The Cardinals are the only team to build up a 3-1 lead two straight years, only to see the opposition force a game seven. A Bob Gibson appearance, in other words. 1967 and 1968. St. Louis enjoyed mixed results in game seven, however.
It all started out innocently enough in 1967. They were the better team then the Boston Red Sox. Gibson went out and proved that in game one, a 2-1 Cardinal win. St. Louis had so many chances to score more, and Boston starter Jose Santiago hit a home run. Gibson, pitching amazing, battled it out to the end for a complete game victory.
The Red Sox won game two, but then the Cardinal pitching took over and they won games three and four at home. Steve Carlton started game five and pitched well, but instead of a Cardinal win, the Red Sox stole it 3-1 on a Jim Lonborg three-hitter. Jim had tossed a one-hitter in game two, so he had their number.
Even so, Lonny couldn't start game five in Boston, obviously. The Cards were opposed by Gary Waslewski, who won just eleven games in his MLB career. For a while, it was anyone's game. Lou Brock's two-run home run in the top of the seventh tied it at four. In the bottom of the frame, the wheels came off the chariot as Boston countered that with four runs of their own. Amazingly enough, the Cardinals loaded the bases the next inning to bring the tying run to the dish. But not a man scored, and Boston had tied it at three.
Game seven, however, proved to be anti-climatic. Bob Gibson had it. Jim Lonborg, pitching on just three days' rest, started to tire early. The game did stay close for four innings, as Jim put up a "0" the first two frames and another in the fourth. The Cards scored twice in the top of the third, and were in the lead for good with Gibson in command. Bob hit a home run in the top of the fifth to help the cause. 3-0, Cards! Another run by St. Louis was actually countered in the bottom of the frame by Boston. But Julian Javier's three-run shot in the top of the sixth sealed the deal. Gibson had one more bad moment, the bottom of the eighth. Boston took advantage of his wildness to go along with a double hit earlier. A wild pitch moved runners to first and third. Three forceouts got Boston a run but put an end to any comeback thoughts. Gibby allowed just a Carl Yastrzemski single in the ninth to finish with a three-hitter and a 7-2 win.
In 1968, more of the same from Gibson. He fanned 17 in the opener against Detroit, including Eddie Mathews in a pinch hit role. The Bob Gibson / Denny McLain duel was good for three innings, but St. Louis got an amazing performance by the right-hander. The home team scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Bob needed just one. By the time he fanned Willie Horton to end this, Gibson had seventeen K's.
And the Cards used Gibson, despite a 8-1 loss in game two, to a 3-1 lead in the Series. Gibby beat McLain even worse in game four, 10-1 as Detroit jumped all over poor Denny.
But Detroit would not go away.
The took game five at home, 5-3, despite trailing 3-1. Back in St. Louis for game six, McLain won the biggest game of his career with a 13-1 triumph. It was that big third inning where the Bengals scored ten times that wrapped up the game early for the visitors.
That only put Denny's record at 1-2 for the Fall Classic of '68, but it was time for a game seven as a result.
And it was close. But the ace would emerge as the winner. The ace of the Tigers, that is!
Throughout the Fall Classic of '68, St. Louis seemed unable to shake Mickey Lolich, the Tigers' top lefty. Only 17-9 that season (Compared to 31-6, McLain) and 3.19 ERA (Compared to McLain's 1.96). But Mickey was destined to be the hero.
He matched Gibson all the way. And he picked off Lou Brock and Curt Flood on the base paths in the bottom of the sixth. Flood had stolen a base earlier, and that was the Cards' big weapon, but not on this day. Lolich took care of that.
And a triple by Jim Northrup in the top of the seventh made it 2-0. Bill Freehan followed with a double, and it was 3-0. Even the great Gibson can't always come through. Another run for the Tigers in the top of the ninth wasn't needed despite a Mike Shannon home run in the bottom of the frame. When Tim McCarver popped out to Freehan, the Tigers had erased a 3-1 deficit and won the 1968 World Series.
It happends to the best of us. It was unrelated, but yesterday, I wrote about Roberto Alomar, the Toronto Blue Jay, getting the wrong result when needed. Bob Gibson won seven straight World Series games from 1964-1968. And he also won two game sevens (1964 and 1967). Here, he couldn't quite do it as he came up a little short. The rest of his team, however, have only themselves to blame. You got to put away the team when you have them backed into a corner, or at the edge of a cliff. You let 'em play on, and your asking for trouble somewhere down the road!
References
1967 World Series - St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox (4-3) | Baseball-Reference.com (Baseball-Reference.com) http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1967_WS.shtml
1968 World Series - Detroit Tigers over St. Louis Cardinals (4-3) | Baseball-Reference.com (Baseball-Reference.com) http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1968_WS.shtml
Bob Gibson 1975 Batting Gamelogs | Baseball-Reference.com (Baseball-Reference.com)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=gibsobo01&t=p&year=0&post=1
Baseball Reference (Baseball-Reference.com) http://www.baseball-reference.com/
(YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/
It all started out innocently enough in 1967. They were the better team then the Boston Red Sox. Gibson went out and proved that in game one, a 2-1 Cardinal win. St. Louis had so many chances to score more, and Boston starter Jose Santiago hit a home run. Gibson, pitching amazing, battled it out to the end for a complete game victory.
