1969 World Series
1969 World Series
Los
Angeles vs. Baltimore
Game 1, at Memorial Stadium: Singer vs. Cuellar
F.Robby, Cuellar Lead Orioles Wrecking Crew
Birds Rout Dodgers, Take 1-0 Series Lead
BALTIMORE, Oct. 11 (AP) -- Frank Robinson belted a pair of three-run home runs and drove in seven and Mike Cuellar allowed one run over eight innings of work to pace the Baltimore Orioles past the Los Angeles Dodgers, 10-2, in the first game of the 1969 World Series at Memorial Stadium.
It was a familiar formula for the Orioles, who outdistanced the rest of the American League en route to a 121-win regular season, then bested the Minnesota Twins in the American League Championship Series three games to one.
The Dodgers actually drew first blood in the Series opener, on Manny Mota's two-out solo home run in the top of the third.
But as was their modus operandi against the Twins, the Orioles immediately came back in the bottom half of the inning against Los Angeles starter Bill Singer. After Cuellar popped to short to start the inning, Don Buford singled. Paul Blair followed that with a sharp single of his own to left. That brought Frank Robinson, a bona fide American League MVP candidate for his work during the regular season, to the plate. Singer made a mistake with a breaking ball and Robinson, as he did so many times during the 162-game season, made the pitcher pay, lacing a screaming line drive just inside the left field foul pole into the 14th row of the left field bleachers. It was F. Robby's first home run of the postseason and it put the Orioles on top, 3-1. It was a lead that would be neither surrendered nor challenged.
While Cuellar was scattering the occasional baserunner, the Orioles conjured up feelings of deja vu in putting the game away in the bottom of the fifth. After Cuellar was retired to start the inning, Buford and Blair roped back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and third with one out and Frank Robinson at the plate. The Dodgers briefly considered walking Robinson intentionally, but a glance at the on deck circle, inhabited by ALCS MVP Boog Powell, put any such thoughts to rest. Singer pitched to Robinson and quickly fell behind in the count, 2-0. On the next pitch--a fastball--Robinson crushed a long, long home run that didn't stop until it hit the chain link fence separating the ballpark property from a field beyond the left-center field fence. F. Robby's second three-run homer put the Orioles ahead 6-1 and they never looked back.
Baltimore chased Singer from the game and added a run in the bottom of the sixth when reliever Joe Moeller's wild pitch allowed an inherited runner--Dave Johnson--to score the seventh Orioles' run of the game.
The only serious threat the Dodgers could muster to get back into the game came in the top of the seventh. Bill Sudakis led off with a walk and Ted Sizemore followed with a single between short and third to put runners on first and second with none out. John Miller hit for catcher Jeff Torborg and hit into a 6-4 fielder's choice. With runners on the corners and one out, Jim Lefebvre hit for Moeller and grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to extinguish the threat.
Powell's solo home run in the bottom of the seventh put the Orioles on top 8-1 and the Birds capped their scoring in the eighth on Dave May's pinch hit solo home run leading off the inning and a two-out RBI double off the bat of, who else, Frank Robinson. It was Robinson's seventh run batted in of the contest.
With the game well in hand and the intention to bring back Cuellar for Game 4, the Orioles brought in Jim Hardin to mop up in the ninth and he allowed an unearned run on Tom Haller's RBI single to finish the scoring before retiring pinch hitter Willie Crawford on a foul pop to third baseman Brooks Robinson to end the game.
The top three batters in the Orioles' order--Don Buford, Paul Blair and Frank Robinson--combined to go 8-13 with a pair of walks, a double, two home runs, seven runs scored and seven runs batted in. Manny Mota and Wes Parker were a combined 4-6 with a walk, two doubles and a home run in a losing cause for Los Angeles.
The Dodgers will try to even the Series tomorrow at Memorial Stadium when they send lefty Claude Osteen to the hill against right-hander Jim Palmer of the Orioles.
