July 13, 1964

Bunning to the Rescue

Hoping to break the four-game losing streak that saw them slip one game behind the Giants, Gene Mauch sent Ray Culp (6-6) to the mound.

Bobby Bragan answered with Warren Spahn (6-8).

In his only 1964 appearance against the Phillies, Warren Spahn lost to the Phillies 5-3 back on May 1st.

After getting off to a poor 1-5 start, Ray Culp won five of his last six starts. Back in May, he had two bad starts against the Braves, losing both times while giving up eight runs on nine hits in five innings.

Culp and Spahn put up zeroes in the first inning.

In the top of the second, Lee Maye doubled to center and moved to third on a wild pitch. One out later, Maye scored when Ed Bailey singled to put the Braves on top 1-0.

In the bottom of the second, Richie Allen tripled off the scoreboard ─ his sixth triple of the year ─ and scored when Wes Covington followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game 1-1.

Then came a scoreless third inning.

With one out in the top of the fourth, Ed Bailey and Rico Carty stroked back-to-back singles. They advanced to second and third when Woody Woodward grounded out for the first out.

With Warren Spahn at the plate and Carty taking a long lead off second, Ray Culp wheeled and threw toward second in an attempt to pick off Carty. But the throw sailed into the outfield and allowed Bailey to score and put the Braves ahead 2-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, Richie Allen doubled. Wes Covington lined a single to right. But it was hit so hard, Allen had to stop at third.

Danny Cater hit a sacrifice fly to tie the score 2-2.

With Covington on first and one out, Clay Dalrymple flew out to left for the second out. But Bobby Wine tripled and Covington scored to put the Phillies ahead 3-2.

From there, Culp and Spahn moved into the ninth without giving up any more runs.

In the top of the ninth, Ed Bailey and Rico Carty hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second with nobody out.

Gene Mauch didn’t want the game to slip away, so he summoned Jim Bunning (9-3) from the bullpen even through Bunning pitched eight innings in a 3-1 loss to the Reds just two days earlier. This was Bunning’s second relief appearance of the year. On June 18th, he picked up a save against the Cubs in Wrigley Field.

Bobby Bragan sent Ty Cline up to pinch-hit for Woody Woodward. But instead of hitting, Cline laid down a bunt and moved the runners up a base.

With the tying and lead runs were on second and third and just one out, Bragan sent Gene Oliver up to hit for Spahn.

Bunning got Oliver to pop to short for the second out.

With left-hand swinger Eddie Mathews coming up, Mauch ordered Bunning to walk Mathews intentionally and pitch to Frank Bolling instead.

That loaded the bases with two outs.

But Bragan tried to foil Mauch’s strategy by sending Merritt Ranew, a left-hander, up to pinch-hit for Bolling ─ and the stage was set.

Ranew hit a ground ball to deep first. Ruben Amaro, who’d come in as a defensive replacement, gloved the ball and tossed to Bunning covering for the final out.

For Jim Bunning, it was his second save of the season.

Ray Culp (7-6) got the win and Warren Spahn (6-9) took the loss.

The victory ended the Phillies losing streak at four games and tied the season series with the Braves at four games each.

That said, it was a disappointing 2-and-7 home stand.

Small Ball in Houston

With the game deadlocked 3-3 going into the top of the ninth in Houston, the Giants played small-ball to pull out a 5-3 victory over the Colt 45s:

Matty Alou walked.
Jesus Alou reached first on an error.
Willie Mays – that’s right, one of the greatest power-hitters of all time – laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third.
Don Larson walked Willie McCovey intentionally to load the bases.
Orlando Cepeda hit a sacrifice fly to put the Giants on top 4-3.
Jim Ray Hart added an insurance run with a single.