Tuesday, July 28

The Giants came to town for a three-game showdown for first place and 30,000 fans showed up at Connie Mack Stadium for the first game of the series.

Trying to break the three-game losing streak, Gene Mauch sent Jim Bunning (9-4) to the mound. Bunning hadn’t racked up a win since the Fourth of July. His mound opponent was lefty Billy O’Dell (3-3) – who’d given up just two runs to the Phillies in nine innings of relief.

Play Ball:

The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the fourth – and then the Phillies took the lead:

• Tony Taylor singled and took second when Willie McCovey – making a rare start in right-field – fumbled the ball.
• After Richie Allen flew out to McCovey, Alex Johnson beat out an infield single – Taylor moving to third.
• With the infield drawn in, Ruben Amaro hit a ground ball to second. Hal Lanier fielded it and came to the plate. But his throw was too late to get the sliding Taylor – Alex Johnson moving to second and Amaro taking first.
• Gus Triandos cleared the bases with a three-run home run (#2) to put the Phillies ahead 4-0.

Bunning surrendered just two singles the rest of the way – but they came in the top of the ninth off the bats of Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda.

With Willie McCovey coming to the plate and just one out, Gene Mauch was taking no chances. Out went the tiring Bunning and in came Jack Baldschun.

The move proved to be perfect when McCovey bounced a ball back to the mound and Baldschun quickly turned it into a game-ending 1-6-3 double-play.

Jim Bunning (10-4) got the win, Jack Baldschun picked up the save (#12), and Billy O’Dell (3-4) took the loss.

Around the League:

The Phillies picked up a full game to move 1½ games ahead of the Giants.

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