ROBERTSON COOLS SD BATS

Tosses three hit shutout

June 1, 1969 Montreal:  With a three game skid staring the Expos in the face, righthander Jerry Robertson (1-1) tosses a gem in Montreal's 2-0 win.  Robertson allowed only three singles while walking four and striking out two.  Veteran Johnny Podres (1-5) also went the distance for the Padres allowing only two runs and seven hits. 

The Expos scored single runs in the second and third innings which was all Robertson needed.  Maury Wills and Rusty Staub each collected two hits for Montreal. 

SAN DIEGO TAKES GAME TWO IN 11

11th inning HR dooms Expos

May 31, 1969 Montreal:  Al Ferrara doubled with two out in the 11th and Ed Spiezio followed with a shot over the right field fence as the Padres downed the Expos 5-3.  Spiezio finished the game with three hits and two RBI.  Ferrara homered earlier and finished with three hits and two RBI as well.

Expos rightfielder Rusty Staub continued his hot hitting with three hits and a run scored.

San Diego reliever Frank Reberger (4-3) throws two scoreless innings to garner the win.  Expos reliever Don Shaw (1-5) is tagged with the loss.

PADRES FLEX MUSCLES IN SERIES OPENER

Enjoys three hit game

May 30, 1969 Montreal:  In the first series between the two newest members of the National league the Padres overcome a 2-0 deficient with a six run outburst in the top of the sixth.  San Diego banged out five consecutive singles with the big blow being a two run single by Roberto Pena.  Catcher Chris Cannizzaro known more for the intangibles he brings behind the plate had three of the Padres 16 hits.

San Diego added three solo homers in the 9th as Nate Colbert and Ollie Brown went back-to-back and Cito Gaston went deep one out later.

Rusty Staub paced the Expos offense with two hits and three RBI.  Mack Jones hit his 10th home run of the season.

Southpaw Dick Kelly (2-3) hurled six innings of two run ball to pick up the win.  Montreal starter Mike Wegener (1-4) suffered the defeat.  Wegener allowed nine hits and six of the runs in five and one third innings.    


Red Birds Fly Over Braves

GAME ONE – Former Brave Joe Torre went 5-5 with 8 RBI, including a 3-run HR, as St. Louis scalped Phil Niekro (7-2) and the Braves 11-4. Julian Javier also had 3 hits and 3 runs scored. Hank Aaron was most of the offense for Atlanta with a pair of jacks. Nelson Briles (6-3) was the WP for the Cardinals.

GAME TWO – Former Cardinal Orlando Cepeda ended this marathon in the bottom of the 15^th with a sac fly scoring Bob Aspromonte for the 5-4 win. Aspromonte led off the inning and dribbled one back to the mound where lefty Mel Nelson (1-2) fumbled it. Felix Millan (3 hits) executed the hit and run leaving runners on the corners for Cepeda with 1 out. Earlier in the game, Aaron (11,12) demonstrated he is in a “groove” with a pair of 2-run bombs for the Bravos. Mike Shannon (8) went deep for St. Loo  in the 6^th to briefly give them a 5-4 lead.  Tim McCarver and Curt Flood rapped out 3 base knocks for the Redbirds.

GAME THREE – Joe Torre’s (6) solo shot in the 7^th proved to be the game winner as St. Louis takes the series with a 3-2 victory. Steve Carlton (2-1) went the distance besting Milt Pappas (2-3). 

Bombers and ChiSox Split Pair

GAME ONE – Mel Stottlemyre (6-3) went the distance in a 4-3 Yankees series opening victory. Gene Michael had 3 hits and scored 2 runs. Joe Pepitone went oppo for his 12^th HR of the season.

GAME TWO – Final game of a short series is all White Sox as they unload on three Yankees hurlers (Burbach, Aker, Downing). Walt “No-Neck” Williams is the biggest bat with 3 hits and 3 RBI. 

Pale Hose Take Series from Carmines

GAME ONE – Reggie Smith banged out 3 hits including a bases clearing triple in the 9^th to lead the Red Sox to a 7-5 win over the White Sox.

GAME TWO – Gary Peters (5-2) fired a 3-hit shutout as the Pale Hose evened the series with the Carmines with the 3-0 victory.

GAME THREE – Bill Melton’s single in the B8 scored Walt Williams and Luis Aparicio as the ChiSox come from behind for a 3-2 win.  

Padres split four with Cubs.

San Diego Stadium,

Game 1,

Sipin goes deep.

San Diego scored three runs during the 3rd inning; that would be all they would need to upend the visiting Cubbies.  Nate Colbert smashed a single past first to plate the initial Padre tally that evened the game at 1.  Cito Gaston grounded a basehit between short and third to score Colbert and Tony Gonzalez.  Gary Ross was the starter and winner for San Diego as he pitched 7 innings while scattering 8 hits to up his record at 1-4. The loser for Chicago was former Padre Dick Selma (2-1). Jack Baldschun collected his 3rd save of the year. Padres 3...Cubs 1.

Game 2,

Dick Kelley was on top of his game for San Diego. Kelly pitched a complete game shutout as the upstart Padres breezed past the Cubs 3-0.  Both teams were only able to muster 4 hits each but the home town team made good use of their safeties.  Young San
Diego second sacker, John Sipin hit his first homerun of the season in the sixth inning with a runner on base to up the Padre lead to 3-0. Sipin's homerun was a low liner that made it just over the 17 foot fence, caromed off the seats in the first row and bounced back on the field.  Kenny Holtzman was the hard luck loser for Chicago as he falls to 4-6 on the season. Padres 3...Cubs 0.

Game 3,

1st game of DH
Bill Hands was too much for the young Padre batters as he returned the favor of shutting out the San Diego club.  Hands only allowed three hits as he improves to 4-6. Joe Niekro took the loss for San Diego to sink to 3-2.  Cubs 4....Padres 0.

Nye cools Friar's bats.

Game 4,

2nd game of DH

Jim Hickman hit a boomering homerun in a 4 run 5th inning for Chicago. Hickman's mammoth shot went nearly 420 feet and it even drew admiration from his opponents.  Centerfielder Cito Gaston lamented, "I did not even have to move. I knew it was out. I just turned around to see how far it would travel."  Rich Nye went the distance for Chicago to move to 2-0. The loss was hung on veteran lefty Johnny Podres (1-4). Podres was not sharp as the Cub hitters tagged him for seven earned runs on 10 hits through only 5 innings. Cubs 7...Padres 1.