HIATUS

Hello all....

I am in the midst of a replay of the 1972 Detroit Tigers, using Ball Park Baseball. This replay, done in "real time," will take me into October. So this 1959 NL replay with SOM baseball will be going on hiatus until fall.

Thanks to everyone who is following this replay!!

Phi 3, Mil 2 (10 inn); Mil 6, Phi 4

Sunday, May 24-- The Milwaukee Braves shocked the Philadelphia Phillies with four runs in the top of the ninth inning of the nightcap of a doubleheader, returning the favor from the first game, in winning 6-4 and earning a split of the twinbill at Connie Mack Stadium.

In the first game, the Phillies scored twice in the ninth inning to tie the game, then won it in the tenth inning, 3-2.

In the second game, the Braves roughed up reliever Jack Meyer in the ninth inning on three hits and three walks to score four times. Frank Torre's two-run double was the big blow.

The stunning comeback was payback for what the Phillies (16-22) did in the first game.

Braves starter Joey Jay was cruising along, pitching a shutout heading into the ninth inning, his team ahead 2-0. Jay had only surrendered three hits to that point.

But the inning quickly unraveled. Pinch-hitter Dave Philley led off with a walk. Richie Ashburn singled Philley to second base. Chico Fernandez sacrificed the runners along. After an intentional walk to Ed Bouchee, struggling Wally Post delivered a two-run single to tie the game. Jay got out of the inning with no further damage.

The Braves (18-18) went 1-2-3 in the tenth, then Sparky Anderson led off the Phillies' half with a single off reliever (and loser) Bob Rush (0-3). Joe Lonnett sacrificed Anderson to second. Harry Hanebrink was intentionally walked, but Ashburn laced a single to right field that scored Anderson without a throw.

Both Jay and Gene Conley went nine innings in the first game but each got a no decision.

Humberto Robinson (3-1) got the win in the first game, while Milwaukee's Juan Pizarro (2-0) was the winner in the nightcap. Meyer (0-1) took the loss in Game 2.

SF 9, LA 8

Sunday, May 24-- The Los Angeles Dodgers must be wondering what they have to do to beat the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants, once down 8-4, came storming back to beat the Dodgers, 9-8, and earn a three-game weekend sweep. The go-ahead run came off the bat of Jackie Brandt (3), who hit a solo homer in the seventh inning.

The first place Giants (25-13) have won 10 of their past 12 games, while the Dodgers (20-21) are 3-9 in the same time frame and are now 6.5 games behind the Giants.

In a scheduling quirk, the Dodgers and Giants will face each other twice more in San Francisco, starting Monday.

The Giants scored four times in the first inning. The big blow was a three-run homer by slumping Willie Mays (5). The Dodgers responded with two runs in the first and two more in the second to tie the game.

Los Angeles added a run in the third and three more in the fourth to take an 8-4 lead.

But the Giants scored four times in the fifth inning to re-tie the game---on a two-run double by Brandt and a two-run single by Bob Schmidt.

Brandt's eventual game-winning homer came off Dodgers reliever Art Fowler (3-3). Joe Shipley (2-1) got the win in relief of starter Jack Sanford, who lasted just 3.1 innings. Dodgers starter Danny McDevitt didn't fare much better; he lasted 4.1 innings.

Giants relievers set down the final 10 Dodgers batters in a row to end the game. Gordon Jones (4) earned the save.

StL 8, Chi 3

Sunday, May 24-- The St. Louis Cardinals used a balanced attack, as six players each got one RBI and each starting position player had at least one hit, in overwhelming the Chicago Cubs, 8-3 at Wrigley Field.

The Cardinals (24-15) completed a three-game sweep and kept the pressure on the first-place San Francisco Giants.

Bill White had three doubles and Joe Cunningham had four hits for St. Louis.

Vinegar Bend Mizell (4-2) pitched seven innings for the win, and he even got an RBI, on a sacrifice fly.

The Cubs (19-22) had finally gotten back to .500 when the Cards hit town. Not anymore.

The Cardinals smacked seven extra base hits off four Cubs pitchers. Starter Moe Drabowsky (2-4) took the loss.

Leading 3-1 after four innings, the Cardinals put the game away with a run in the fifth, three in the sixth and another in the seventh for an 8-1 cushion.

More bad news for Bucs: Clemente out two months

Pittsburgh, May 24-- As if the Pittsburgh Pirates didn't have enough problems.

Losers of seven in a row, the Bucs announced that star right fielder Roberto Clemente will miss about two months with a strained throwing shoulder.

Clemente, who is hitting a team-best .348, said he hurt the shoulder while making a throw last week in St. Louis but played through the pain, which got progressively worse.

"Looks like a couple months," manager Danny Murtaugh said. "We're just going to have to soldier through it without Bob."

Roman Mejias was in right field for Pittsburgh Saturday, though Murtaugh wouldn't say whether Mejias would be the everyday right fielder in Clemente's absence.

Cin 8, Pit 6

Saturday, May 23-- The Pittsburgh Pirates are having a hard time winning these days. Today at Forbes Field was another example.

The Cincinnati Reds handed the Bucs their seventh straight loss, 8-6.

The Pirates (16-22) battled back from an early 4-0 deficit to tie the game, but the Reds pulled away. That's the way it's been going for the Pirates as of late.

The Reds (16-21) won their third straight, jumping all over Pirates starter Bennie Daniels (2-4) with four runs in the first inning. Vada Pinson's two-run homer (6) was the big blow.

