[jksander]

JULY 22, 1955 . . . Saul Rogovin (15-6, 2.04 ERA, 188.1 IP, 214 K’s, 0.77 WHIP) is up in the rotation for game one at Pittsburgh, taking on Roy Face (9-9, 2.29 ERA, 165.2 IP, 183 K’s, 0.96 WHIP), their staff ace. Al Kaline got a hit to start the game, and then he tried to steal second, injuring himself on the slide. F---! He’s out of the game, and we had to bring Bob Will in as a defensive substitute just three minutes after first pitch. Joe Collins batted in a run in the top of the second, with Robinson getting in safely on a groundout to first, and Saul Rogovin shocked everyone in the ballpark by blasting a two-run homer in the top of the third, giving himself a solid 3-0 lead. With two outs, Jackie Robinson hit an RBI triple, and we went into the bottom of the inning leading the Pirates 4-0. Bob Will put his stamp on the game in the top of the fifth, walking to start the inning and then coming all the way around to score on a double by Roger Maris, though Maris was thrown out trying to take third and Willie Mays struck out to end the inning with us up 5-0. Will, who was acquired in the trade with New York that sent them Sievers and Hatton, is playing in just his 11th major league game, and has yet to notch his first hit, but he’s making an impression nonetheless! Joe Collins batted in a run in the top of the sixth to add to our margin, and Rogovin held tough through the remainder of the game to hold on to the shutout, and Del Crandall iced it with a two-run blast in the top of the ninth, his 15th this season, to make it 8-0. In the bottom of the ninth, rain started to fall, and the Pirates picked up a pair of hits, putting runners on the corners. Rogovin got a strikeout, loaded the bases with a single to Rocky Nelson, and then Rogovin made a great throw to pick off the runner from third at home on an infield single by Jim Finigan! He pitched to contact for the final out, and Gene Freese hit it right to Mays to end this one just as the rain started to pour down, completing the 8-0 shutout.

Rogovin improved to 16-6 with the complete game 136-pitch effort, giving up seven hits and three walks, striking out 12 and holding on for the shutout, bringing his ERA down to 1.95. We had 11 hits ourselves, led easily by Jackie Robinson with four hits for two runs and an RBI, though Rogovin helped with a pair of hits and the homer that batted in two. Joe Collins batted in two as did Del Crandall with his homer also. But as good as the win felt, we were even happier to learn that Kaline simply bruised his foot badly, and will be day to day for the remainder of the Pittsburgh series. We’ve decided to let him rest, giving Bob Will a few more games at right field to get his feet wet, so we don’t aggrivate the injury -- Kaline is too important to this team to risk losing him for longer. Gene Baker will bat in the leadoff position until we bring Kaline back into the lineup.
 
JULY 23, 1955 . . . We played our second game against Pittsburgh this series in front of next to nobody ... the Pirates were barely able to draw 7,300 fans into this place to watch their 44-55 team play. Camilo Pascual (11-4, 2.86 ERA, 125.2 IP, 133 K’s, 1.00 WHIP) pitched in game one against Johnny Kucks (6-7, 3.46 ERA, 135.1 IP, 39 K’s, 1.32 WHIP). We took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, when with two outs, Jackie Robinson hit an RBI double that drove Mays in to score. Bob Will got a major league hit, a single in the top of the second, but he was picked off on a Fielder’s Choice that sent Camilo Pascual to first in his place, and we weren’t able to add any runs. In the top of the third, Willie Mays reached first on a single, then stole second, with Ernie Banks then reaching first on balls. With Del Crandall at the bat and the count 1-1, Mays and Banks successfully pulled off a double steal, giving us two in scoring position! Crandall batted out to center, but Mays was able to slide in safe for our second run of the day! Mays now has 14 stolen bases this season, while this was Banks’ fourth. Pascual walked a pair in the bottom of the fourth but got out of the jam with a great double play. Ernie Banks hit his 24th homer of the year over the left field wall to make it a 3-0 ballgame in the top of the sixth, but Pascual gave up a hit and two walks to start the bottom of the inning, and we started warming up Tom Ferrick. Joe Garagiola got a hit into center, driving in the Pirates’ first run of the game, but Pascual got a strikeout at just the right time and then Rocky Nelson hit a grounder into a 4-2-3 double play, and our lead survives intact! Roger Maris came in and hit a solo blast to right, his 16th of the year, and we went into the stretch with a 4-1 lead intact.