10/11/1969, World Series Game One: LA 69-Bal69, Memorial Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1969 Dodgers 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 8 0 7 0
1969 Orioles 0 0 3 0 3 1 1 2 x 10 15 0 7 2
Dodgers AB R H BI AVG Orioles AB R H BI AVG
Wills ss 4 0 1 0 .250 Buford lf 3 2 2 0 .667
Mota lf 2 1 2 1 1.000 Blair cf 5 3 3 0 .600
Davis,W cf 4 0 0 0 .000 Robinson,F rf 5 2 3 7 .600
Kosco rf 4 0 0 0 .000 Powell 1b 5 1 2 1 .400
Parker 1b 4 1 2 0 .500 Robinson,Br 3b 5 0 0 0 .000
Sudakis 3b 2 0 1 0 .500 Johnson,Da 2b 4 1 2 0 .500
Sizemore 2b 4 0 1 0 .250 Hendricks c 4 0 1 0 .250
Torborg c 2 0 0 0 .000 Belanger ss 4 0 1 0 .250
Miller,J ph 1 0 0 0 .000 Cuellar p 2 0 0 0 .000
Haller c 1 0 1 1 1.000 May,D ph 1 1 1 1 1.000
Singer p 2 0 0 0 .000 Hardin p 0 0 0 0 .000
Moeller p 0 0 0 0 .000 38 10 15 9
Lefebvre ph 1 0 0 0 .000
Foster,A p 0 0 0 0 .000
Crawford ph 1 0 0 0 .000
32 2 8 2
Dodgers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Singer L 0-1 5.2 9 7 7 1 7 106 68 11.12
Moeller 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 6 1 0.00
Foster,A 2.0 6 3 3 0 2 44 27 13.50
8.0 15 10 10 2 9 156 96
Orioles INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Cuellar W 1-0 8.0 6 1 1 3 9 122 80 1.13
Hardin 1.0 2 1 0 0 1 22 11 0.00
9.0 8 2 1 3 10 144 91
LA : Miller,J batted for Torborg in the 7th
Lefebvre batted for Moeller in the 7th
Haller inserted at c in the 7th
Crawford batted for Foster,A in the 9th
Bal: May,D batted for Cuellar in the 8th
2B-Parker 2, Sudakis, Blair. HR-Mota(1), Robinson,F 2(2), Powell(1),
May,D(1). K-Wills, Davis,W 3, Kosco, Parker, Sudakis, Torborg, Singer 2,
Buford, Blair, Powell 2, Robinson,Br, Johnson,Da, Hendricks, Belanger,
Cuellar. BB-Mota, Sudakis 2, Buford 2. SH-Mota, Cuellar. PB-Hendricks.
WP-Moeller.
GWRBI: Robinson,F
Temperature: 57, Sky: partly cloudy, Wind: out to right at 16 MPH.
Attendance: 52,559
Game Time: 2:46
Game 2, at Memorial Stadium: Osteen vs. Palmer
O's Survive Nervous Ninth, Take 2-0 Series Advantage
Dodgers Done In by Popped Up Bunt
BALTIMORE, Oct. 12 (AP) -- If the Baltimore Orioles thought that a World Series championship was going to be a cakewalk the Los Angeles Dodgers jolted them out of any sense of complacency in Game 2 at Memorial Stadium. The Orioles won the game to take a 2-0 Series advantage, but the Dodgers make them sweat every moment of it.
Baltimore broke on top in the bottom of the first by scoring twice, but missed an opportunity to give themselves a substantial advantage which nearly came back to haunt them in the end. Don Buford led off the frame with a home run to left and, one out later, Frank Robinson's walk was followed by a Boog Powell single to center. With runners at first and second, Brooks Robinson's grounder to third looked like an inning ending double play, but Bill Sudakis' throw to second baseman Ted Sizemore was in the dirt. Sizemore couldn't come up with it cleanly and the resulting error on Sudakis filled the bases with one out. Dave Johnson's shallow fly to Willie Davis in center didn't do the Orioles any good, and it appeared that Dodgers starter Claude Osteen was going to escape further damage. But Andy Etchebarren lined a single to right, scoring Frank Robinson. Powell, however, was thrown out at the plate by right fielder Willie Crawford on a close play to keep the score 2-0. That would be the end of the scoring on the day for the Orioles.
Fortunately for Baltimore, starter Jim Palmer was very much on his game. The Dodgers did fill the bases in the third on Osteen's one-out single and consecutive two-out walks to Sizemore and Davis, but Wes Parker rolled weakly to Dave Johnson at second to end the inning. Following a one-out walk to Sudakis in the fourth, Palmer retired 13 consecutive batters.
The Orioles were putting runners on base regularly throughout, but couldn't get any of them home. They stranded runners on second and third in the third, wasted a leadoff double by Etchebarren in the fourth and eliminated leadoff singles with double play grounders in the fifth and sixth innings.
Osteen was lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh and Pete Mikkelsen came on for the Dodgers and retired all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth frames.
In the top of the eighth, Los Angeles finally got to Palmer. With one out, Sizemore walked, interrupting the streak of 13 consecutive batters retired and Willie Davis followed that with a bloop single to left which put runners on the corners. Parker grounded to Brooks Robinson at third and the Orioles tried to turn a double play but failed, eliminating only Davis on a force at second and allowing Sizemore to score to cut the lead to 2-1. A Palmer wild pitch moved Parker into scoring position, but Andy Kosco struck out to end the inning.
After Mikkelsen had retired the Orioles in order in the bottom of the eighth, Palmer came on to try to finish off the Dodgers in the ninth, but allowed an infield single to Sudakis to start the inning. Second baseman Johnson made a diving attempt, but was only able to smother the ball, allowing Sudakis to reach first. With a string of lefty swingers coming up, Palmer departed and reliever Pete Richert was summoned from the bullpen. Bill Russell was called upon to hit for Willie Crawford and promptly slashed a single between Johnson and Powell, with Sudakis holding at second. Lefty hitting Tom Haller remained in the game to bunt the runners into scoring position. Haller, one of the better bunters in the National League, popped a high Richert fastball up. Etchebarren made a brilliant play, spearing the ball below waist level and firing to Johnson at second base to double off Sudakis. The ball had come fairly close to falling, leaving the baserunners in no-man's land. It was a huge play, possibly the one play that people will remember this World Series for in the future. Instead of having two runners in scoring position and one out, the Dodgers suddenly had a runner on first and two outs, still trailing by a run. Manny Mota came on to hit for Mikkelsen and right-hander Eddie Watt replaced Richert on the hill. Mota foiled the strategy by grounding a sharp single between short and third, putting the potential go-ahead run on base with two outs for Maury Wills. But Wills couldn't rise to the occasion, rolling a routine grounder to Mark Belanger at short. His toss to Johnson forced Mota at second and the Orioles had escaped with a 2-1 victory. Despite three ninth inning hits, the Dodgers had failed to score.