The Pirates responded with three runs in their half of the first, and then tied the game in the fifth inning.

But the Reds scored two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to go ahead, 8-4.

In the eighth, trailing 8-4, the Bucs loaded the bases with nobody out but could only manage to score one run. They rallied again in the ninth inning, but left two runners on base.

Bill Mazeroski had four hits and three RBI for Pittsburgh.

Pinson and Frank Robinson each had two RBI for Cincinnati.

The winning pitcher was starter Orlando Pena (1-2), who went seven innings.

Mil 5, Phi 0

Saturday, May 23-- Warren Spahn tossed his sixth complete game of the season, a four-hit shutout, and the Milwaukee Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-0, at Connie Mack Stadium.

The two-time defending league champ Braves (17-17) got back to .500 behind Spahn (4-6), who allowed just three runners as far as second base.

The Phillies (15-21), with their anemic offense (.234 team BA)---they've already been no-hit this season---were mostly helpless against the Braves' veteran left-hander.

Hank Aaron (three singles, .380) continued his torrid hitting. Aaron has 54 hits. Eddie Mathews had two RBI. The Braves led only 1-0 until the seventh, so Spahn had to be on top of his game.

Jim Owens (4-2) took the loss for Philadelphia.

Sparky Anderson had two of the Phillies' four hits, both singles.

SF 7, LA 2

Saturday, May 23-- The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers couldn't be headed in more opposite directions.

The Giants got a complete game from Sam Jones and beat the Dodgers, 7-2, at the Coliseum.

The Giants (24-13) are 9-2 since they were 1/2 game behind the Dodgers for first place on May 11. The third place Dodgers (20-20) are 3-8 in the same time frame, dropping 5.5 games behind the first place Giants.

Second baseman Daryl Spencer hit a home run and had three RBI for San Francisco. Willie Mays, trying to shake a season-long slump, went 2-for-4 with two RBI, though his average is still a pedestrian .239.

The Dodgers' runs came on a two-run homer by Norm Larker in the seventh inning.

Jones (7-2) was masterful, scattering four hits and striking out eight. Aside from Larker's homer, the Dodgers managed to get just one runner as far as second base all evening. Jones also pitched around two Giants errors.

Stan Williams (2-4) took the loss for Los Angeles, lasting just 5.1 rough innings (six runs, seven walks, four hits).

StL 6, Chi 2 (10)

Saturday, May 23-- Bill White tripled home two runs as part of a four-run tenth inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals kept rolling with a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

The Cardinals (23-15) won their fifth straight game and ninth in their past 11 contests.

The Cubs (19-21) have lost two straight after clawing their way back to .500.

Earl Averill's two-run homer (3) tied the game, 2-2, in the seventh inning. The Cardinals had scored single runs in the third and fifth inning to forge a 2-0 lead.

The damage in the tenth inning came off Cubs reliever Taylor Phillips (7.72), who continues to struggle. Phillips left the game to a cascade of boos after allowing four runs and four hits plus a walk in the tenth.

Bob Gibson (3-2) got the win in relief, while Phillips (0-4) was tagged with the loss.

Don Blasingame had a single, a double, a walk, scored a run and had two RBI for St. Louis.

Cin 8, Pit 0

Friday, May 22- The Cincinnati Reds jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead and cruised to a resounding 8-0 victory over the reeling Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field.

The Pirates (16-21) have lost six straight games.

The Reds (15-21) won their second straight contest by pounding out 14 hits. Every Reds starter except one picked up at least one base hit.

Jerry Lynch (9) blasted a three-run home run in the first inning off Pirates starter Vern Law (1-5), then added a solo shot in the third inning.

The Reds added two runs in each of the eighth and ninth innings off reliever Bob Porterfield.

Bob Purkey (5-4) pitched a complete game seven-hitter for the win. Purkey even picked up a single at the plate.

The Pirates had one hit in every inning from the second through the seventh but couldn't cross the plate.

Lynch scored three runs for the Reds.

Phi 8, Mil 6

Friday, May 22- The Philadelphia Phillies, with one of the worst offenses in the league, woke up and scored eight runs in the sixth and seventh innings combined, and registered a come-from-behind 8-6 victory over the Milwaukee Braves at Connie Mack Stadium.

Trailing 4-0 and having committed three errors, the Phillies (15-20) scored four times in the sixth and four more runs in the seventh, each frame punctuated by a three-run homer.

Willie Jones (9) connected in the sixth, and struggling Wally Post (4, .161) struck in the seventh, wiping out the deficit.

The Braves (16-17) scored single runs in the eighth and ninth, and had the bases loaded in the ninth inning but could only score one run. The game ended when pinch-hitter Casey Wise hit into a 3-6-3 double play.

Milwaukee jumped on Phillies starter Robin Roberts for three runs in the first inning. The big blow was a two-run home run by Eddie Mathews (9).

Roberts (5-2) hung around, however, and pitched seven innings for the win. Milwaukee starter Lew Burdette (4-4) took the loss after 6.2 innings. Jack Meyer picked up his first save.

The Braves' 1-2-3 hitters (Billy Bruton, Mathews, Hank Aaron) went a combined 8-for-15.

The Phillies won despite three errors by first baseman Ed Bouchee and a miscue by third baseman Willie Jones.