We sat Ferrick and brought in Harry Dorish to protect the three-run lead in the bottom of the seventh. Del Crandall added to our lead with a hard-hit blast to center, giving him his 16th homer of the year and extending our lead to four runs! Dorish gave up a solo blast to left via Rip Repulski to start the bottom of the eighth, but he struck out Colavito swinging, and quickly got the next two outs by flyout, sending us into the top of the ninth with a 5-2 lead. Baker got a hit to start the inning, moving to second on a groundout by Maris. Willie Mays hit an RBI triple to make it 6-2 Cubs, and Robinson added a hit into right that drove Mays in to score. Ernie Banks hit his second homer of the game to turn this one into a blowout, A wild pitch by Minnich allowed Joe Collins to score our 10th run of the night, and Harry Dorish stayed in to finish the three-inning save as we beat the Pirates 10-2.

Pascual improved to 12-4 with a four-hit six inning effort, striking out seven but walking six and giving up one earned run. His ERA improved to 2.80 for the season, but that was a very erratic performance. Harry Dorish came in and got his second save of the year, giving us three two-hit innings with four strikeouts and a walk, giving up just one run and bringing his ERA down to 1.12 through 40 innings. We hit like crazy again in this one, outslugging them 19-6, led by Ernie Banks with three hits, two runs and three RBIs. Roger Maris added three hits for a run and an RBI, and Willie Mays hit three times for three runs and an RBI. Batting eighth in the order, Bob Will got three hits in five at-bats, but was left stranded each time. He has solid gap power and a good eye, and given time to develop I think the Yankees are going to be sorry they moved him along.

We now have a 2-0 lead in the series, heading into tomorrow’s doubleheader. Hy Cohen will likely be available for the second game, but we’ll be giving Bud Watkins a shot in game one, in the major league debut for the 24-year-old slowball pitcher.

JULY 24, 1955 . . . It’s doubleheader day! We’re going to have a debut pitcher this afternoon in game one -- 24-year-old Bud Watkins has been up here with the team since Diehl was suspended, but I would have been calling him up by September regardless. He’s currently got a 6-4 record and a 3.76 ERA while pitching for AAA Los Angeles, with 99 K’s and a 1.42 WHIP. It’s going to be a good chance to see how he can handle major league batters, with a five inning effort being a good result if he can last that long. Our bullpen is rested and we’ll have Cohen pitching in the second game, so if it does turn into a bullpen game we can handle it. Watkins relies heavily on his slider, cutter and change-up, and has velocity in the upper 80s, but with great stuff and solid control according to his manager in AAA. Pittsburgh’s Dick Hall (6-15, 3.61 ERA, 167.0 IP, 66 K’s, 1.30 WHIP) will be the opposing pitcher tonight.

Al Kaline will NOT be available today, though we will have him available when we return to Wrigley on Tuesday.

After a quiet first inning for both sides, Jackie Robinson woke up the somnambulant crowd with a solo homer to left, giving him 31 for the season and putting us ahead 1-0! Watkins pitched very well from the start, giving up just two hits in the first two innings and getting his first major league strikeout against Bob Meisner! Roger Maris batted in an RBI double in the top of the third, and Maris picked up his seventh stolen base of the year with an 0-2 count on Robinson, at which point Robinson managed to take first on a throwing error, giving Maris time to score from third! Talk about buying some room to back up your young pitcher. Watkins got into a jam in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded, a run scoring on a fielder’s choice that allowed Bob Meisner to take first, scoring Joe Garagiola, but a grounder to Banks and a heads-up pick at second got us out of the inning with the 4-1 lead still intact. With two outs and Al Rosen at the plate in the top of the sixth, Jackie Robinson got a good lead-off and was able to steal third, his 17th stolen base of the year, and then Rosen got a hit into right field to bring him home, extending the lead to 5-1. Bob Will walked to load the bases, and with a chance to put the game away Bill Serena pinch-hit for Bud Watkins, but he flew out harmlessly to end the inning with our lead at four runs.

Bob Porterfield came in to pitch for us in the bottom of the sixth, surrendering a double to Colavito, who advanced to third on a flyout to right. Colavito scored a run when Billy Klaus grounded out to first for our second out, and Porterfield got us out of the inning and through the seventh without any further damage. Sandy Koufax came in for the bottom of the eighth with the score still 5-2 Cubs, and though the Pirates loaded the bases, they came out with nothing. Koufax stayed out to complete the ninth inning, and we were able to close out the 5-2 victory to take a 3-0 lead in the series.

Bud Watkins had a great afternoon, starting his career out 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA, thanks to a five hit two strikeout three walk run through five innings, giving up just one run. Porterfield lasted two innings with one hit and one earned run, and Koufax lasted two innings as well with two hits, two walks and a strikeout, giving him 14 saves this year and a 2.34 ERA through 57.2 innings.
 
I’ve decided not to use Cohen in the second game of the doubleheader. He’ll start against the Giants at Wrigley on Tuesday on full rest, and will then be available during the Philly series. Dave Hillman (0-1, 9.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 4 K’s, 2.00 WHIP) will start this afternoon, with Purkey, Porterfield and Ferrick available in what I’m treating as a bullpen game. Kaline came in for the second game as well, saying he needed the chance to stretch and find his rhythm again, though Bob Will was available as a sub if needed. The Pirates brought out Don Bessent (5-6, 4.16 ERA, 97.1 IP, 42 K’s, 1.48 WHIP) and they looked completely whipped even during pre-game activities.