The Series now moves to the West Coast. The Orioles will send Dave McNally to the mound against Don Sutton of the Dodgers in Game 3, following an off-day for travel.
10/12/1969, World Series Game 2: LA 69-Bal69, Memorial Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1969 Dodgers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 7 2 9 2
1969 Orioles 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 x 2 8 0 6 1
Dodgers AB R H BI AVG Orioles AB R H BI AVG
Wills ss 5 0 0 0 .111 Buford lf 4 1 1 1 .429
Sizemore 2b 2 1 0 0 .167 Blair cf 4 0 1 0 .444
Davis,W cf 3 0 2 0 .286 Robinson,F rf 3 1 0 0 .375
Parker 1b 4 0 0 1 .250 Powell 1b 4 0 2 0 .444
Kosco lf 4 0 0 0 .000 Robinson,Br 3b 4 0 1 0 .111
Sudakis 3b 3 0 1 0 .400 Johnson,Da 2b 3 0 0 0 .286
Crawford rf 3 0 0 0 .000 Etchebarren c 3 0 3 1 1.000
Russell ph 1 0 1 0 1.000 Belanger ss 3 0 0 0 .143
Haller c 4 0 1 0 .400 Palmer,J p 3 0 0 0 .000
Osteen p 2 0 1 0 .500 Richert p 0 0 0 0 .000
Gabrielson ph 1 0 0 0 .000 Watt p 0 0 0 0 .000
Mikkelsen p 0 0 0 0 .000 31 2 8 2
Mota ph 1 0 1 0 1.000
33 1 7 1
Dodgers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Osteen L 0-1 6.0 8 2 1 1 4 91 61 1.50
Mikkelsen 2.0 0 0 0 0 1 19 11 0.00
8.0 8 2 1 1 5 110 72
Orioles INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Palmer,J W 1-0 8.0 5 1 1 4 4 127 79 1.13
Richert H 1 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 6 4 0.00
Watt S 1 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 3 3 0.00
9.0 7 1 1 4 4 136 86
LA : Gabrielson batted for Osteen in the 7th
Russell batted for Crawford in the 9th
Mota batted for Mikkelsen in the 9th
E-Sizemore, Sudakis. 2B-Etchebarren. HR-Buford(1). SB-Davis,W(1). K-Kosco,
Sudakis 2, Crawford, Robinson,F, Johnson,Da, Belanger, Palmer,J 2.
BB-Sizemore 2, Davis,W, Sudakis, Robinson,F. PB-Haller. WP-Palmer,J.
GWRBI: Buford
Temperature: 68, Sky: clear, Wind: right to left at 11 MPH.
Attendance: 52,174
Game Time: 2:24
Game 3, at Dodger Stadium: McNally vs. Sutton
Sweep This! Sutton Fires Shutout
Dodgers Hammer O's, Cut Series Lead to 2-1
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14 (AP) -- Don Sutton fired a brilliant two-hit shutout and the resilient Los Angeles Dodgers, showing no ill-effects from their Game 2 disappointment, waxed the Baltimore Orioles 9-0 in Game 3 of the 1969 World Series at Dodger Stadium. The victory cut Baltimore's Series lead to 2-1.
This one was over quickly as the Dodgers pounded Orioles starter Dave McNally for four runs in the first inning. The Orioles have to be concerned about McNally, who was also hit hard by the Minnesota Twins in Game 3 of the ALCS last week. As things currently stand, McNally would start Game 6 of the World Series, should a sixth game be necessary.
The first inning began harmlessly enough for McNally, who retired Maury Wills to start the frame, but yielded a double to right to Manny Mota. Willie Davis grounded out to second, moving Mota to third and then the wheels fell off for the Orioles. Andy Kosco singled through the middle to score Mota and Wes Parker followed with a walk. Bill Sudakis then launched a long home run into the left field bullpen, a three-run shot, to put the Dodgers ahead 4-0.
It was more than Sutton would need, but he'd get more. In the third, Mota led off with a single, his fifth straight hit of the Series, and was forced at second by Davis. Kosco singled to left-center, moving Davis to third and then Parker singled to center, scoring Davis and advancing Kosco to second. Bill Sudakis' grounder to second was muffed by Dave Johnson to fill the bases and that spelled the end of McNally's afternoon. He was replaced by Tom Phoebus who yielded a warning track sacrifice fly to Ted Sizemore which made it 6-0.
Los Angeles conclusively put the game away in the bottom of the fourth when, with one out, Wills and Mota slapped consecutive singles. It was the sixth hit in as many at-bats for Mota in the Series. Davis grounded into a 3-6 fielder's choice, leaving runners on the corners with two outs and then Andy Kosco mashed a Phoebus fastball into the left field pavilion for the Dodgers' second two-out, three-run home run of the game. It was 9-0 and that's how it would end.