SF 8, LA 1

Friday, May 22- The San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to go in opposite directions. And the Dodgers are in turn moving further from first place.

The Giants, who trailed the then-first place Dodgers by a half game 11 days ago, pulled 4.5 games ahead of their California rivals with a convincing 8-1 victory at the Coliseum.

The Giants (23-13) are 8-2 since May 11, while the Dodgers (20-19) 3-7.

Lefty John Antonelli (7-2) pitched a complete game, scattering six hits.

Don Drysdale (7-4), the league's leader in innings pitched, went 6.1 bumpy innings, surrendering eight runs (seven earned), but he also racked up 10 strikeouts.

A three-run first inning set the tone, as the Giants jumped on Drysdale with two singles and a three-run home run by Orlando Cepeda within the first four hitters.

The Giants added two runs in the sixth and three in the seventh, knocking Drysdale out of the game.

Leon Wagner had a double, a single, and drove in three runs for San Francisco.

Rip Repulski (2) hit a solo homer for the Dodgers' only run.

StL 4, Chi 2

Friday, May 22- The St. Louis Cardinals scored three times in the third inning, and it was enough to hold off the Chicago Cubs, 4-2, in a game pitting two red hot teams at Wrigley Field.

The Cardinals (22-15) have won 14 of 19, while the Cubs (19-20) entered the game on a five-game winning streak.

Pending the outcome of the Giants-Dodgers game, the Cards have a chance to move within one-half game of the first place Giants.

George Crowe (5, in 32 AB) added a solo homer for the Cardinals in the fifth inning, one frame after the Cubs scored twice to pull within 3-2. The big hit in the Cardinals' third inning was Gene Green's two-run single.

Four Cardinals pitchers limited the Cubs to two runs and eight hits. Bob Gibson (3) got the save, pitching the ninth. The winner was Gary Blaylock (4-3), who went 6.2 innings. Marshall Bridges and Dave Ricketts chipped in with 1.1 innings of shutout relief between them.

The loser was Glenn Hobbie (4-5), who went seven innings.

George Altman had three hits and scored a run in a losing cause.

StL 5, Pit 4

Thursday, May 21- Hal Smith singled home Ken Boyer in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie, and the blistering hot St. Louis Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 5-4 victory at Busch Stadium.

It was the Cardinals' (21-15) 13th win in their past 18 games, moving them within 1.5 games of the first place San Francisco Giants.

The Pirates (16-20) have lost five in a row.

Bill Mazeroski's two-run double gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning, but it was short-lived as the Cardinals bounced back with two runs in their half of the inning, thanks to two Pirates errors.

The Pirates tied the game, 4-4, in the seventh inning when Dick Schofield, making a rare start, singled home Roman Mejias.

Hal Jeffcoat pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the year.

Marshall Bridges (3-0) pitched one inning of relief for the victory, while Pirates starter Harvey Haddix (2-2) took the loss, working all eight innings.

Chi 6, Phi 3

Thursday, May 21- The Chicago Cubs broke open a tie game with three runs in the sixth inning, and went on to their fifth straight victory, a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies to complete a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field.

Dale Long's two-run homer (5) capped the three-run sixth, and the Cubs added two more runs in the eighth for a 6-1 lead. The Phillies (14-20) tried to rally in the ninth, loading the bases with no outs, but could only manage two runs.

Bob Anderson (4-4) went eight-plus innings to earn the win. Ruben Gomez (1-4) pitched six innings in a losing effort for Philadelphia.

The Cubs (19-19) have won seven of eight to get back to .500 for the first time since they were 12-12, when a six-game losing streak ensued.

Long had three hits, lifting his average from under .200 to .217. He homered for the second straight game.

Anderson surrendered a run in the first inning, but then didn't allow another base hit until the eighth inning before tiring in the ninth.

StL 6, Pit 1

Wednesday, May 20- The St. Louis Cardinals blew open a tight game with three runs in the sixth inning and two in the seventh, and Vinegar Bend Mizell pitched a complete game in a 6-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Sportsman's Park.

The Cardinals (20-15) stayed hot with their eighth win in their past 10 games. The Cards also stayed within two games of the first place San Francisco Giants.

Bill White's two-run double turned a 1-0 Cardinals lead into a 3-0 margin in the sixth inning. Don Blasingame later walked in a run. In the seventh, a Joe Cunningham single and a passed ball extended the lead to 6-0.

Mizell's (3-2) shutout was spoiled by an RBI double in the ninth inning off the bat of Hank Foiles.

The Pirates (16-19) lost their fourth straight game and fell into sixth place.

Bob Friend (3-3) took the loss for Pittsburgh after surrendering eight hits and four runs in six innings of work.

White, Ken Boyer and Joe Cunningham each had two hits for the Cardinals. Boyer (2) and White (3) scored five of the Cards' six runs.

SF 2, Mil 1

Wednesday, May 20- Mike McCormick pitched a complete game, five-hitter in his first start since pitching a no-hitter last week, and the San Francisco Giants nipped the Milwaukee Braves, 2-1, at Seals Stadium.

McCormick (2-3), who tossed a no-hitter against Philadelphia on May 14, didn't allow a hit until the first batter of the fifth inning against Milwaukee. Del Crandall singled, and the Seals Stadium crowd gave McCormick a standing ovation---his 13-inning hitless streak ended.

