July 22, 1964

Back in First Place

The Phillies were back in first place and wanted to stay there.

After taking the first game of a three-game series from the Milwaukee Braves on Tuesday, Ray Culp (7-7) was taking the mound against veteran lefty Warren Spahn (6-10).

Those two faced each other nine days earlier in a game the Phillies won 3-2.

So far this season, Spahn faced the Phillies twice and lost both times.

Culp got shelled 14-4 in his last start, and then came back in relief in between starts and gave up two runs in one inning. Against the Braves, his record was 1-2 in three games.

The game remained scoreless through the top of the third.

In the bottom of the third, Warren Spahn led off with the 35th home run of his 17-year career to put the Braves on top 1-0.

To start the top of the fourth, Johnny Callison beat out bunt. Richie Allen tried to sacrifice, but popped to the catcher for the first out.

Wes Covington then singled and Callison moved to third to put runners on first and third with one out.

Callison then scored on a force to tie the score 1-1.

No more scoring through the end of the sixth.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Bobby Wine hit his second home run in two consecutive games to put the Phillies on top 2-1 ─ his fourth home run of the year.

Ray Culp shut the Braves down in the bottom of the seventh.

With one out in the top of the eighth, Johnny Callison beat out an infield single. Richie Allen bounced into a force at second to retire Callison. Then Wes Covington walked to put runners on first and second with two outs ─ and Ruben Amaro came in to run for Covington.

Danny Cater singled. With Richie Allen trying to score from second, Mike de la Hoz fired the relay throw over the catcher’s head and all the way to the backstop. Allen scored without a play and Amaro scored all the way from first to increase the lead to 4-1 Phillies ─ Amaro’s fourth run scored as a pinch-runner.

But Danny Cater had come up lame as he rounded first and had to be replaced by John Herrnstein.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Eddie Mathews pinch-hit for Spahn and singled ─ Woody Woodward came in to run for Mathews.

Denis Menke singled and Woodward moved to second to put runners on first and second with still one out.

After Culp wild-pitched the runners to second and third, Lee Maye hit a tapper back to the mound. Culp checked the runners and threw Maye out at first for the second out.

With runners on first and second and Hank Aaron coming to the plate, Gene Mauch replaced Culp with Jack Baldschun (3-4). Baldschun had already saved the first game of the series.

Baldschun got Aaron to ground out to second to end the threat.

The Phillies failed to score in the top of the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth, Baldschun retired the Braves to pick up his 11th save.

Ray Culp (8-7) got the win while Warren Spahn (6-11) took the loss.

Danny Cater was placed on the Disabled List after the game. Rookie Alex Johnson was called up from the AAA Arkansas Travelers to take Cater’s place on the roster.