St. Louis Takes World Series in 5.

The St. Louis Cardinals turned away the reining champion Detroit Tigers in 5 games to win the 1968 World Series.

St. Louis players celebrate Championship.

Braves Sweep Giants

Atlanta                                                       Game 1,

Alou banged out 8 hits and 6 RBI in 3 games.

Felipe Alou had a huge day as he collected 4 hits including a grand slam homerun to help run the Giants out of the first game of the series.  Alou drove in 5 runs including 4 on a grand slam in the seventh inning off reliever Ron Herbel. Felix Millan had a perfect day as he went 5 for 5 and Hammering Hank drove in 3 runs on a single and sacrifice fly. The beneficiary of this offensive onslaught was south paw George Stone who improves to 6-3. The loser for San Francisco was Ray Sadecki (12-12). Braves 11. Giants 5.


Game 2,

Young right hander Al Santorini was not sharp today but he received enough support to record his first win of the season. Santorini only threw 5 innings but surrendered 7 runs until he yielded to the Atlanta bullpen to finish out the contest.  Kelley and Claude Raymond threw 4 innings of strong relief to preserve the triumph for Atlanta.  Alou had another huge day as he went 3 of 4. back up catcher, Walt Hriniak had 3 hits and drove in 3 for the win.  Braves 10..Giants 7.


Game 3,

Lum delivers winning run.

The first two contests of the series contained high octane offenses but the third match was the complete opposite.  Pat Jarvis and Juan Marichal dueled in this game however neither were around to reap the reward of  victory.  The game was log jammed at 1-1 and had to go into extras to decide the contest.  The winning tally resulted in the bottom of the 10th. Joe Gibbon toed the rubber for San Francisco and promptly walked Felix Millan with one out.  Hank Aaron grounded a single to right but Millan stayed at second because of a laser throw to third by right fielder Bobby Bonds.  Tito Francona walked and that brought up outfielder Mike Lum.  Lum is batting a pitiful .185 against lefties this year however the portsider bout went to the feisty Lum, who lined a single back through the box to plate Millan and complete the 3 game sweep of the visiting west coasters. Claude Raymond pitched for the second straight day and improved to 5-4.  Braves 2..Giants 1 (10 innings)

Braves Take Two from the 'Stros!

Jackson goes 4 for 4 in game 1.

Atlanta,

Game 1,

Light hitting shortstop Sonny Jackson provided the punch to push the Braves over the Astros in the first game of the series.  Jackson collected 4 hits and drove in the winning run to give Pat Jarvis his 12 win of the season.  Both teams were knotted at one a piece going into the bottom half of the ninth inning. That changed with one man down, Tito Francona slashed a single to center.  Francona was erased on a ground out by Mike Lum.  Johnson then followed with a basehit allowing Lum to race to third. That brought up Sonny Jackson. Jackson ended matters with a clean single up the middle. Braves 2....Astros 1.



Game 2,

Knuckler Phil Niekro went the distance to earn his 15th triumph of the season.  Niekro was aided by a strong offensive surge as Atlanta batters pounded Houston pitchers to a tune of 17 hits.  Torre, Millan, and Felipe Alou led the charge with 3 safeties a piece.  Niekro scattered 10 hits and allowed only one run over the duration of the game. Braves 6...Astros 1.


Game 3,

Giusti strikes out eleven Brave hitters.

Dave Giusti and Milt Pappas were locked into a strong pitching match as both hurlers would not give an inch for most of the contest.  The tough right handers were tossing goose eggs frame after frame until Houston broke through in the top of the ninth.  Bob Aspromonte grounded a single on the left side to plate Julio Gotay to put Houston up 1-0.  That was all the scoring that was needed in this game as Giusti shut down the Brave batters with eleven strikeouts over 9 innings.  Astros 1...Braves 0.

Cubs Sweep Astros to Continue NL Surge

The Cubs, recently moving into sole possession of second place in the NL, continue their surge by sweeping Houston, 3-0.

Chicago's Ernie Banks becomes the first 1968 Cubbie to hit 30 home runs (with Santo and Williams poised to join him soon). Houston's Jimmy Wynn hits a home run in each of the three games, putting him at 22 for the year. Chicago is now 75-64, while last-place Houston drops to 51-87.

Game 1: Cubs 4, Astros 2
W: Jenkins (19-9)
L: Dierker (10-11)
S: Regan (21)

"Mr Cub" drives in three, including a solo shot to left center for Banks' 30th home run. Fergie Jenkins wins his 19th but needs another great relief outing from Phil Regan to nail it down late.

Phil Regan is among the league leaders
with 22 saves and a sparkling 1.89 ERA.

Game 2: Cubs 3, Astros 2
W: Reynolds (3-0)
L: Wilson (8-17)
S: Regan (22)

Houston can't hold onto a 2-1 lead early, even as Astros pitcher Don Wilson and "Toy Cannon" Wynn both blast solo homers off Joe Niekro. In the eighth, Santo strokes a double, two batters are walked, and Randy "Rebel" Hundley (who goes four-for-four) and Don Kessinger single in two runs. Regan again nails it down after putting two on in the ninth.