Bob Schmidt hit a solo home run (2) in the third inning to stake the Giants (22-13) to a 1-0 lead. The Braves (16-16) tied the game in the fifth inning, but struggling Willie Mays (.237) managed an RBI ground ball in the sixth inning to put the Giants ahead to stay.

Bob Buhl (2-1) took the tough loss for the Braves. Buhl pitched six innings of two-hit ball and struck out five.

The Giants maintained their strong hold on first place by taking two of three from the Braves, with all three games low scoring.

Hank Aaron (.371) kept up his hot hitting with two hits for the Braves.

LA 8, Cin 4; Cin 5, LA 3

Wednesday, May 20- Charlie Neal kept up his torrid power hitting, as did Frank Robinson, and it all added up to a doubleheader split between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers at the Coliseum. The Dodgers took Game 1, 8-4, and the Reds rebounded in Game 2, 5-3.

In Game 1, second baseman Neal of the Dodgers (20-18) clubbed his ninth home run in the eighth inning, a three-run blast that capped a four-run frame to break a 4-4 tie.

In the nightcap, Robinson also hit his ninth home run. The solo shot gave the Reds (14-21) a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning.

The Reds managed a split of the four-game series, which was quite an accomplishment given that they had lost 15 of 20 going into the series.

Don Newcombe (4-2) pitched a complete game in the nightcap. Art Fowler (3-2) picked up the win in relief in the first game.

In Game 1, the Dodgers led 4-0 before the Reds shocked with a four-run sixth, punctuated by Roy McMillan's three-run homer (5). But in the eighth, after an RBI double by Junior Gilliam snapped a 4-4 tie, Neal drove a Tom Acker pitch deep over the left field screen, scoring Gilliam and Wally Moon in front of him.

Chi 9, Phi 4

Wednesday, May 20- The Chicago Cubs jumped all over Philadelphia starter Don Cardwell for seven runs in less than four innings of work, and cruised to a 9-4 victory at Wrigley Field. It was the Cubs' fourth straight win.

The Phillies (14-19) scored twice in the first inning and twice in the ninth inning off Cubs starter Moe Drabowsky (2-3), who tossed his second complete game of the season.

But the Cubs (18-19) were relentless against Cardwell (0-3), whose ERA soared to 8.59 after the onslaught.

Dale Long (4) hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Alvin Dark (1) added a two-run shot in the fourth, knocking Cardwell out after 3.1 turbulent innings. Walt Moryn's two-run double in the second inning accounted for the other two of the seven runs scored against righty Cardwell.

Bobby Thomson hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot, in the seventh inning. Ernie Banks added an RBI double in the eighth.

Carl Sawatski (3) hit a two-run homer for the Phillies in the ninth.

Drabowsky surrendered just six hits. He walked four and struck out four.

StL 2, Pit 1 (10)

Tuesday, May 19- Gino Cimoli's base hit to center field scored Alex Grammas from second base with two outs in the tenth inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-1, at Sportsman's Park.

In a game filled with late inning maneuvering and pitching changes, the Cardinals (19-15) prevailed behind the pitching of Larry Jackson, Marshall Bridges and Bob Gibson (W, 2-2). St. Louis stayed in second place and moved within two games of the San Francisco Giants, who lost to Milwaukee.

The Pirates (16-18) have lost three in a row.

In the tenth, Grammas singled with one out. Pinch-hitter Wally Shannon flied out, but Don Blasingame kept the inning alive with a hard single to right that moved Grammas to second base. Cimoli then delivered a bounding ball up the middle.

Bob Porterfield (2-1) took the loss for Pittsburgh, whose only run was unearned in the sixth, courtesy of two Cardinals errors in the inning.

Mil 3, SF 1

Tuesday, May 19- Joey Jay fired a complete game four-hitter, and the Milwaukee Braves slowed down the surging, first place San Francisco Giants, 3-1 at Seals Stadium.

The only run Jay (2-1) allowed was unearned and came in the seventh inning. He also helped his own cause with his bat by drilling an RBI double in the second inning for a 2-0 Braves lead.

Del Crandall hit his sixth home run of 1959 in the fourth inning to extend the Braves' lead to 3-0.

The Braves (16-15) moved back to within 3.5 games of the Giants (21-13).

Jack Sanford (3-4) of the Giants also pitched a complete game in a losing effort.

Cin 10, LA 4

Tuesday, May 19- Frank Robinson belted two home runs and drove in six runs as the Cincinnati Reds overpowered the Los Angeles Dodgers, 10-4 at the Coliseum.

The Reds used the Dodgers method of winning---power. Los Angeles leads the league in home runs, but the Reds (13-20) clubbed four homers in winning just their sixth game in their past twenty matches.

Robinson hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning and a three-run blast in the fifth. He added an RBI single in the ninth.

Jim Pendleton and Frank Thomas also homered for the Reds.

The game started inauspiciously for Reds starter Jim Brosnan, who was making his first 1959 start. Leadoff hitter Wally Moon reached on an error, then Charlie Neal slugged his eighth home run for a quick 2-0 Dodgers lead. But Brosnan (1-2) settled down and pitched 8.1 innings.

The Reds roughed up Dodgers starter Johnny Podres (3-4) for six runs in five innings of work.

The Dodgers (19-17) have lost six of eight.

Chi 4, Phi 2

Tuesday, May 19- George Altman's pinch-hit, two-run double in the sixth inning snapped a 2-2 tie and the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-2 at Wrigley Field.