Marcelino Lopez and Dave Leonhard combined to toss four shutout innings of mop-up ball for Baltimore.
Sutton had some control problems, walking four and hitting a batter, but allowed just two hits--a two-out single to Paul Blair in the fourth and a single to Frank Robinson in the ninth and surrendered very few hard hit balls.
With the resounding win, the Dodgers have put an end to any question of whether they belong on the same field as the Orioles and will try to even the Series tomorrow in a Game One rematch between Mike Cuellar and Bill Singer.
10/14/1969, World Series Game 3: Bal69-LA 69, Dodger Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1969 Orioles 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 0
1969 Dodgers 4 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 x 9 12 2 8 3
Orioles AB R H BI AVG Dodgers AB R H BI AVG
Buford lf 3 0 0 0 .300 Wills ss 4 1 1 0 .154
Blair cf 3 0 1 0 .417 Mota lf 5 1 3 0 .750
Robinson,F rf 4 0 1 0 .333 Davis,W cf 5 2 2 0 .333
Powell 1b 3 0 0 0 .333 Kosco rf 4 3 3 4 .250
Robinson,Br 3b 4 0 0 0 .077 Parker 1b 3 1 1 1 .273
Johnson,Da 2b 2 0 0 0 .222 Sudakis 3b 4 1 1 3 .333
Hendricks c 2 0 0 0 .167 Sizemore 2b 3 0 1 1 .222
Belanger ss 3 0 0 0 .100 Torborg c 3 0 0 0 .000
McNally p 1 0 0 0 .000 Sutton p 4 0 0 0 .000
Phoebus p 0 0 0 0 .000 35 9 12 9
Dalrymple ph 1 0 0 0 .000
Lopez p 0 0 0 0 .000
May,D ph 1 0 0 0 .500
Leonhard p 0 0 0 0 .000
27 0 2 0
Orioles INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
McNally L 0-1 2.1 6 6 5 2 0 41 24 19.29
Phoebus 1.2 3 3 3 1 2 30 17 16.20
Lopez 3.0 2 0 0 1 2 47 29 0.00
Leonhard 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 19 8 0.00
8.0 12 9 8 5 4 137 78
Dodgers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Sutton W 1-0 9.0 2 0 0 4 7 124 73 0.00
9.0 2 0 0 4 7 124 73
Bal: Dalrymple batted for Phoebus in the 5th
May,D batted for Lopez in the 8th
E-Johnson,Da, Wills, Sizemore. 2B-Mota, Davis,W. HR-Kosco(1), Sudakis(1).
CS-Buford, Wills. K-Blair, Robinson,F, Robinson,Br, Johnson,Da, McNally,
Dalrymple, May,D, Kosco, Sudakis 2, Torborg. BB-Buford, Powell, Johnson,Da,
Hendricks, Wills, Kosco, Parker 2, Torborg. SF-Sizemore. HBP-Blair.
HB-Sutton.
GWRBI: Kosco
Temperature: 70, Sky: clear, Wind: in from right at 11 MPH.
Attendance: 56,276
Game Time: 2:22
Game 4, at Dodger Stadium: Cuellar vs. Singer
Case of "Dropsies" Devastates Brewer, Dodgers
Two-Run Eighth Puts O's Up, 3-1
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 15 (AP) -- Clinging to a 2-1 lead with two outs and none on in the top of the eighth inning, the home team Los Angeles Dodgers might have started to envision a World Series tied at two games apiece. If they did, they were premature.
The Baltimore Orioles rallied for two runs in that same eighth inning, with a Los Angeles error crucial to the comeback, and took a 3-1 Series lead by nipping the Dodgers, 3-2, at Dodger Stadium before a crestfallen partisan crowd.
This contest was a real pitcher's duel between Baltimore's Mike Cuellar and Los Angeles' Bill Singer. Cuellar wasn't as sharp as he appeared in the opener, and Singer was far more effective, but the game was a nail-biter throughout.
The Orioles opened the scoring on Boog Powell's second homer of the Series, a solo shot into the seats down the right field line in the second inning.
The Dodgers evened the score in the bottom of the third. Manny Mota and Willie Davis reached on consecutive one-out singles. An Andy Kosco grounder to Powell at first moved both runners into scoring position with two outs and then Wes Parker looped a single to left-center, scoring Mota and tying the game at one. Bill Sudakis flied to center to end the inning.
No one scored again until the seventh and, in fact, no one got a runner past second base until that point. In the bottom of the inning, Jeff Torborg singled. Singer tried to bunt him along but failed, bunting foul for a third strike and the first out of the inning. But Maury Wills reached on an infield dribbler to the right side, putting runners at first and second. Mota then launched a fly to deep right which Frank Robinson caught in front of the wall for the second out. On the play, Torborg tagged and went to third. And then, in what appeared to be a critical mistake, a Cuellar screwball went off the glove of Elrod Hendricks for a passed ball. Torborg scored to put the Dodgers ahead, 2-1. Davis fouled to Brooks Robinson to end the inning, but the damage had been done, in the form of an unearned run.
