May 6, 1961
WILLIAMS SWATS FOUR
Ted Williams had a magnificent performance last night, hitting four home runs in the Lakers 10-5 win over the Minneapolis Millers.
Williams stepped up in the first inning and led off the game with a homer off of Millers starter Vernon Noggle. Williams homered again off Noggle in the third. Williams then did his damage to the bullpen in the 6th, homering off of James Evans. He capped his day with a homer off of Murray Wall in the 8th.
"I was seeing the ball really well today. I'm just glad I was able to help us win a ballgame," Williams said.
The win gives the Lakers a 16-13 record. They are 7 GB of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who lead the Eastern Division with a 23-6 record. Toronto's ten game winning streak came to an end last night on a 3-1 loss to the Atlanta Pilots.
Williams' four homers gives him 23 on the year, a 7 homer cushion on Toronto's Leon Wagner for the league lead. It also extended his current hitting streak to 20 games.
"He sure does make it easy for me to pencil him in the lineup," Lakers manager Shawn Tucker joked after the game.
In more bad news for the Minneapolis Millers, who are off to an 8-21 start, Maury Willis suffered a setback today from his intercostal strain. He could miss up to two more weeks.