It was the Cubs' (17-19) third straight win, and broke a tie for sixth place with the Phillies (14-18).

Altman's drive to right center came off Phillies starter Gene Conley (2-2) and knocked Conley out of the game. Cubs starter Darrell Hillman (5-0) stayed unbeaten, with three innings of relief help from Taylor Phillips and Don Elston, who picked up his fourth save.

Sparky Anderson had three singles and scored a run for the Phillies, and Alvin Dark had a double and two singles for the Cubs.

SF 3, Mil 2

Monday, May 18- Willie Mays abandoned his sluggish start at the best possible time, slugging a three-run homer in the seventh inning, wiping out a 1-0 deficit, and the first place San Francisco Giants beat the Milwaukee Braves, 3-2 at Seals Stadium.

It was just Mays' fourth home run of the season, lifting his average to a pedestrian .250.

The Giants (21-12) looked like they might suffer a rare (lately) loss, but Mays rescued them, plating Ed Bressoud and Andre Rodgers ahead of him after his towering drive to left center off Braves starter Warren Spahn (3-6).

The Braves (15-15) lost for just the third time in the past 10 games.

Eddie Mathews drilled his 8th home run in the ninth inning off reliever Gordon Jones, who despite the blast earned his third save in relief of Sam Jones (6-2).

The Giants opened up a three-game lead over idle St. Louis and Los Angeles, who beat Cincinnati.

LA 5, Cin 3

Monday, May 18- The Los Angeles Dodgers figured out a way to break their three-game losing streak: by playing the sinking Cincinnati Reds.

The Dodgers jumped to a 4-0 lead and held on to beat the Reds, 5-3 at the Coliseum, which was Cincinnati's 10th loss in their past 13 games.

The Reds (12-20) only managed three hits off three Dodgers pitchers, one of which was Frank Robinson's three-run homer (6) in the sixth inning, which made the score 4-3.

Stan Williams (2-3) went 5.2 innings before tiring in the sixth, but still earned the victory. Struggling Clem Labine pitched two mostly uneventful innings to pick up his first save.

Dodgers second baseman Charlie Neal had four hits, including his seventh home run of the season.

The Reds used Willard Schmidt (0-1) as a spot starter, and it didn't go well. Schmidt went just 3.1 innings, yielding four runs and nine hits, including two homers. Wally Moon led off the bottom of the first with a home run (8).

Maury Wills had three hits and scored a run in a spot start at shortstop for the Dodgers (19-16).

SF 5, Cin 1

Sunday, May 17- Stu Miller pitched a complete game in his first start of the season, helping to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Seals Stadium.

Orlando Cepeda delivered the big hit, a three-run homer (3) in the third inning..

The Giants (20-12) moved 2.5 games in front of the idle, second place St. Louis Cardinals.

Miller (1-0) scattered eight hits, walked one and struck out four.

The Reds (12-19) fell to two games out of seventh place. They have lost 13 of their past 18 games.

Gus Bell had three hits for the Reds, raising his average to .306.

Willie Kirkland had two singles and scored twice for the Giants, who welcome the Milwaukee Braves Monday.

Mil 5, LA 2

Sunday, May 17- Lew Burdette twirled a complete game, four-hitter and Billy Bruton had three hits as the Milwaukee Braves beat the suddenly stumbling Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-2 at the Coliseum.

Burdette (4-3) allowed both Dodgers runs in the first inning on a two-run homer by Duke Snider, then surrendered just two hits the rest of the way.

The Braves (15-14) have won seven of their past 10 games, while the Dodgers (18-16) have lost three in a row and four of five since briefly taking over first place last Tuesday.

The Braves scored twice in the first inning and added single runs in the second, third and fourth frames. Bruton led off the game with a triple, setting the tone for Milwaukee.

NL wins and innings leader Don Drysdale (7-3) took the loss.



Billy Bruton

Chi 7, Pit 0; Chi 8, Pit 5

Sunday, May 17- Dale Long hit two home runs and had five RBI as the Chicago Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-0 and 8-5 at Wrigley Field.

Long smacked a three-run homer in the first inning of the first game, and added a two-run shot in the second inning of the nightcap.

Bob Anderson (3-4) threw a complete game, four-hit shutout in game one. Glen Hobbie (4-4) went 6.2 up and down innings to earn the victory in game two.

In the second game, the Pirates (16-17) jumped out to a 2-0 lead by the second inning, but Long's four-bagger tied the game. After Pittsburgh went ahead 3-2 in the fourth, the Cubs scored twice in their half of the frame and then added four runs in the sixth to pull away, 8-3.

In game two, Pittsburgh starter Bennie Daniels (2-3) had two hits and two RBI in a losing cause.

The Cubs (16-19) have won four of five after a six-game losing streak.

Phi 7, StL 5

Saturday, May 16- Backup catcher Carl Sawatski smacked a three-run homer and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly as the Philadelphia Phillies came away with their second straight win over the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-5, at Sportsman's Park.

Sawatski's second home run of the year came in the fourth inning and turned a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 Phillies lead. The Phillies (14-17) added two more runs in the sixth and held on from there.

The loss was the second straight for the Cardinals (18-15) after a seven-game winning streak.

Phillies starter Jim Owens (4-1) went seven innings to earn the victory. Gary Blaylock (3-3) took the loss for St. Louis, surviving just 5.2 innings.

Another little-used player, shortstop Joe Koppe, came up big, with a triple and a single and two runs scored, plus an RBI.

