Game 1 in Detroit
Jim Bunning (20-8, 2.94) v Camilo Pascual (13-12, 3.67)
Love the anticipation in the lead up to the first pitch being thrown, especially when the opener pits two such evenly-matched teams including the pitchers involved, as is the case here with two Johnson-Waddell winners on show. We’ll certainly be looking to make an early statement as I’m sure the Tigers will be, and leaving Motown with a game in the pocket will help our chances here exponentially.
The game and its chief protagonists do not disappoint in a pitchers’ duel that we finally get the edge in very late and close out for a 3-1 win. Pascual scatters 9 hits over his 7 IP and Gibbon delivers yet another pristine six-out showing to lock down the win. Maris has 3 hits and 2 RBI, while Blanchard pops a solo jack in a strong team performance.
Game 2 in Detroit
Frank Lary (18-9, 3.49) v Bob Friend (17-9, 3.60)
Pirates lead series 1-0
Another tough one for us here with Frank Lary among the league’s best practitioners. Bob Friend showed plenty of guts in the corresponding game a year ago to hang tough after early trouble and that’s all we want from him again today.
Pitching dominates for the second straight game, which almost totally mirrors the previous one as we break a scoreless deadlock in the 8th and lock down a shutout win. Friend is simply outstanding, giving up just 3 hits and fanning the same number, while Felipe Alou is the hero at the plate with a pinch-hit home run that ends up being the only scoring. Never in our wildest dreams did we envisage going home two to the good, now we have to take full advantage of having done so.
Game 3 in Pittsburgh
Johnny Podres (14-10, 4.42) v Roger Craig (8-14, 4.37)
Pirates lead series 2-0
Little difference again from a year ago, with Podres’ spotty form and yet such great talent an impossible paradox to separate beforehand. He takes on Roger Craig, who is more of a workhorse than a star but still rates highly with our Scouting department.
Johnny isn’t too bad, but Craig is even better in another low-scoring affair with them leading from the off and just sneaking home in the end by 3 to 2 with the tying run stranded at second. Norm Cash’s 2-run homer in the 6th proves the difference and Craig impresses over his 6 frames. Let’s hope that is the last we see of him for the year.
Game 4 in Pittsburgh
Bob Purkey (13-8, 3.49) v Galen Cisco (6-4, 3.05)
Pirates lead series 2-1
A couple underrated albeit inconsistent guys up on duty in this one. Bob Purkey has definitely been working hard on his game and the dividend for that has been reaped with a much-improved showing this year. We are expecting that to continue and a strong performance here will do his hopes in that regard the world of good. Rookie Cisco acquitted himself very well in his maiden season and we are prepared for more of the same here.
This ends up being almost two different games merged into one as the early innings continue the tight, pitching-dominant theme before the bats comes alive. They go ahead 4-0 in the 5th only for us to get back on level terms in one swing as Gene Freese smacks a slam. They then erase all 4 of those runs over the ensuing two innings and square the series at 2 with a 9-4 win. Kaline leads the way for them with 4 hits including a homer and 2 RBI. Game. On.
Game 5 in Pittsburgh
Camilo Pascual (0-0, 0.00) v Jim Bunning (0-0, 1.50)
Series tied 2-2
And so this series, and the entire season in fact, is distilled into a best-of-three contest. No home side has yet won a game, a pattern we can ill afford to let continue here as the Game 1 pitchers meet again.
The bats go ominously quiet and they eventually get to Patata and then Aguirre late in relief, grinding out another impressive win to go back to Detroit in control of their own destiny. Kaline is killing us and adds 3 hits and 4 RBI to his growing total, while Bunning once again shows the icy control he has become renowned for. We will need every bit of gumption we are renowned for to escape this pretty predicament we've put ourselves in.
Game 6 in Detroit
Bob Friend (1-0, 2.00) v Bennie Daniels (0-1, 9.00)
Tigers lead series 3-2
Our comeback from this point a year ago was greatly helped by the fact that the final two games were at Forbes. No such like this time around, and we’ve forced ourselves to do this the hardest possible way. It all starts with Friend keeping us close, or preferably repeating his Game 2 heroics. Then the offence has to wake up or else we are toast. Easier said than done against Lary.
Fateful words indeed those, as he keeps us oh so quiet at plate and consigns us to our first World Series loss since 1947. We actually don’t get our first hit until the 6th and just 4 all told as we never look remotely capable of bridging the gap from the moment we fall behind. Friend does all he can, but our bats simply choose to go on holiday a week ahead of time. Kudos to the Tigers, they have a fine ballclub indeed and thoroughly deserve this, the fourth title in franchise history. Equally deserving: Al Kaline’s 2nd career MVP award.
DETROIT WINS SERIES 4-2
SERIES MVP: Al Kaline (Detroit)
