Skip to main content

Wild Cards...

Cards win last night's opener, 6-5
Living dangerously may come at a cost for Cards
Hemus knows Cards must produce during current homestand
Baseball in 1961 Staff
ST LOUIS-One-run games are exciting and can tend to be a routine.
For embattled Cardinal skipper Solly Hemus, the string of one-run games at San Francisco which dotted a 3-4 trip of the West underscored the roller coaster ride that has been the Cards season 2 weeks in. It's simple for Hemus, cut down on the one-run decisions or be cut down himself.
"Starting with that game in LA where we lost on the late home run, we got pegged into the rut of one-run games. The key of winning games is good hitting and good pitching. The hitting's been there, but the pitching late in games has bit us on the behind. The management wants this homestand to succeed. I may not be the most popular man in that clubhouse right now, but it's on me to deliver 9 solid innings starting tonight," said Hemus.
Last night though, the Cards rut of one-run games continued, but with a homestand-opening 6-5 win over Milwaukee, snapping the Braves' 5-game winning streak.
In that 4-game stretch out West, the Cards:
-Blew a 7-2 lead, losing to the Dodgers on a 9th inning home run by Wally Moon, 9-7
-Blew a 7-1 lead, losing to the Giants by a 11-10 score.
-Hung on for a 5-4 win over the Giants behind 2 Stan Musial home runs.
-Entered the 9th in the series finale with the Giants with a 4-2 lead, only to exit with a 5-4 loss behind the shaky control of Bob Gibson.
Musial, Ken Boyer and Bill White have the offense going at a good clip, while the starting pitching has given way to a backfiring bullpen. The Dodger and Giant games, which were on back-to-back nights produced 40 combined hits, but 2 heartbreaking losses.
Hemus started last night's homestand with Curt Simmons, who never fell behind, but was on the verge of being pulled when the Braves came to within 6-5 with the bases loaded and one out in the 6th.
Hemus stuck with Simmons, who got them out of the jam and proceeded to pitch perfect innings in the 7th and 8th before a Felix Mantilla single leading off the 9th and a Fielders Choice from Gino Cimoli summoned Mickey McDermott for the final outs.
Just a routine one-run game. But a break from the routine would be nice for the Cardinals, yet even nicer for their skipper.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Was Fang There?

The defending World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates made their 1961 TV debut on 4-28-61 against the eventual NL champs for the year, Cincinnati. Before I decide whether to do at least a partial replay, here are some ads as they may have sounded that night on Pitt TV, keeping in mind that I'm not a Pitt TV expert, just one who happens to read Post-Gazette's from the Google archives. WIIC-TV: You've seen her on Jack Paar, now see her for yourself tonight and Saturday! Don't miss loveable comic star Phyllis Diller and special musical guests perform 2 shows nightly at 9 and 11:30 at the Horizon Room located at the airport in Pittsburgh. Don't miss the laughs! Tonight's "Movie Hall of Fame" presentation stars WC Fields in that madcap comedy hit, "The Bank Dick," tonight at 7 on Channel 11. It's a night of encores on the Telephone Hour as Rosemary Clooney and Robert Preston perform their acts from this past season, tonight at 9. Then stay tuned ...

Yankees-Orioles pre-game, 4/23/1961

Announcer: "WFBG, Channel 10, Altoona." CBS: "CBS Television presents "Baseball Warm-Up," a preview of today's game plus a interview with a top baseball personality. Now let's go to the ballpark!" Pee Wee Reese: "Welcome to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, everybody. Pee Wee Reese here. On today's program we'll interview the star left-hander of the Baltimore Orioles, Steve Barber, who pitched a strong ballgame last night as the Orioles completed a day-night doubleheader sweep of the Yankees, 6-1. We'll talk to Steve after word of an upcoming CBS program." GE Theater promo: "This is Ronald Reagan, ever have one of those days when you're faced with so many obstacles, you just want to get away? That's the problem facing Judge Cyrus Dunn on this week's GE Theater presentation, "My Darling Judge." (scene from episode) How does he manage to push aside all those obstacles, yet make his fishing trip? Fred C...