Cin 8, SF 2

Saturday, May 16- Two Cincinnati Reds busted out of slumps as they handled the San Francisco Giants, 8-2, at Seals Stadium.

Frank Thomas, batting .171, went 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and six RBI to raise his average to .200. Starting pitcher Brooks Lawrence, with a 6.88 ERA entering the game, pitched a complete game, five-hitter.

The Reds (12-18) snapped a five-game losing streak. The first-place Giants (19-12) fell victim to the Reds' outburst in the sixth and seventh innings, when a 1-1 tie turned into a 7-1 Reds lead.

All four of Thomas's hits produced runs. He had a run-scoring single, a two-run homer, a two-run double, and a double that drove in another run.

Giants pitcher John Antonelli hit a home run in the third inning to tie the game, 1-1.

Mil 5, LA 4

Saturday, May 16- Mickey Vernon slugged a pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning, lifting the Milwaukee Braves to a 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Coliseum.

The Dodgers had battled back from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game with two runs in the seventh and a run in the eighth inning, on Don Demeter's solo home run.

Vernon's shot made a loser of the Dodgers (18-15) and reliever Art Fowler (2-2). The Braves (14-14) have won seven of their past 10 games.

Bob Trowbridge (1-0) got the win, and Don McMahon pitched the ninth for his third save of the season.

Hank Aaron (.385) hit his fourth homer among his three hits as the Braves outhit the Dodgers, 10-5.


Mickey Vernon

Pit 7, Chi 4

Saturday, May 16- Bill Mazeroski hit a three-run homer and had four RBI, and Harvey Haddix came one out away from a complete game as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs, 7-4, at Wrigley Field today.

Bob Skinner added a two-run homer for Pittsburgh (16-15). Haddix (2-1) also had a single to help his cause.

The Cubs (14-19) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third but the Pirates answered with two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. The Cubs didn't score again until tacking on two runs in the ninth, but the game was out of hand by then.

Cubs starter Moe Drabowsky (1-3) was roughed up: five runs, seven hits and four walks in 4.1 innings.

Phi 3, StL 2

Friday, May 15- Richie Ashburn went 5-for-5 and the Philadelphia Phillies banged out 13 hits the day after being no-hit, in defeating the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-2 at Sportsman's Park. The Cardinals' seven-game winning streak was snapped.

Ashburn had four singles and a double and scored a run. Catcher Jim Hegan had three hits and scored the other two Phillies runs.

Robin Roberts pitched a complete-game, three-hitter for the Phillies (13-17). Despite the imbalance of hits, the Cardinals (18-14) almost tied the game in the ninth, but George Crowe's bid for a second home run was caught on the warning track by Wally Post.

The Cardinals fell into a second place tie with the idle Los Angeles Dodgers. Both teams are two games behind the San Francisco Giants, who beat the Cincinnati Reds on the Bay.

SF 2, Cin 1

Friday, May 15- The Cincinnati Reds shoddy defense allowed two unearned runs in the seventh inning, and that was the difference as the San Francisco Giants won, 2-1, at Seals Stadium tonight.

It was the Reds' 12th loss in their past 16 games. They fell 7-1/2 games behind the first-place Giants (19-11).

Leading 1-0 (another unearned run), the Reds' Don Newcombe retired the first two batters in the seventh. Then disaster struck. Normally sure-handed center fielder Vada Pinson dropped a line drive, putting Jim Davenport at second base. Hobie Landrith walked. Pinch-hitter Orlando Cepeda delivered a run-scoring single to tie the game. Andre Rodgers then hit a ground ball to third base, and it was bobbled by Frank Thomas, allowing Landrith to score with the go-ahead run.

Reliever Gordon Jones got out of an eighth inning jam then pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.

Newcombe (3-2) took the hard luck loss for Cincinnati (11-18).

Jack Sanford (3-3) got the win for the first-place Giants.

Stl 7, Mil 6

Thursday, May 14- George Crowe hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth, and the St. Louis Cardinals won their seventh straight game, 7-6 over the Milwaukee Braves at Sportsman's Park Thursday night.

Crowe was the second Cardinal to hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer. Gene Oliver did it in the seventh inning.

The Braves (13-14) led 3-0 and 6-3 but couldn't hold off the surging Cards.

Ken Boyer hit his fourth homer, also a two-run blast, in the sixth inning for St. Louis (18-13).

Crowe's game-winning homer came off loser Don McMahon (2-2), who had earlier in the inning walked pinch-hitter Joe Cunningham.

Dick Ricketts (1-0) got the win after pitching two scoreless innings in relief.

SF 3, Phi 0

Thursday, May 14- Mike McCormick threw the first no-hitter of the season and the San Francisco Giants opened a 1.5-game lead in the league race with a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies today at Seals Stadium.

The left-handed McCormick (1-3) came into the game with an ERA of 7.21 and winless before twirling his gem. He walked two and struck out seven.

There weren't any real challenging plays for his defense as McCormick kept the Phillies hitters off balance all afternoon. In the ninth, pinch-hitter Dave Philley grounded out to shortstop, Richie Ashburn grounded out to second base, and Chico Fernandez lofted a lazy fly ball to center field to complete the no-hitter. McCormick then jumped into the arms of catcher Hobie Landrith as his Giants teammates soon swarmed him.

