Lou Brock is the only player to steal three bases in game seven. Lou was a tad slow getting going, despite batting leadoff, but his inspirational hitting and base running helped put the stubborn Boston Red Sox away.
Boston had battled St. Louis all the way to game seven. In game six, despite a 2-run home run by Brock, the home team at Fenway won it, 8-4. It was on to game seven at home for the Red Sox. They sent out Jim Lonborg to oppose Bob Gibson. Each was 2-0 coming in.
Lonborg faced Brock to get it all going in the last contest. Lou looked like he had a hit to left. But as he had all series long, it was Carl Yastrzemski making the play. The first inning ended with the game scoreless. It was Julian Javier singling in the top of the second with one out. Then, trying to take a page from Lou Brock's handbook, he tried to swipe second. Elston Howard, the catcher, gunned him out. That ended the Cardinal half of the second. Bob Gibson though, was looking amazing. Unbeatable. Unhittable. Boston had no hits through four.
St. Louis got the ball rolling in the top of the third with two runs, although Gibson and Brock didn't help. Dal Maxvill led off the inning with a triple, but Lonborg got Gibson and Brock out. Maxvill was still on third. However, it was Curt Flood with a single to score Maxvill. Roger Maris singled Flood to third. A wild pitch enabled Flood to score.
Ready for Brock to get in on the act? Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the fourth inning. But then in the top of the fifth, it was time for the Cards to give Gibby some insurance. Gibson helped out his own cause by hitting a solo home run. Brock singled, stole second and third, and saw Flood walk as ball four was thrown. Maris drove 'em home for a 4-0 St. Louis lead.
Boston got on the board in the bottom of the frame, but St. Louis wasn't done with Lonborg. The very next inning saw the curtain close on the Red Sox amazing year, essentially. Tim McCarver doubled. Mike Shannon reached on an error. Javier atoned for his mistake earlier by hitting a towering shot that found it's way into the screen above the Green Monster. 7-1, Cards. Were they done?
Brock followed with a double two outs later. Flood fanned. But now, the game was in Gibson's hands. Jose Tartabull batted for Jim Lonborg in the bottom of the frame and fanned. Gibby was in complete control.
The bats were still hitting some hot shots for the visitors. They just weren't going out. Maris gave one quite a ride in the seventh for an out. The next inning, Javier looked for another extra base hit, only to be denied by Ken Harrelson in right. Boston, unlike St. Louis in the seventh and eighth, was actually getting the base runners. But Gibson wasn't about to let the lead go. Yastrzemski had walked in the seventh, but that was that. Rico Petrocelli got the second Red Sox hit in the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff double. A walk and a force got Rico home. But another force and a ground out ended that. Brock had one last plate appearance in the ninth, and he made it count.
The home team made some changes in the field. Jose Santiago (Who'd lost games one and four to Gibson) having pitched two perfect innings in relief of Jim Lonborg, had been pinch hit for. Dalton Jones was now at third for Joe Foy. Russ Gibson was the new catcher. Brock made sure the new players were on their heels the whole top of the ninth.
After Gibson went down swinging, Brock coaxed a walk from Dave Moorehead. That was the only batter Moorehead retired. Brock walked. And, you guessed it, promptly stole second. Flood and Maris walked. Moorehead was gone.
Dan Osinski took over. Bases loaded, one out. Everyone in Boston had to be nervous.
Brock didn't steal home. Orlando Cepeda popped out to in foul territory, with Rico Petrocelli making the putout. He was the shortstop, as Jones didn't get to make a putout. Then, with Ken Brett now on the hill for Boston, Tim McCarver grounded to first. Brock's grand effort had been wasted in the ninth.
Gibson wasn't mad. Yaz got a single off him to start the bottom of the ninth. But a double play and a strikeout of George Scott ended the game. Gibson was named the MVP of the Fall Classic in 1967, but Brock had three stolen bases in game seven. Nearly 50 years later, he still stands alone as the only player to do that. His total of seven broke Honus Wagner's mark of six, set way back in 1909. Brock went on to another seven steals in 1968, although him team lost. But Lou was as much a gamer on the basepaths as Gibson was on the mound. That helped carry the Cardinals to pennants in 1964, 1967 and 1968.