Kaline got a hit to start the game, reaching third on a Roger Maris double (Maris’ 18th two-bagger of the year so far!) and scoring on an RBI single by Willie Mays. Jackie Robinson then hit a triple to drive in another pair, and right off the bat Hillman had some room to work with in just his second start as a Cub. AL Rosen batted in a fourth run, still no outs, and a Del Crandall flyout to center scored a fifth run. Hillman and Kaline batted out quietly and we went into the bottom of the first with a 5-0 lead. Hillman gave up a solo homer to Jack Shepard in the bottom of the second, and Ken Boyer added an RBI double to make it 5-2. Dale Long batted in a run with a single to make it 5-3, but Long tried to stretch his way home from first on a Rip Repulski single and we got him out at home plate. Three runs surrendered that inning, but we were still up by a pair. Jim Russell hit a one-out RBI single in the bottom of the third to pull within a run, but Hillman settled down and kept us in control of the lead through the fifth inning, still up 5-4.

Bob Purkey came in to pitch in the bottom of the sixth, getting three quick flyouts to keep us ahead by the single run. Jackie Robinson got a hit in the top of the seventh, just our sixth of the game, and he stretched it into a double with two outs. Ernie Banks hit one hard into left, just over the head of the fielder, careening off the wall and into the outfield, giving him enough time to get three bases and bat in an insurance run, sending us into the stretch with a 6-4 lead. Al Kaline made a spectacular diving catch at the wall in right field, catching what would have been a homer for pinch-hitter Jim Finnegan, but Purkey grimaced on the mound and grabbed his arm. He’s got to come out of this one, one out, no one on, bottom of the seventh. Porterfield came out to try and get us through the inning until we could get Harry Dorish properly warmed. A flyout to center and then another solid catch by Kaline and we did enough to get out of there, but this game is becoming quite a battle. Harry Dorish came in to pitch in the eighth inning with the lead still 6-4, and he got us through the inning safely, but the top of our order was unable to get any insurance runs. Dorish got two outs in the bottom of the ninth but then gave up a single to Jim Finegan, and we brought Koufax out, warmed up, to get the final out. Three strikes, you’re out, Ken Boyer, and just like that we swept the Pirates, winning this one 6-4!

Dan Hillman gave us three good innings and a pair of rough ones, giving up eight hits with a strikeout and a walk while giving up four runs, improving his record to 1-1 with an 8.36 ERA. Purkey got his second hold of the year, lasting 1.1 innings with no hits and only throwing seven pitches before he had to exit the game. Porterfield got his second hold as well, getting two outs in a row through four pitches to get us out of the inning without having had time to properly warm up. Harry Dorish then got his third hold of the year, lasting 1.2 innings with two hits and a strikeout, keeping his ERA at 1.08 on the season. Koufax came in and got the final out and got his 15th save in the process. What a wild way to pull this one out! More impressive was the fact that we were outhit 10-7 and still came out with enough runs to win this one. Jackie Robinson hit twice for two runs and two RBIs, and Willie Mays hit once and walked once, scoring and batting in a run. Same went for Ernie Banks, while Al Kaline hit once, walked once, and scored a run on the ground.

Purkey will be day to day for the next week or so, with mild shoulder strain. Again we get a scare, but avoid anything serious injury-wise as we head back to Wrigley for a day off, followed by twenty consecutive days of baseball, with 22 games to be played. We’re moving Hillman back down to AAA and re-activating Robert Diehl following his final game of the suspension which will be on Tuesday. Diehl will return to the rotation between Rogovin and Pascual, and will likely get a start during a Wednesday doubleheader against the Giants. We have four games against the Giants and four games against the Phillies over the next six days, so everyone in our rotation (including Bud Watkins, who earned the right to stay up here as our fifth starter) should get a lot of work in.

In the NL, we hold a 14 game lead still on the Phillies, having won our 81st game during the Pittsburgh sweep. Philadelphia is 68-35, and Cincinnati (55-45) is way back more than 25 games, with Brooklyn (49-49) clinging to the hope that they can at least finish above .500 for the year. Over in the AL, Boston (62-37) currently has a seven game lead on their next closest opponent, but Detroit (53-42, 7 GB), Cleveland (53-44, 8 GB), Washington (52-47, 10 GB), Chicago (49-47, 11.5 GB) and the Yankees (47-47, 12.5 GB) are still in a dogfight over who is going to come in second. Only Kansas City (41-57, 20.5 GB) and Baltimore (31-67, 30.5 GB) are out of contention. Our magic number currently sits at 39, while the Red Sox are at 51.