The Orioles appeared to be in deep trouble, particularly when the first two batters in the eighth were retired by Singer. But Paul Blair drew a walk and Frank Robinson's infield hit to the left side put runners on first and second. That spelled the end of the day for Singer as the Dodgers called upon southpaw reliever Jim Brewer to face the lefty swinging Powell. In what would turn out to be the game's critical moment, Powell grounded a ball between first and second. Slick fielding first baseman Parker scooped the ball up and flipped to Brewer covering first. But the pitcher dropped the toss for an error, leaving all hands safe. With the bases loaded, Brewer prepared to face Brooks Robinson, 0-3 in the game to that point and 1-16 in the World Series. B.Robby made up for all that with a line single to left-center field, scoring Blair and Frank Robinson and moving Powell to third to put the Orioles on top, 3-2. Dave Johnson flied out to end the inning, but the Orioles had come back on the strength of two unearned runs.
Dick Hall came on for the Birds in the bottom of the frame, retired the first two batters and surrendered a single to Sudakis, but then took care of Ted Sizemore on a fielder's choice grounder.
The Orioles narrowly failed to add some insurance in the top of the ninth. New pitcher Al McBean surrendered a leadoff single to pinch hitter Curt Motton and Mark Belanger then walked, after failing to lay down a sacrifice. Merv Rettenmund came on to hit for Hall and dropped a perfect bunt down, advancing the runners to second and third. With one out, the Dodgers conferenced on the mound and decided to walk Don Buford intentionally to fill the bases and set up a potential double play. Paul Blair's grounder to Sudakis at third resulted in a force at the plate for the second out and McBean avoided any damage by retiring Frank Robinson on a fly to left.
Eddie Watt came on for the Orioles in the ninth and slammed the door firmly shut, retiring pinch hitter Jim Lefebvre on a weak pop to Belanger at short, Willie Crawford on a shallow fly to Blair in center and Wills on a routine bouncer to Belanger.
It was the second tooth-and-nail, one-run victory for the Orioles in the Series. They will look to close things out tomorrow when Jim Palmer faces Claude Osteen.
10/15/1969, World Series Game 4 Bal69-LA 69, Dodger Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1969 Orioles 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 9 0 9 1
1969 Dodgers 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 8 1 8 0
Orioles AB R H BI AVG Dodgers AB R H BI AVG
Buford lf 4 0 1 0 .286 Wills ss 4 0 2 0 .235
Watt p 0 0 0 0 .000 Mota lf 3 1 1 0 .636
Blair cf 4 1 0 0 .313 Davis,W cf 4 0 1 0 .313
Robinson,F rf 5 1 2 0 .353 Kosco rf 4 0 1 0 .250
Powell 1b 4 1 1 1 .313 Parker 1b 3 0 1 1 .286
Robinson,Br 3b 4 0 1 2 .118 Sudakis 3b 4 0 1 0 .308
Johnson,Da 2b 4 0 0 0 .154 Sizemore 2b 3 0 0 0 .167
Hendricks c 3 0 2 0 .333 Torborg c 3 1 1 0 .125
Motton ph 1 0 1 0 1.000 Lefebvre ph 1 0 0 0 .000
Etchebarren c 0 0 0 0 1.000 Singer p 3 0 0 0 .000
Belanger ss 3 0 1 0 .154 Brewer p 0 0 0 0 .000
Cuellar p 2 0 0 0 .000 McBean p 0 0 0 0 .000
May,D ph 1 0 0 0 .333 Crawford ph 1 0 0 0 .000
Hall,D p 0 0 0 0 .000 33 2 8 1
Rettenmund ph 0 0 0 0 .000
35 3 9 3
Orioles INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Cuellar W 2-0 7.0 7 2 1 3 6 102 69 1.20
Hall,D H 1 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 12 8 0.00
Watt S 2 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 6 5 0.00
9.0 8 2 1 3 6 120 82
Dodgers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Singer L 0-2 7.2 7 3 1 1 7 116 77 5.40
Brewer BS 1 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 10 6 0.00
McBean 1.0 1 0 0 2 0 21 9 0.00
9.0 9 3 1 3 7 147 92
Bal: May,D batted for Cuellar in the 8th
Motton batted for Hendricks in the 9th
Rettenmund batted for Hall,D in the 9th
Etchebarren inserted at c in the 9th
Rettenmund moved to lf in the 9th
LA : Lefebvre batted for Torborg in the 9th
Crawford batted for McBean in the 9th
E-Brewer. HR-Powell(2). CS-Buford. K-Buford, Blair 2, Robinson,Br,
Johnson,Da, Belanger, Cuellar, Wills, Kosco, Sudakis, Singer 3. BB-Buford,
Blair, Belanger, Wills, Parker, Sizemore. SH-Rettenmund, Mota. PB-Hendricks.
GWRBI: Robinson,Br
Temperature: 74, Sky: cloudy, Wind: right to left at 7 MPH.
Attendance: 55,878
Game Time: 2:24
Game 5, at Dodger Stadium: Palmer vs. Osteen
Dodgers
Bounce Back, Force Return to Baltimore
Mikkelsen's Relief Stint Keys 7-5 Victory
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16 (AP) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers again demonstrated their remarkable resilience, fighting off World Series elimination with a 7-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles in Game 5 at Dodger Stadium. Game 6 will be played at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore after a travel day.