References
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 28 Aug. 2016.
Boston had battled St. Louis all the way to game seven. In game six, despite a 2-run home run by Brock, the home team at Fenway won it, 8-4. It was on to game seven at home for the Red Sox. They sent out Jim Lonborg to oppose Bob Gibson. Each was 2-0 coming in.
Lonborg faced Brock to get it all going in the last contest. Lou looked like he had a hit to left. But as he had all series long, it was Carl Yastrzemski making the play. The first inning ended with the game scoreless. It was Julian Javier singling in the top of the second with one out. Then, trying to take a page from Lou Brock's handbook, he tried to swipe second. Elston Howard, the catcher, gunned him out. That ended the Cardinal half of the second. Bob Gibson though, was looking amazing. Unbeatable. Unhittable. Boston had no hits through four.
St. Louis got the ball rolling in the top of the third with two runs, although Gibson and Brock didn't help. Dal Maxvill led off the inning with a triple, but Lonborg got Gibson and Brock out. Maxvill was still on third. However, it was Curt Flood with a single to score Maxvill. Roger Maris singled Flood to third. A wild pitch enabled Flood to score.
Ready for Brock to get in on the act? Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the fourth inning. But then in the top of the fifth, it was time for the Cards to give Gibby some insurance. Gibson helped out his own cause by hitting a solo home run. Brock singled, stole second and third, and saw Flood walk as ball four was thrown. Maris drove 'em home for a 4-0 St. Louis lead.
Boston got on the board in the bottom of the frame, but St. Louis wasn't done with Lonborg. The very next inning saw the curtain close on the Red Sox amazing year, essentially. Tim McCarver doubled. Mike Shannon reached on an error. Javier atoned for his mistake earlier by hitting a towering shot that found it's way into the screen above the Green Monster. 7-1, Cards. Were they done?
Brock followed with a double two outs later. Flood fanned. But now, the game was in Gibson's hands. Jose Tartabull batted for Jim Lonborg in the bottom of the frame and fanned. Gibby was in complete control.
The bats were still hitting some hot shots for the visitors. They just weren't going out. Maris gave one quite a ride in the seventh for an out. The next inning, Javier looked for another extra base hit, only to be denied by Ken Harrelson in right. Boston, unlike St. Louis in the seventh and eighth, was actually getting the base runners. But Gibson wasn't about to let the lead go. Yastrzemski had walked in the seventh, but that was that. Rico Petrocelli got the second Red Sox hit in the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff double. A walk and a force got Rico home. But another force and a ground out ended that. Brock had one last plate appearance in the ninth, and he made it count.
The home team made some changes in the field. Jose Santiago (Who'd lost games one and four to Gibson) having pitched two perfect innings in relief of Jim Lonborg, had been pinch hit for. Dalton Jones was now at third for Joe Foy. Russ Gibson was the new catcher. Brock made sure the new players were on their heels the whole top of the ninth.
After Gibson went down swinging, Brock coaxed a walk from Dave Moorehead. That was the only batter Moorehead retired. Brock walked. And, you guessed it, promptly stole second. Flood and Maris walked. Moorehead was gone.
Dan Osinski took over. Bases loaded, one out. Everyone in Boston had to be nervous.
Brock didn't steal home. Orlando Cepeda popped out to in foul territory, with Rico Petrocelli making the putout. He was the shortstop, as Jones didn't get to make a putout. Then, with Ken Brett now on the hill for Boston, Tim McCarver grounded to first. Brock's grand effort had been wasted in the ninth.
Gibson wasn't mad. Yaz got a single off him to start the bottom of the ninth. But a double play and a strikeout of George Scott ended the game. Gibson was named the MVP of the Fall Classic in 1967, but Brock had three stolen bases in game seven. Nearly 50 years later, he still stands alone as the only player to do that. His total of seven broke Honus Wagner's mark of six, set way back in 1909. Brock went on to another seven steals in 1968, although him team lost. But Lou was as much a gamer on the basepaths as Gibson was on the mound. That helped carry the Cardinals to pennants in 1964, 1967 and 1968.
References
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 28 Aug. 2016.
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