[jksander]

JULY 29, 1955 . . . Hy Cohen (22-4, 1.29 ERA, 224.0 IP, 195 K’s, 0.65 WHIP), the pride of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is up and ready to pitch in the first game of this four-game Phillies set, with Gordon Jones (5-3, 4.00 ERA, 45.0 IP, 35 K’s, 1.18 WHIP), their young reliever / spot starter, getting his fourth official start of the season, having recently been promoted into the rotation. He has the endurance of a starter, and has done well since getting the promotion two weeks ago, and this looks like potentially another pitching duel. Against the Phillies, though, haven’t they almost all been lately?

Cohen started out completely out of character, giving up three hits in a row and loading the bases, stunning our fans, who had come here expecting more of his no-hitting Gold. After striking out Del Ennis, he walked Sandy Burgess, putting the Phillies up 1-0 and drawing groans from the bleachers. Schoendienst flew out to Maris in left field, and Alvin Dark hit straight to Al Rosen, who stepped on the bag for out number three. But we were down 1-0 out of nowhere, and Cohen, normally Mr. Stalwart, had thrown 27 pitches. And their guy came out and struck out our first three batters swinging, setting the tone. Cohen settled in during the second inning, and we got our first hit off Gordon Jones in the bottom of the third, via Gene Baker. Al Kaline beat out an infield hit to put two on, moving Baker into scoring position, but Maris struck out swinging -- what a missed opportunity. Del Crandall woke up the crowd in the bottom of the fifth, hitting a solo blast to center into the bleachers that tied us up 1-1, his 19th homer of the season! Al Rosen got on base with a single, but Cohen hit into a double play to end the inning with us knotted up. Willie Mays got a hit through the gap in the bottom of the sixth to put two men on base again with just one out, but we couldn’t get them around.

With Hy Cohen at 125 pitches and fading fast, Harry Dorish came in with two men on and one out in the top of the eighth inning, hoping we could keep this one tied up. SCHOENDIENST BATTED INTO A DOUBLE PLAY! Sweet perfection! But we couldn’t string anything together in the bottom of the inning, and Dorish came in again in the ninth having thrown just four pitches, ready to throw more fire. He struck out Waitkus, Newcombe batted out to Banks, and Randy Jackson struck out swinging, giving us a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth! Jackie Robinson got a hit into left field but was only able to get a single out of it. But Banks got a single into the outfield, and Robinson took full advantage, making it to third! But we were unable to bring him in to score, a strikeout and a double play ending the inning and sending us into extras for the second time in two days. But Dorish stayed sharp as nails, putting down each of their batters in the top of the 10th to keep things tied up. Gene Baker got a single with one out in the bottom of the inning, and with Koufax warming up, Joe Collins pinch hit for Dorish, popping out to center. And Kaline popped up to short and this game continued with Koufax coming out to pitch. Sandy was lights out in the top of the 11th, getting us out of there quickly, after letting Smoky Burgess hit a single to start the frame. Maris popped out to right field, but Mays got a hit up the gap, taking first base. Robinson flew out to left after taking Joe Nuxhall to a full count, and then Ernie Banks laid one into right field, giving us two men on! But Del Crandall struck out and this one was heading for the 12th inning.

Koufax allowed Earl Torgeson on base via balls, and after Torgeson took second on a wild pitch, Sandy walked Richie Ashburn as well, but he got Del Ennis with a flyout to end the top of the frame still tied up 1-1. Porterfield came in to pitch in the top of the 13th, getting all three outs as the clock struck six, this game entering its fourth hour of play. And just as everyone was getting lulled into a stupor, Al Kaline took a walk, and then ROGER MARIS HIT A WALK-OFF HOMER TO LEFT, WINNING THIS ONE 3-1 IN THE 13TH INNING! It was immediate pandemonium, as 30,000 Cubs fans erupted!

