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THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 6 ...
"THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM"
Dennis Bennett's arm and bat silences the Angels
May
1, 1967 ... Dennis Bennett, changing speeds
beautifully, pitched a six hit shutout and slammed a three run homer
before 8956 in Anaheim Stadium. The final score was 4 to 0 and
Bennett had mastered the Angels all by himself. He allowed just one
extra base hit and only one Angel runner reached third base, as he
hurled his first shutout in a Red Sox uniform. At the plate, he was
just as potent, with a three run blast over the right-field fence for the big
blow the game. Just before, George Scott had walloped a bases empty home run,
his first of the season.
However, it was Bennett's shutout pitching that allowed him to collect his
first win of the year. The Sox actually had it as easy as the score indicated.
Bennett was never in serious trouble and after the third inning never had more
than one Angel on base at any time.
The Sox belted out 11 hits, with Dalton Jones and Rico Petrocelli each
collecting three apiece. The Sox packed all the scoring in the game in the
fourth inning. Scott, with one out, blasted a 450 ft homer off Angels starter
Jorge Rubio. The rally continued when Petrocelli singled to left. Russ Gibson
then walked and Bennett came to the plate. In the second inning, he had hit with
the bases loaded and went out on a vicious line drive to centerfield. This time
he hit one that left the park at the 393 foot mark in right-center, with plenty
of room to spare.
With the Sox up now 4 to 0, Bennett coasted, only giving up a double to Rick
Reichardt in the sixth, a single to José Cardenal in the eighth, and a single to
Bob Rodgers in the ninth.
Reggie Smith, playing before 40 relatives and friends from nearby Los Angeles
had a good game, reaching base four times. Mike Andrews also had his own
following with 75 friends and fans coming in from neighboring Hermosa Beach.
Andrews drew one of the biggest hands of the night when he singled in the ninth
and got a standing ovation from his buddies.
However Bennett deserved all the accolades, who could hopefully be authoring
a comeback season after arm surgery. |