Andre Rodgers (5) and Willie Kirkland (3) hit solo homers for the Giants (18-11), who gained a game on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ray Semproch (0-2) took the loss for the Phillies (12-17).

Pit 4, LA 2

Thursday, May 14- Hank Foiles' two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning broke a 2-2 tie and the Pittsburgh Pirates stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-2, tonight at the Coliseum.

The Pirates trailed, 2-1, going into the ninth inning. But Dick Stuart led off with a single. Bill Virdon pinch-ran and went to third on Bob Skinner's single. That knocked starter Johnny Podres out of the game. Reliever Clem Labine then faced Bill Mazeroski, who laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to tie the game. Two batters later, Foiles connected for his third homer this season, in just 36 at-bats.

Roy Face got through the bottom of the ninth with just a walk as the Pirates (15-15) and Dodgers (18-14) split the two-game series.

Bob Porterfield (2-0) pitched two perfect relief innings to get the victory. Face picked up his third save.

Podres (3-3) took the tough loss.

Chi 5, Cin 1

Thursday, May 14- Ernie Banks hit his 10th home run of the season, Lee Walls added his fourth, and the Chicago Cubs beat the reeling Cincinnati Reds, 5-1, at Wrigley Field today, behind the solid pitching of Darrell Hillman.

The Reds (11-17) have dropped 11 of their past 15 games. After a six-game losing streak, the Cubs (14-18) swept the Reds in this mini two-game series.

Hillman (4-0) went eight innings, scattering seven hits while walking none. Joe Nuxhall (2-3) took the loss for  the Reds. He lasted 5.2 innings.

Banks drove his homer over the left field wall through a high wind in the sixth inning to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead. Chicago added two more runs in the frame---on a two-run double by Dale Long off reliever Willard Schmidt.

Roy McMillan (.371) had two more hits and scored a run, keeping up his hot hitting.

Musial: "I have more baseball left in me"

St. Louis (May 13)- After hitting his first home run of the season, after almost 90 at-bats, Cards veteran Stan Musial says that, at age 38, he feels like he can play a few more years.

"I have more baseball left in me," Musial said as he spoke to reporters, shirtless, sipping a 7-Up soda. "I haven't had a great start, but I feel good physically."

Musial had three hits in the Cardinals' 6-3 win over Milwaukee on Wednesday night, which lifted his batting average to just .233. He has just seven RBI this season.

Still, Musial discounts the effects of age.

"Is my bat as quick as it was 10 years ago? Of course not. But you have to make adjustments. The team is winning, so that's good."

The Cards have won six straight games and are just one game out of first place.

Musial added that his goal is to play beyond the age of 40, which would take him at least into the 1961 season.

StL 6, Mil 3

Wednesday, May 13- Stan Musial's first home run of the season, a three-run blast in the first inning, carried the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-3 win over the Milwaukee Braves at Sportsman's Park tonight. The Cardinals (17-13) have now won six straight games.

Musial drove a Warren Spahn (3-5) offering deep over the right field wall, scoring Don Blasingame and Gino Cimoli ahead of Stan "The Man," setting the Cards to an early 3-0 lead.

The Cardinals stretched the lead to 5-0 before the Braves struck for three runs in the seventh inning. But that was as close as Milwaukee (13-13) got before succumbing to Larry Jackson (5-2) with relief help from Bob Gibson (2nd save).

Cimoli had three hits for the Cardinals, as did Musial.

SF 8, Phi 3

Wednesday, May 13- The San Francisco Giants maintained their hold on first place with a convincing 8-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Seals Stadium today.

The Giants (17-11) remain a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sam Jones (5-2) fired a complete game, seven-hitter. The Giants scored all their runs by the fourth inning, jumping all over Phillies starter Ruben Gomez (1-3).

Leon Wagner, rarely used, had three hits and an RBI in a spot start in left field. Wagner had a double, two singles, a walk, and scored two runs.

Andre Rodgers hit his fourth home run, a two-run shot, to knock Gomez out of the game.

Ed Bouchee (.381) went 1-for-2 with two RBI for Philadelphia (12-16).

LA 9, Pit 1

Wednesday, May 13- Don Drysdale added to his league-leading innings pitched by twirling a complete game four-hitter, and the Los Angeles Dodgers romped over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-1, at the Coliseum.

Drysdale (7-2) pitched his seventh complete game and now has tossed 81 innings, a pace to eclipse 400 innings for the season. He didn't allow a run until Roberto Clemente's home run in the ninth inning.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers poured it on Pirates starter Ron Kline (1-3) to the tune of seven runs (five earned) by the fifth inning. Wally Moon had three hits (single, double, triple) and four RBI for Los Angeles (18-13), who took a share of first place with the San Francisco Giants, pending the result of the Giants game Wednesday night. The Pirates (14-15) lost 9-1 for the second night in a row; they fell to the Giants in San Francisco on Tuesday night.

Drysdale is also on pace to become the big leagues' first 30-game winner since St. Louis Cardinal Dizzy Dean did it in 1934. At the plate, Drysdale drew three walks and scored a run.

Chi 6, Cin 0

Wednesday, May 13- In a battle of struggling teams, Glen Hobbie pitched a complete game, four-hit shutout as the Chicago Cubs snapped a six-game losing streak with a 6-0 victory over the stumbling Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field.

The Reds (11-16) have lost eight of their past 11 games. The Cubs (13-18) pulled into a seventh place tie with Cincinnati.

