Friday, July 24

The Phillies were coming home for 16 games.

The Cardinals came in first for four games over the weekend. In eighth place – playing .500 ball at 47-47 – the Cards held a 6-3 advantage in the season series with the Phillies. But they’d just been swept three straight by the Pirates.

Play Ball:

Chris Short (8-5) versus Bob Gibson (8-7) in the first game.

After Chris Short shut down the Cards in the top of the first, the Phillies took the lead in the bottom half:

• With two outs, Bob Gibson walked Johnny Callison.
• Callison stole second and advanced to third when Tim McCarver’s throw sailed into centerfield.
• Richie Allen walked.
• Wes Covington singled to score Callison – Allen stopping at second.
• Clay Dalrymple singled to score Allen and make it 2-0.

After another scoreless frame by Christ Short, the Phillies padded the lead in the bottom of the second:

• Cookie Rojas singled and moved to second on Chris Short’s bunt.
• Rojas then moved to third on an error by Dick Groat and scored on Costen Shockley’s sacrifice fly.

The Cards got to Chris Short in the top of the third:

• Bob Gibson, Curt Flood, and Lou Brock hit back-to-back-to-back singles to trim the deficit to 3-1.

Short tossed zeros in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, and then the Phillies expanded the lead in the bottom of the sixth:

• Wes Covington doubled – and Gene Mauch replaced him on the bases with Bobby Wine.
• When Clay Dalrymple singled, Wine went to third and made a wind turn toward the plate. Rightfielder Mike Shannon threw home, but Tim McCarver bobbled the throw. The ball rolled far enough away from McCarver for Dalrymple to take second – but not far enough for Wine to score.
• Tony Taylor hit a ground ball to short. Dick Groat came home and retired Wine at the plate – Dalrymple moving to third.
• Cookie Rojas tripled to make it 5-1.

After another scoreless inning from Chris Short, the Phillies added to more in the bottom of the seventh:

• Tony Gonzalez and Costen Shockley singled – Gonzalez taking third.
• Johnny Callison walked to load the bases.
• After Richie Allen popped out, Gene Mauch put on the suicide squeeze and Bobby Wine bunted. The runners not only moved up a base, but Wine also beat it out for a hit.
• Clay Dalrymple forced Wine at second – Shockley scoring to up the lead to 7-1.

After another strong inning from Short, the Phillies scored again in the bottom of the eighth:

• Cookie Rojas singled – his third hit of the day to raise his average to .318.
• Chris Short walked.
• Tony Gonzalez hit a come-backer to the mound. Bobby Humphrey – who relieved Bob Gibson – fielded the ball and went for two. But his throw sailed into centerfield. Rojas scored and Short advanced to third.
• Costen Shockley hit into a 3-6-3 double-play – Short scoring to make it 9-1. And that was the ball game.

Chris Short (9-5) finished the ninth to pick up the win and trim his ERA to 1.95. The win made it four straight for the Phils.

Bob Gibson (8-8) took the loss.

Around the League:

The Giants beat the Dodgers 11-3 to keep pace with the Phillies – two games out of first.

The loss dropped the Cards ten games behind.

In addition to being the official Eagles Outsider for BlameMyFather.com – Barry Bowe is also the author of:

• Born to Be Wild
• 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
• 12 Best Eagles QBs
• Birth of the Birds
• Soon-to-be-published sexy, police procedural Caribbean Queen
• Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
• Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow
• Work-in-Progress A Fuckin All-American