The one genuinely weak part of the Dodgers' play in the Series thus far has been defense and that was on display again today, right off the bat. After Don Buford led off the game with a walk, Paul Blair hit a routine double play grounder to third baseman Bill Sudakis, who threw poorly to second leaving all hands safe. The error would lead to an unearned run--a tally without the benefit of a hit--one out later when Boog Powell's fielder's choice scored Buford with the game's first run.
But the Dodgers immediately came back in the bottom of the inning against Orioles starter Jim Palmer. Maury Wills, as he has done so frequently this postseason, reached base to start the inning on a single. Manny Mota--starting in place of Willie Crawford despite the right-hander on the mound--sacrificed him to second and Willie Davis' double down the right field line brought Mota home to tie the game. Wes Parker followed with a single through the right side to score Davis and put the Dodgers on top, 2-1. Los Angeles wouldn't trail again.
The Orioles did knot the score in the top of the fourth. Boog Powell led off the inning with a home run, his third of the Series. One out later Dave Johnson doubled to left and Andy Etchebarren's bloop single to center brought Johnson home with the tying run, with Etchebarren advancing to second on the throw to the plate. Mark Belanger followed with a single to left but, in a play that was to reemerge later in the contest, Etchebarren was gunned down at the plate by Mota.
Again, the Dodgers bounced back in short order, moving ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the frame with an unearned run. Palmer had no one to blame but himself, for it was he who misplayed Sudakis' tapper to start the inning. That was followed by consecutive singles off the bats of Tom Haller and Ted Sizemore, the second of which brought home the lead run. Palmer was able to escape further damage in the inning.
In the sixth, the Orioles tied the game again, but missed a chance to take the lead. Sudakis threw Boog Powell's grounder over first baseman Wes Parker's head and into the stands to give Baltimore a runner at second with none out to start the inning. One out later, Johnson singled to left, with Powell stopping at third. Etchebarren then dropped a single into right-center, scoring Powell and advancing Johnson to second. Belanger followed with the Orioles third straight single, a solid line drive to left, but for the second time in the game, Mota threw an Oriole baserunner out at the plate. Johnson was gunned down at home on a close play which kept the score tied. It didn't keep Dodgers starter Claude Osteen in the game, however. Curt Motton was announced as a pinch hitter for Palmer and the Dodgers countered with Pete Mikkelsen as part of a double switch and the right-hander retired Motton on a fly to left.
For the third time in the game, the Dodgers followed an Oriole score with runs of their own. Reliever Pete Richert retired Haller to start the inning but Sizemore shocked everyone by driving a ball a couple of rows into the seats inside the left field foul pole for a home run, putting the Dodgers back on top 5-4. One out later, Wills singled and stole second. Mota was walked intentionally so that Richert could face lefty swinging Willie Davis, but the Dodgers center fielder foiled the strategy by roping his second double of the game, this one to left-center, scoring both Wills and Mota and giving the Dodgers some cushion.
Mikkelsen did a marvelous job of making the lead hold up. The right-hander didn't allow a hit until pinch hitter Merv Rettenmund hit a solo homer into the left field pavilion with one out in the ninth. With two outs, Mikkelsen hit Blair with a 1-2 pitch, bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of Frank Robinson. But Robinson, who delivered so often for the Orioles this season, grounded to Wills, who forced Blair at second to end the ballgame.
The Dodgers are beginning to show confidence that they can climb all the way back in the Series. Game 6 in Baltimore is a rematch of the Dodgers' Game 3 blowout win--Don Sutton for Los Angeles against the Orioles' Dave McNally.
10/16/1969, World Series Game 5: Bal69-LA 69, Dodger Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1969 Orioles 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 5 10 2 7 2
1969 Dodgers 2 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 x 7 12 2 8 2
Orioles AB R H BI AVG Dodgers AB R H BI AVG
Buford lf 3 1 0 0 .235 Wills ss 5 2 2 0 .273
Blair cf 4 0 0 0 .250 Mota lf 3 1 1 0 .571
Robinson,F rf 5 0 0 0 .273 Davis,W cf 5 1 2 3 .333
Powell 1b 4 2 1 2 .300 Parker 1b 3 0 2 1 .353
Robinson,Br 3b 4 0 0 0 .095 Kosco rf 3 0 0 0 .211
Johnson,Da 2b 3 1 3 0 .313 Russell rf 0 0 0 0 1.000
Etchebarren c 3 0 2 2 .833 Sudakis 3b 3 1 0 0 .250
Hendricks ph 1 0 0 0 .300 Mikkelsen p 1 0 0 0 .000
Belanger ss 4 0 3 0 .294 Haller c 4 1 3 1 .556
Palmer,J p 2 0 0 0 .000 Sizemore 2b 3 1 2 2 .267
Motton ph 1 0 0 0 .500 Osteen p 1 0 0 0 .333
Richert p 0 0 0 0 .000 Lefebvre 3b 2 0 0 0 .000
Leonhard p 0 0 0 0 .000 33 7 12 7
Rettenmund ph 1 1 1 1 1.000
35 5 10 5
Orioles INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Palmer,J 5.0 8 4 3 2 2 75 44 2.77
Richert L 0-1 1.0 3 3 3 1 1 30 18 16.20
Leonhard 2.0 1 0 0 1 0 35 22 0.00
8.0 12 7 6 4 3 140 84
Dodgers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Osteen 5.2 9 4 2 1 3 89 57 2.31
Mikkelsen W 1-0 3.1 1 1 1 2 1 43 27 1.69
9.0 10 5 3 3 4 132 84
Bal: Motton batted for Palmer,J in the 6th
Hendricks batted for Etchebarren in the 8th
Hendricks moved to c in the 8th
Rettenmund batted for Leonhard in the 9th
LA : Lefebvre inserted at 3b in the 6th
Russell inserted at rf in the 9th
E-Johnson,Da, Palmer,J, Sudakis 2. 2B-Johnson,Da, Davis,W 2. HR-Powell(3),
Rettenmund(1), Haller(1), Sizemore(1). SB-Wills(1). K-Blair 2, Robinson,Br,
Belanger, Mota, Kosco, Lefebvre. BB-Buford 2, Johnson,Da, Mota, Parker,
Kosco, Sizemore. SH-Mota, Osteen. HBP-Blair. HB-Mikkelsen.