We play one game tomorrow and a pair on Sunday against the Phillies, and our bullpen is in shambles. So we really need our starters to be able to go the distance. In tonight’s epic battle, Hy Cohen lasted 7.1 innings through 128 pitches, giving up just five hits with eight strikeouts, five walks and the one earned run. Dorish gave us 2.2 innings with no hits, three strikeouts and a walk, to bring his ERA down to 0.93 through 48.1 innings. Then Koufax came in for a pair, giving up a hit and two walks with a strikeout, keeping us knotted and bringing his ERA down to 2.36. Bob Porterfield came in to finish the game, and he walked a batter and then handled business, throwing 14 pitches as he brought his ERA down to 2.61, improving to 2-0 on the season. We out-hit the Phillies 11-6 in this one -- Maris, of course, won the game with his 18th homer of the year, batting in a pair, while Del Crandall added a hit for a run and an RBI. Mays, Banks and Baker each had two hits as well as we fought tooth and nail not to blow this game.

In preparation for the double-header on Sunday and our upcoming stretch of back to back games, we’re sending Joe Brovia back down to AAA Los Angeles, and calling up reliever Epitacio Torres, age 33, another long-time minor-leaguer who will be getting his first major league chance.
 
JULY 30, 1955 . . . Saul Rogovin (17-6, 1.89 ERA, 205.0 IP, 237 K’s, 0.81 WHIP) started in the first of our two games today against the Phillies, going up against Robin Roberts (16-6, 2.72 ERA, 198.2 IP, 99 K’s, 0.80 WHIP) who has been on a total tear of late. Jackie Robinson hit a two-run homer for us in the bottom of the fourth, breaking a 0-0 stalemate with his 32nd homer of the season! Al Kaline added a solo blast of his own, his ninth of the year, to make it 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth, and Willie Mays joined the party, nailing his 22nd of the year more than 420 feet into the throngs of bleacher bums. We’ve had enough pitching duels, bring on the slugfest! Del Crandall hit an RBI single, hitting into a fielder’s choice and reaching base safely, and we went into the top of the sixth firmly in control by a 5-0 margin. Gene Baker added a solo homer to right, giving him ten for the season and putting us up 6-0 in the bottom of the eighth, and Rogovin should have come out for a reliever.

But we had a six run lead, and he tried to stay in and close the game out, giving up a homer to put two runs on the board for the Phillies and, nearing 150 pitches we had to bring him in. And that’s when this one fell apart ... Tom Ferrick came in and gave up two runs almost immediately, and wth Sandy Koufax desperately warming up for a game he never should have had to pitch in, Ferrick gave up a three-run double to Don Newcombe, who suddenly had his Phillies in the lead 7-6. This one is on me ... as a manager, I need to know when to go to the bullpen, no matter how much a starter wants to go out there in the ninth. Now we’re having to fight our way back into a game we’d had won half an hour ago. Joe Nuxhall walked Mays and Robinson with one out, giving us a chance to make this up. Ernie Banks hit a line drive single to deep center, using his speed to turn one base into two, though Willie Mays tried to steal home and was picked off. Still, we had two runners in scoring position ... but Del Crandall struck out and we lost this one 7-6.

Saul Rogovin lasted eight innings with just three hits, with 10 strikeouts, but he walked six batters and gave up three runs because he stayed out there too long, throwing 147 pitches and dropping his ERA to 1.94. Tom Ferrick pitched for just one inning, giving up three hits and two walks, four runs scoring and his ERA blasting all the way to 7.62. He was absolutely the wrong choice for this situation, and I’ll have to explain it to the papers as Philly ties us in the series. We outhit the Phillies 11-6, including homers from Robinson, Kaline, Mays and Baker, so the hits and runs were spread around nicely. But asking for more in the ninth was just too much.

I’ve got to get this taste out of my mouth and prep for tomorrow’s doubleheader. We CANNOT afford to lose this series and give Philly momentum.