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ON THIS DATE (April 28, 1964)
... Dick Stuart swung a magic bat for the Red
Sox, who defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 6 to 4 in 11 innings. The
Sox were two runs behind in the last of the ninth inning. Against
Robin Roberts, with Carl Yastrzemski and Eddie Bressoud on base,
Stuart doubled off the center field fence to drive in the tying run.
Then in the 11th inning, the Sox were two runs behind again and had
loaded the bases. Stuart slammed a walk-off grandslam homer into the
net and the Sox walked away 6 to 4 winners.
Through the first eight innings, Roberts held the Sox to a walk and
four singles, with only one baserunner getting as far as second base.
He had only given up one run in his last 18 innings of work.
Meanwhile, Jack Lamabe was on the mound for the Sox and was matching
Roberts pitch for pitch. But in the first inning the Orioles had
scored a run. Jackie Brandt led off with a base hit and Luis Aparicio
followed with another. Brandt scampered over to third and scored on a
sacrifice fly for the only run of the game until the ninth inning.
Then in the top of the ninth, the Orioles scored another run. Lamabe
walked Johnny Orsino and with two outs, he scored on singles by Sam
Bowens and Jerry Adair.
So in the bottom of the ninth, the Sox were down 2-0, when Dalton
Jones came up to hit for Lamabe. He singled to right and Chuck
Schilling popped out. But Eddie Bressoud blooped a single to left and
Jones moved over to second. Carl Yastrzemski then lofted a fly toward
the wall, and left fielder Russ Snyder pretended he could catch the
fly ball, to keep the runners honest. The ball scraped the fence and
Jones was able to race home, but Bressoud cautiously stayed at second
base. After Frank Malzone popped up, Stuart sent a line drive that
slammed off the center field wall and Bressoud easily scored the
tying run. Yaz, racing around from first, tried to end the game and
headed for home. But he was cut down at the plate on a great relay,
by Aparicio.
The game moved into extra innings and Dick Radatz took care of the
Orioles in the tenth. In the bottom half, Tony Conigliaro almost
ended it with a drive that hit close to the top of the fence in
center. That spelled the end for Roberts and Stu Miller took over,
getting Lou Clinton to fly out, walking Bob Tillman to set up the
force, and getting Radatz to hit into a doubleplay.
Earl Wilson took the mound for the Sox in the 11th inning and Russ
Snyder led with a single to left. Orsino perfected a drag bunt that
went unfielded, as Snyder moved over to second. Brooks Robinson
sacrificed the runners along and Bob Johnson was issued an
intentional free pass, to load the bases and set up a force. With the
infield drawn in, Adair slapped one by Eddie Bressoud that scored
Snyder. Yaz charged in from left but couldn't find the handle and
Orsino scored another run.
So now down by two runs again, Chuck Schilling led off the bottom of
the 11th by drawing a walk. Bressoud lined a single off the left
field fence that was so hard that Schilling held up at second. Yaz
tried to bunt twice and fouled off both attempts. He then hit a
grounder to Adair that forced Bressoud. Now a 10-pitch duel ensued
between Miller and Frank Malzone, with Malzone finally able to draw a
walk and load the bases. Dick Hall came in to face Dick Stuart and
his first pitch was tattooed into the left field screen ... game over
... grandslam ... Sox win 6 to 4.
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STUART GREETED AT HOME AFTER
THE WALK-OFF GRANDSLAM |
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