Lee Walls had three hits for the Cubs.

Hobbie (3-4) walked two and struck out seven. Reds starter Bob Purkey (4-3) took the loss as he was knocked out of the game two batters into the sixth inning.

StL 5, Cin 2

Tuesday, May 12- Gary Blaylock pitched a complete game, seven-hitter and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds, 5-2 at Sportsman's Park---the Cards' fifth straight victory.

Alex Grammas had two doubles and an RBI for St. Louis (16-13) and Bill White (.376) had three singles and an RBI.

Blaylock (3-2) scattered seven hits, walked four and struck out four.

Gus Bell had two singles for Cincinnati (11-15), which dropped its second straight and has lost seven of its past 10 games.

SF 9, Pit 1

Tuesday, May 12- John Antonelli pitched his fifth complete game of the year and was backed with more than ample offense as the San Francisco Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-1, Tuesday at Seals Stadium.

The Giants (16-11) rapped out 14 hits off Pirates starter Vern Law and reliever Bennie Daniels, including home runs from Orlando Cepeda, Jackie Brandt and Bob Schmidt.

Combined with the Los Angeles Dodgers' loss to the Philadelphia Phillies later last night, the Giants moved into first place by a half-game.

Cepeda's two-run homer in the seventh was the 12th hit off Law (1-3), who was knocked out of the game after 6.1 innings. The blast was just the second homer of the season for Cepeda.

Meanwhile, Antonelli (6-1) was brilliant, though he struck out no one. He retired 10 straight Pirates (14-14) between the third and sixth innings.

Phillies' Post: "I gotta get going"

Los Angeles (May 12)- The Phillies won a game tonight, but one of their star players was unhappy.

"I gotta get going," said outfielder Wally Post, who the Phillies count on for big production.

Post went 0-4 and is batting just .167 in 96 at-bats.

"It's not early anymore," Post said.

Post said that he was glad the Phillies beat the Dodgers, but he knows the team could win more games if he was producing more.

"They rely on me," Post said. "Tonight I was swinging at bad pitches again. I'm too anxious right now."

Phillies manager Eddie Sawyer shared Post's concern but was optimistic.

"Wally will hit," Sawyer said. "This game humbles you, but he will hit."

Phi 6, LA 3

Tuesday, May 12- The Philadelphia Phillies scored five unearned runs in the second inning and cruised to a 6-3 win over the league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers at the Coliseum.

An error by first baseman Norm Larker to start the inning led to five runs being scored after the inning should have been over. The big blow was a bases loaded triple by Joe Koppe. Willie Jones hit yet another home run, his eighth, and third in the past two games.

Gene Conley pitched a complete game for Philadelphia (12-15). Charlie Neal and Wally Moon hit home runs for Los Angeles (17-13), which had its three-game winning streak snapped.

Mil 8, Chi 3

Tuesday, May 12- The Milwaukee Braves banged out 16 hits and beat the Chicago Cubs, 8-3, handing the North Siders their sixth straight loss.

The Braves have won three straight.

Joe Adcock's pinch-hit, two-run homer gave the visiting Braves (13-12) a 7-3 lead in the seventh inning after Ernie Banks' solo homer in the sixth brought the Cubs (12-18) to within 5-3.

Walt Moryn and Dale Long hit back-to-back solo homers for Chicago in the second inning, staking the Cubs to an early 2-0 lead.

Lew Burdette pitched a complete-game nine-hitter for Milwaukee, which was notable for Burdette walking no one and striking out no one.


Lew Burdette

Willie Mays: .245 BA after nearly 100 AB

What's wrong with Willie Mays?

Mays

98

15

24

6

0

3

14

10

10

2

.245

This is NOT a typical Mays line after nearly 100 at-bats. The Say Hey Kid took another 0-4 collar May 11 against the Pirates, never getting the ball out of the infield.

This is a situation that bears watching. The good news for Giants fans is that the team is still challenging for first place, despite Mays' bad season so far.

Pit 7, SF 2

May 11- Bennie Daniels pitched a complete-game, five hitter, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-2 win over the San Francisco Giants at Seals Stadium.

Ted Kluszewski (two-run) and Bob Skinner (solo) hit home runs for the Pirates (14-13). The loss knocked the Giants (15-11) into second place, one-half game behind Los Angeles.

LA 3, Phi 2 (13 inn)

Monday, May 11- Junior Gilliam's single through a drawn-in infield scored John Roseboro and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2, in 13 innings at the Coliseum.

The first four runs of the game all came on solo homers. Willie Jones hit two home runs (6 and 7) for the Phillies (11-15), while Gil Hodges (7) and Wally Moon (6) connected for the Dodgers (17-12), who continued to put pressure on the first place San Francisco Giants. Jones' second homer came in the 12th inning, but Moon's shot re-tied the game in the bottom of the 12th.

Welcome!

Welcome to my replay of the 1959 National League MLB season, using the classic tabletop simulation game, Strat-o-Matic!

Today I have just set up this blog. Along the top are team pages and standings and league leaders. The team pages will give you up-to-date stats (hitting for now; pitching soon). The standings page will show you the standings for each morning during the season. The league leaders page will give you links to download Excel spreadsheets.

The season consisted of about 616 games. A running counter can be found on the sidebar, so you know where I'm at in the project. I started the project sometime in 2009, so it's literally years in the making!

You can also follow the replay at this thread in the SOM Forum.