(Updated Aug. 16, 2019)
In the season that produced his highest hits total, Cardinals center fielder Curt Flood had his best day as a hitter.
On Aug. 16, 1964, Flood got hits in eight consecutive at-bats in a doubleheader against the Dodgers at Los Angeles. Four of those hits came against Sandy Koufax.
Flood had a chance to tie the big-league record for consecutive hits in a doubleheader, but he made his only out of the day in his final at-bat.
“I’m mighty happy to have gotten eight hits, even though I couldn’t get that last one,” Flood said to United Press International.
Flood became the first National League player with eight hits in a doubleheader since Pirates shortstop Stan Rojek did it against the Dodgers at Pittsburgh in 1948.
Joe Kelley, a left fielder for the Orioles, established the record of nine consecutive hits in a doubleheader on Sept. 3, 1894, against Cleveland.
Entering the day with a .291 batting average, Flood was at .302 after his 8-for-9 performance. He would finish the season with a .311 batting average and a career-best 211 hits, tying him with Roberto Clemente of the Pirates as the 1964 National League hits leader.
With his wife, four children and parents in attendance, Flood batted leadoff in each game of the doubleheader.
Dandy vs. Sandy
In the opener, the Dodgers started Koufax, who that season would lead the National League in ERA (1.74) and winning percentage (.792 with a 19-5 record).
Koufax was dominant against everyone except Flood that day. The left-hander struck out 13 and shut out the Cardinals on seven hits. Flood, though, went 4-for-4 against him. Flood, a right-handed batter, hit .296 (32-for-108) in his career against Koufax.
Here’s what Flood did in Game 1:
_ First inning. Flood led off the game with a double down the left-field line. He was stranded at second when Koufax struck out Lou Brock and retired Dick Groat on a fly out and Ken Boyer on a pop out.
_ Third inning. With two outs and none on, Flood doubled to left, a shot just inside the third-base line. Koufax followed with a strikeout of Brock.
_ Fifth inning. Flood looped a single to right with two outs and none on.
_ Seventh inning. With Julian Javier on first and two outs, Flood lined a single to center, sending Javier to third. Koufax struck out Brock for the third time, ending the threat.
Koufax told the Los Angeles Times, “Flood always is tough … He was hitting good pitches.”
The Dodgers won, 3-0. Boxscore
Igniting the offense
In Game 2, Flood sparked the Cardinals against Larry Miller, a rookie left-hander. Here’s what Flood did in that game:
_ First inning. Flood laced a triple into the right-field corner and scored on Groat’s sacrifice fly.
_ Third inning. With one out and none on, Flood lined a single to center.
_ Fourth inning. With two outs, the bases loaded and Flood at the plate, Dodgers manager Walter Alston replaced Larry Miller with Bob Miller, a former Cardinals right-hander. Flood singled to right, driving in two runs and giving the Cardinals a 4-0 lead.
_ Sixth inning. Flood stroked his eighth consecutive hit, a two-out single to left off right-hander Phil Ortega.
_ Ninth inning. With the Dodger Stadium crowd cheering for him, Flood waited in the on-deck circle to face left-hander Ron Perranoski. According to the Los Angeles Times, “teammate Bill White helpfully threw a broom into the circle, and Bob Gibson needled his buddy by waving a fungo bat.” The attempt to lighten the mood didn’t work. Perranoski struck out Flood.
“Perranoski threw me some sinkers and I missed them,” Flood said to The Sporting News.
The Cardinals won, 4-0, behind the 4-for-5 effort by Flood and the pitching of Curt Simmons. Boxscore
When reporters gathered around Flood’s locker after the game, catcher Tim McCarver, Flood’s friend and teammate, put on an ape mask, grabbed a pencil and pad and joined the throng.
McCarver: “How do you explain how you make monkeys out of the Dodgers pitchers?”
Flood laughed and replied: “I am sore and tired. I should have saved that triple in the first inning of the second game. That ruined me.”
Previously: Sandy Koufax: ‘I still don’t know how to pitch to Curt Flood’
The people who were at this doubleheader got more than their money’s worth. Five of his eight hits came with two outs, very impressive. Is it possible that Curt Flood is the only Cardinal to have four hits against Koufax in a game? In fact, in looking over all the starts that Koufax had against us, I came across only two players who produced three hits against him in the same game. The first, was the same Curt Flood on July1 1958. The second, to my surprise was Julio Gotay on May12 1962. One last thing. I find it interesting that from the 2nd game of the doubleheader to the end of the season, we went 32 and 14. We know what happened!
Thanks for the fun insights. According to baseball-reference.com, the players with the most career hits vs. Sandy Koufax are Hank Aaron (42), Vada Pinson (34), Roberto Clemente (33) and Curt Flood (32). Aaron batted an astounding .362 (42-for-116) vs. Koufax. Here’s a surprise: Bill Virdon hit .404 (21-for-52) vs. Koufax in his career.