushed Comiskey crowd.
It started with Minnie
After Pierce put down an opening Senator threat in the first, fan favorite Minnie Minoso sent Bennie Daniels' fastball over the right field wall for the first Comiskey run of '61. After a lead-off double by Pierce in the 3rd, Minoso struck again with a 2-run shot, giving the Sox a seemingly commanding 3-0 lead after 3. By that time, Cottier had already flied twice to Landis and the Senator bats begun making their own fireworks in the 4th after a Bob Johnson lead-off fly out to some guy in center.
Putting some "Zip" on it
Right fielder Gene Green's one-out walk summoned Willie Tasby, who singled Green to second, then first baseman Bud Zipfel zipped a double to right, scoring Green and moving Tasby to 3rd. The inning ended with no further damage. The Sox got a one-out triple from right fielder Al Smith, back from a 5-day injury layoff in the 6th, who waltzed home on a sac fly to center fielder Tasby by JC Martin. Then came the collapse.
Pierced
After getting pinch-hitter Mike Keough to line out to Roy Sievers at 1st to open the 8th, Pierce gave up Cottier's double to Landis(who else?), followed by a Chuck Hinton grounder to Luis Aparicio. Then swiftly the dike gave way, Johnson singling Cottier to 3rd, Green scoring Cottier with another single, Johnson to 2nd, then Tasby singled to load the bases, sending Al Lopez to the mound and Billy Pierce to the showers, Turk Lown now nursing a 4-2 lead which then "zipped" away on Zipfel's second double of the game, scoring Johnson and Green and silencing a boisterous opening day crowd. The Sox had a chance in the bottom half of the inning on a leadoff double by Minoso and single by Roy Sievers, sending Minnie to 3rd. The Senators then moved the infield in, getting Smith to hit into a force to 3rd, forcing out Minoso at home, then JC Martin grounded into a double play to Cottier, ending the inning and setting up the heartbreaking finish.
First course was Veal
The Sens' shortstop, Coot Veal, opened the 9th with a leadoff single, moving to 2nd on a sacrifice by pinch-hitter Danny O'Connell. Then, for the second time in the young season, Turk Lown served up a late inning home run to a Senator when Chuck Cottier smashed one way past Jim Landis and with any luck, it probably landed somewhere in Rockford after 8 p.m. The Sox did try a last-ditch rally, started by Landis's lead off single off Dick Sisler, followed by a Cam Carreon groundout to some evil second sacker, moving Landis to 2nd. Floyd Robinson's pinch double scored Landis, but any chance for a thrilling game-ending hit died in the glove of Bud Zipfel when Nellie Fox's liner sent the Sox faithful home in the rush hour, wondering how they could be snakebit for a 2nd time by a bunch of upstarts from Washington. They'll ponder that one until Thursday, when Juan Pizarro will try to salvage a series split.
Sens Veto Sox
WAS 6-11-0 CWS 5-9-0
WP-Klippstein(1-0) LP-Lown(0-2) SV-Sisler(1)
HR-Minoso(2,3) Cottier(1)
Bud Zipfel-3-4, 3 RBI's
Home run by Cottier gives Senators lead, win
BY RICHARD DOZER
Chuck Cottier had his eyes on Jim Landis from the very first pitch.
The Senators second baseman flied out to Landis each of the first 3 times he was at the plate, then when the game counted, staged his own fireworks display with a lead-off double off Billy Pierce in the 8th and for good measure made Turk Lown a victim for the 2nd time in the young season in the 9th with a 2-run homer to help spoil the Sox home opener, 6-5 in front of a crushed Comiskey crowd.
It started with Minnie
After Pierce put down an opening Senator threat in the first, fan favorite Minnie Minoso sent Bennie Daniels' fastball over the right field wall for the first Comiskey run of '61. After a lead-off double by Pierce in the 3rd, Minoso struck again with a 2-run shot, giving the Sox a seemingly commanding 3-0 lead after 3. By that time, Cottier had already flied twice to Landis and the Senator bats begun making their own fireworks in the 4th after a Bob Johnson lead-off fly out to some guy in center.
Putting some "Zip" on it
Right fielder Gene Green's one-out walk summoned Willie Tasby, who singled Green to second, then first baseman Bud Zipfel zipped a double to right, scoring Green and moving Tasby to 3rd. The inning ended with no further damage. The Sox got a one-out triple from right fielder Al Smith, back from a 5-day injury layoff in the 6th, who waltzed home on a sac fly to center fielder Tasby by JC Martin. Then came the collapse.
Pierced
After getting pinch-hitter Mike Keough to line out to Roy Sievers at 1st to open the 8th, Pierce gave up Cottier's double to Landis(who else?), followed by a Chuck Hinton grounder to Luis Aparicio. Then swiftly the dike gave way, Johnson singling Cottier to 3rd, Green scoring Cottier with another single, Johnson to 2nd, then Tasby singled to load the bases, sending Al Lopez to the mound and Billy Pierce to the showers, Turk Lown now nursing a 4-2 lead which then "zipped" away on Zipfel's second double of the game, scoring Johnson and Green and silencing a boisterous opening day crowd. The Sox had a chance in the bottom half of the inning on a leadoff double by Minoso and single by Roy Sievers, sending Minnie to 3rd. The Senators then moved the infield in, getting Smith to hit into a force to 3rd, forcing out Minoso at home, then JC Martin grounded into a double play to Cottier, ending the inning and setting up the heartbreaking finish.
First course was Veal
The Sens' shortstop, Coot Veal, opened the 9th with a leadoff single, moving to 2nd on a sacrifice by pinch-hitter Danny O'Connell. Then, for the second time in the young season, Turk Lown served up a late inning home run to a Senator when Chuck Cottier smashed one way past Jim Landis and with any luck, it probably landed somewhere in Rockford after 8 p.m. The Sox did try a last-ditch rally, started by Landis's lead off single off Dick Sisler, followed by a Cam Carreon groundout to some evil second sacker, moving Landis to 2nd. Floyd Robinson's pinch double scored Landis, but any chance for a thrilling game-ending hit died in the glove of Bud Zipfel when Nellie Fox's liner sent the Sox faithful home in the rush hour, wondering how they could be snakebit for a 2nd time by a bunch of upstarts from Washington. They'll ponder that one until Thursday, when Juan Pizarro will try to salvage a series split.
Sens Veto Sox
WAS 6-11-0 CWS 5-9-0
WP-Klippstein(1-0) LP-Lown(0-2) SV-Sisler(1)
HR-Minoso(2,3) Cottier(1)
Bud Zipfel-3-4, 3 RBI's
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