GWRBI: Sizemore
Temperature: 58, Sky: clear, Wind: right to left at 3 MPH.
Attendance: 56,261
Game Time: 2:19
Game 6, at Memorial Stadium: McNally vs. Sutton
Championship
Rests in Orioles' Nest
McNally, Bullpen Stifle Pesky Dodgers to Secure World
Series Title
BALTIMORE, Oct. 18 (AP) -- The Baltimore Orioles capped off their marvelous season in the only manner fitting, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 in Game 6 of the World Series to earn the indisputable right to call themselves baseball's champions.
It was the 128th win for the Orioles since they broke spring training camp in early April of this year--121 during the regular season, three in the American League Championship Series and four in the World Series.
Dave McNally, who was hammered by the Dodgers in Game 3 of the Series and in Game 3 of the ALCS by the Twins, rebounded to the form that allowed him to win 24 games during the regular season, surrendering just one run in 6 2/3 innings before giving way to his typically stingy bullpen. Dick Hall and Eddie Watt combined for 2 1/3 innings of perfect relief, with Watt closing out the game and earning his third Series save in the process--and sixth in as many opportunities in the postseason overall.
Dodgers starter Don Sutton, who had shut the Orioles down on just two hits in Game 3, faltered in the fourth inning of this contest, allowing all three runs in that frame and barely avoiding further damage.
The Orioles stranded nine runners and, incredibly, had two more runners thrown out at the plate in Game 6. In the last two games, four Baltimore runners were gunned down at home by Los Angeles outfielders. Still, the Orioles managed enough offense to pull out the game and the Series.
The Orioles breathed a collective sigh of relief almost immediately when it became clear that McNally was far sharper than he had been in Game 3 when he surrendered four runs in the first inning. In the opening frame of Game 6, the left-hander speedily retired the Dodgers in order.
Neither team seriously threatened to dent home plate until the fourth. In the top half of the inning, Willie Davis led off with a single and stole second. Andy Kosco grounded to short, with Davis holding at second and Wes Parker followed by beating out a third baseline dribbler on a disputed call. The Orioles vehemently protested the call at first base and television replays seemed to indicate that Parker had been thrown out at first, but the call stood and the Dodgers had runners on first and third with just one out. But then, in yet another of those pivotal moments, Bill Sudakis grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning, with the contest still scoreless.
The Orioles seemed to respond to the defensive lift in the top of the inning when they came to bat in the bottom half. Frank Robinson led off with a walk and Boog Powell followed by lacing a single down the right field line, advancing Robinson to third. That brought up Brooks Robinson, who was having a terrible Series at the plate--2-for-22 at that point. But Sutton hung him a curve and B. Robby rocketed a line drive double into the gap in left-center field, scoring F. Robby easily and moving Powell to third. The Dodgers, with two runners in scoring position and none out, decided to leave the infield back, but the tactic was rendered moot when Sutton fired a ball over Tom Haller's head to the backstop. The wild pitch allowed Powell to score and Robinson moved to third. Dave Johnson lifted a fly to medium right and Robinson was sent home, only to be thrown out by Andy Kosco. But the Orioles weren't done scoring in the frame. Elrod Hendricks followed by belting a Sutton fastball deep into the right field stands to make it 3-0. Belanger followed with a single before McNally finally grounded out to end the inning.
The Dodgers almost retaliated in the fifth, but had a man of their own erased trying to score, in what was a crushing blow. With one out, Haller drew a walk and advanced to second when Bill Russell, pinch hitting for Sutton as the Dodgers pulled out all the stops, grounded weakly to short. Maury Wills followed by lining a sharp single to center, but Paul Blair fielded the ball on one hop and nailed Haller at the plate to keep the three-run Baltimore lead intact.
Jim Bunning, who hadn't made a relief appearance all year, replaced Sutton and walked Frank Robinson with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Powell followed with a double into left-center, but the Dodgers cut Robinson down at home, Manny Mota to shortstop Wills to Haller.