Game 3: Cubs 9, Houston 1
W: Hands (12-11)
L: Lemaster (4-15)

A close one turns into a laugher late as Chicago scores six times in the bottom of the seventh off a hard-hit Denny Lemaster. The big  blow is a bases clearing single from Kessinger, who goes three-for-four and records his seventh triple in the process.

Braves and Bucos Split a Pair

Pappas earns his 7th win.

Atlanta,

Game 1,

Marty Martinez and Felix Millan each pound out 3 hits in a 10 hit Atlanta attack that sunk the visiting Pirates.  Steve Blass was not sharp and fell to 15-7 as he gave up 5 runs through six innings.  Milt Pappas improves to 7-2 but needed help in the ninth from Cecil Upshaw, who earned his 12th save of the year. Braves 5....Pirates 2.


Game 2,

Wills swipes three bags.

Pittsburgh erupted for a four run 7th inning to erase a Brave lead.  Roberto Clemente added a solo homerun in the ninth inning for some insurance. Tommie Sisk earned his 5th win in relief with three innings of two hit, shutout ball.  Claude Raymond ( 4-3) got tagged with the loss for Atlanta.  Maury Wills smacked out 3 hits and stole three bags in the Pittsburgh victory.  Pirates 5...Braves 4.

Braves Get Back on Track Against the Phillies

Atlanta,
                                                             Game 1,

Cookie crushes round tripper.

The visiting Phillies slam four homeruns off Pat Jarvis to take the first of a 3-game series in Atlanta.  Infielder Cookie Rojas hit his 9th homerun of the year in the third inning to get things going. Dick Allen clubbed a another long blast a batter later. Clemens and White also added homeruns to put the game out of reach.  Rick Wise improved to 5-15 while Pat Jarvis" The Launching Pad" gave up 6 earned runs to sink to 10-10.  Phillies 6....Braves 4. 



Game 2,

Stone clubs Phillie batters.

George Stone pitched a complete game shutout to make his record at 4-2.  Stone had very little stress in this game as the Braves plated nine runs including a five spot in the seventh inning as Atlanta strung together seven singles in the frame to make it a blowout.  Felipe Alou and Felix Millan banged out 3 hits to lead the charge.  Braves 9...Phillies 0.


Game 3,

Phil Niekro's famous knuckle ball was dancing all over the place as the Phillie batters had a difficult time getting good wood on the ball.  Millan drove in a run with an RBI single in the third and that was the only scoring until the bottom of the eighth inning.  Felipe Alou reached base on the second of two errors on the night by Bill White. Millan followed the White with a base on balls. Aaron then drove in White with a basehit. Francona finished the scoring an RBI on his own.  Niekro was the star with a complete game victory to even his record at 12 wins and 12 losses.  Braves 3....Phillies 1.

Cubs and Braves Split

In four tight games, the Cubs and Braves split the series, 2-2, as each look to make up ground on the first-place Cards. Atlanta -- behind the red-hot hitting of Felipe Alou and Felix Millan at the top of the order -- is now 65-62 while the Cubs -- sporting three players (Williams, Banks and Santo) with at least 25 HRS and 75 RBIs - sit at 68-61.

Game 1: ATL 3, CHIC 1
W: Stone (3-2)
L: Holtzman (11-10)
S: Kelley (3)

Atlanta's George Stone, working his way into the starting rotation in August after recently being called up,  only allows one run in 6.1 innings for the win. Red-hot Felipe Alou goes three-for-four and moves his hitting streak to 10 games.

Game 2: CHIC 4, ATL 0
W: Hands (11-11)
L: Niekro (11-12)

Up-and-down veteran Bill Hands pitches a masterpiece with a complete game three-hit shutout to even the series. Williams' 25th and Santo's 27 homers off Phil Niekro provide the cushion.

Game 3: ATL 9, CHIC 2 (11 innings)
W: Upshaw (3-1)
L: Upham (0-1)

In a game much closer than the score would indicate, the Cubs and Braves battle to a 2-2 tie through nine behind solid pitching from Milt Pappas and Fergie Jenkins (the ML strikeout leader fans nine more). But in the top of the 11th, the Braves scalp the Cubs at Wrigley with seven earned runs off relievers John Upham and Jack Lamabe, who combine to give up seven Braves hits in the inning.

Game 4: CHIC 6, ATL 5
W: Reynolds (1-0)
L: Upshaw (3-2)

For most of this game (the second of a twi-night doubleheader), the Cubs look to be beaten, as shaky starter Rich Nye gives up 10 hits and four runs in 6 innings (two RBIs from Braves shortstop Marty Martinez). But a Don Kessinger homer (his first of the year) off Atlanta starter Ron Reed fuels the comeback. Behind 5-3 in the bottom of the ninth and Braves closer Cecil Upshaw on the mound, all appears lost.

But pinch-hitter Jim Hickman gets the rally started with a single and Glenn Beckert raps a base hit to put runners on the corners with one out. Williams' single scores Hickman to close the gap to 5-4. With two outs, Santo walks and brings up Willie Smith. The baseball vagabond cheers the Cubs' faithful by rapping a bases loaded single to win it.