The Red Sox won game two, but then the Cardinal pitching took over and they won games three and four at home. Steve Carlton started game five and pitched well, but instead of a Cardinal win, the Red Sox stole it 3-1 on a Jim Lonborg three-hitter. Jim had tossed a one-hitter in game two, so he had their number.
Even so, Lonny couldn't start game five in Boston, obviously. The Cards were opposed by Gary Waslewski, who won just eleven games in his MLB career. For a while, it was anyone's game. Lou Brock's two-run home run in the top of the seventh tied it at four. In the bottom of the frame, the wheels came off the chariot as Boston countered that with four runs of their own. Amazingly enough, the Cardinals loaded the bases the next inning to bring the tying run to the dish. But not a man scored, and Boston had tied it at three.
Game seven, however, proved to be anti-climatic. Bob Gibson had it. Jim Lonborg, pitching on just three days' rest, started to tire early. The game did stay close for four innings, as Jim put up a "0" the first two frames and another in the fourth. The Cards scored twice in the top of the third, and were in the lead for good with Gibson in command. Bob hit a home run in the top of the fifth to help the cause. 3-0, Cards! Another run by St. Louis was actually countered in the bottom of the frame by Boston. But Julian Javier's three-run shot in the top of the sixth sealed the deal. Gibson had one more bad moment, the bottom of the eighth. Boston took advantage of his wildness to go along with a double hit earlier. A wild pitch moved runners to first and third. Three forceouts got Boston a run but put an end to any comeback thoughts. Gibby allowed just a Carl Yastrzemski single in the ninth to finish with a three-hitter and a 7-2 win.
In 1968, more of the same from Gibson. He fanned 17 in the opener against Detroit, including Eddie Mathews in a pinch hit role. The Bob Gibson / Denny McLain duel was good for three innings, but St. Louis got an amazing performance by the right-hander. The home team scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Bob needed just one. By the time he fanned Willie Horton to end this, Gibson had seventeen K's.
And the Cards used Gibson, despite a 8-1 loss in game two, to a 3-1 lead in the Series. Gibby beat McLain even worse in game four, 10-1 as Detroit jumped all over poor Denny.
But Detroit would not go away.
The took game five at home, 5-3, despite trailing 3-1. Back in St. Louis for game six, McLain won the biggest game of his career with a 13-1 triumph. It was that big third inning where the Bengals scored ten times that wrapped up the game early for the visitors.
That only put Denny's record at 1-2 for the Fall Classic of '68, but it was time for a game seven as a result.
And it was close. But the ace would emerge as the winner. The ace of the Tigers, that is!
Throughout the Fall Classic of '68, St. Louis seemed unable to shake Mickey Lolich, the Tigers' top lefty. Only 17-9 that season (Compared to 31-6, McLain) and 3.19 ERA (Compared to McLain's 1.96). But Mickey was destined to be the hero.
He matched Gibson all the way. And he picked off Lou Brock and Curt Flood on the base paths in the bottom of the sixth. Flood had stolen a base earlier, and that was the Cards' big weapon, but not on this day. Lolich took care of that.
And a triple by Jim Northrup in the top of the seventh made it 2-0. Bill Freehan followed with a double, and it was 3-0. Even the great Gibson can't always come through. Another run for the Tigers in the top of the ninth wasn't needed despite a Mike Shannon home run in the bottom of the frame. When Tim McCarver popped out to Freehan, the Tigers had erased a 3-1 deficit and won the 1968 World Series.
It happends to the best of us. It was unrelated, but yesterday, I wrote about Roberto Alomar, the Toronto Blue Jay, getting the wrong result when needed. Bob Gibson won seven straight World Series games from 1964-1968. And he also won two game sevens (1964 and 1967). Here, he couldn't quite do it as he came up a little short. The rest of his team, however, have only themselves to blame. You got to put away the team when you have them backed into a corner, or at the edge of a cliff. You let 'em play on, and your asking for trouble somewhere down the road!
References
1967 World Series - St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox (4-3) | Baseball-Reference.com (Baseball-Reference.com) http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1967_WS.shtml
1968 World Series - Detroit Tigers over St. Louis Cardinals (4-3) | Baseball-Reference.com (Baseball-Reference.com) http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1968_WS.shtml
Bob Gibson 1975 Batting Gamelogs | Baseball-Reference.com (Baseball-Reference.com)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=gibsobo01&t=p&year=0&post=1
Baseball Reference (Baseball-Reference.com) http://www.baseball-reference.com/
(YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/
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