Los Angeles finally broke through and drove McNally from the game in the seventh. Parker and Sudakis looped back-to-back hits to start the inning and a Ted Sizemore fielder's choice left runners at the corners with one out. Haller followed with a soft grounder to second. Dave Johnson's only play was at first, as Parker scored and Sudakis moved to second. Jim Lefebvre was brought on to pinch hit and McNally was replaced by Dick Hall, who struck Lefebvre out swinging.
That was pretty much it. The Dodgers ran through a total of six pitchers in the game and managed to hold the Orioles scoreless after the fourth, but the Baltimore bullpen was too much for Los Angeles. Hall easily set the Dodgers down in order in the eighth and Eddie Watt came on to do the same in the ninth.
When Sudakis grounded to Powell, unassisted, for the final out, the entire Orioles team swarmed in celebration near the pitcher's mound while a Memorial Stadium sellout throng in excess of 52,000 exploded in the stands.
Mike Cuellar, the Orioles' southpaw starter, was named the World Series Most Valuable Player for winning both of his starts and allowing only two earned runs in 15 innings of work (1.20 ERA). Cuellar, between the regular season and postseason, was credited with 34 victories this year. Other MVP candidates for the Orioles included Watt, who posted three saves in as many appearances and didn't allow a run in the World Series; Boog Powell (.333, 3 HR); and Frank Robinson (2 HR, 7 RBI).
The best efforts from the Dodgers came from Manny Mota (.500, 9-18, HR), who started the Series in a platoon role but played himself into an everyday starter; Wes Parker (.381), Tom Haller (.455, 5-11, HR) and Willie Davis (.320).
The statistics for the Series were remarkably close. The Orioles outscored the Dodgers 23-22. Baltimore posted a 3.12 ERA to Los Angeles' 3.18. The Orioles batted at a .268 clip with 17 walks. The Dodgers hit .269, hitting five home runs and drawing 21 walks. The notable differences, and where the Series was almost certainly decided, came in the 9-5 home run advantage that the Orioles posted and the eight Los Angeles errors, compared with just four charged to Baltimore.
10/18/1969, World Series Game 6: LA 69-Bal69, Memorial Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1969 Dodgers 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 1 5 1
1969 Orioles 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 x 3 9 1 9 2
Dodgers AB R H BI AVG Orioles AB R H BI AVG
Wills ss 3 0 1 0 .280 Buford lf 4 0 1 0 .238
Mota lf 4 0 1 0 .500 Etchebarren c 0 0 0 0 .833
Davis,W cf 4 0 1 0 .320 Blair cf 4 0 0 0 .208
Kosco rf 4 0 0 0 .174 Robinson,F rf 1 1 0 0 .261
Parker 1b 4 1 2 0 .381 Powell 1b 4 1 2 0 .333
Sudakis 3b 4 0 1 0 .250 Robinson,Br 3b 4 0 1 1 .120
Sizemore 2b 3 0 0 0 .222 Johnson,Da 2b 4 0 1 0 .300
Haller c 2 0 0 1 .455 Hendricks c 3 1 2 1 .385
Sutton p 1 0 0 0 .000 Rettenmund ph 0 0 0 0 1.000
Russell ph 1 0 0 0 .500 Belanger ss 4 0 2 0 .333
Bunning p 0 0 0 0 .000 McNally p 3 0 0 0 .000
McBean p 0 0 0 0 .000 Hall,D p 0 0 0 0 .000
Lefebvre ph 1 0 0 0 .000 Salmon ph 1 0 0 0 .000
Moeller p 0 0 0 0 .000 Watt p 0 0 0 0 .000
Brewer p 0 0 0 0 .000 32 3 9 2
Mikkelsen p 0 0 0 0 .000
31 1 6 1
Dodgers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Sutton L 1-1 4.0 5 3 3 1 0 58 36 2.08
Bunning 1.1 3 0 0 1 1 29 18 0.00
McBean 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 6 4 0.00
Moeller 0.2 0 0 0 1 0 14 8 0.00
Brewer 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 17 10 0.00
Mikkelsen 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 4 3 1.59
8.0 9 3 3 4 2 128 79
Orioles INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
McNally W 1-1 6.2 6 1 1 2 3 86 53 6.00
Hall,D H 2 1.1 0 0 0 0 2 17 12 0.00
Watt S 3 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 7 5 0.00
9.0 6 1 1 2 5 110 70
LA : Russell batted for Sutton in the 5th
Lefebvre batted for McBean in the 7th
Bal: Rettenmund batted for Hendricks in the 8th
Salmon batted for Hall,D in the 8th
Etchebarren inserted at c in the 9th
Rettenmund moved to lf in the 9th
E-Sudakis, Belanger. 2B-Powell, Robinson,Br. HR-Hendricks(1). SB-Davis,W(2),
Buford(1). K-Wills, Davis,W, Kosco, Parker, Lefebvre, Buford, Salmon.
BB-Wills, Haller, Robinson,F 3, Rettenmund. WP-Sutton.
GWRBI: Robinson,Br
Temperature: 60, Sky: clear, Wind: in from left at 10 MPH.
Attendance: 52,182
Game Time: 2:42