RetroSimba

If not for the timely hitting of the Cardinals’ Julian Javier, baseball fans would have been talking about the third no-hitter in postseason history, not the second, when Roy Halladay pitched his gem on Oct. 6, 2010, for the Phillies against the Reds.

Javier, St. Louis’ second baseman, doubled with two outs in the eighth inning in Game 2 of the 1967 World Series to break up the no-hit bid of Boston’s 25-year-old ace, Jim Lonborg.

Until Halladay pitched his no-hitter in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, Lonborg had come closest to pitching a hitless game in the postseason since Don Larsen did it for the Yankees against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.

Lonborg retired the first 19 batters before Curt Flood walked on a 3-and-2 pitch with one out in the seventh in that second game of the World Series at Boston on Oct. 5, 1967. He then got Roger Maris on a flyout and Orlando Cepeda on a groundout to end the inning.

In the eighth, with anticipation building and a light rain falling, Tim McCarver and Mike Shannon grounded out. Lonborg was four outs from a no-hitter.

Javier, a right-handed batter, stepped to the plate. A .257 career hitter, Javier had produced one of his best seasons in 1967, hitting .281. Lonborg’s first pitch to him was a “high slider that hung up a bit.” Javier ripped it into the left field corner.

Bobby Tolan followed with a groundout, and Lonborg retired the Cardinals in order in the ninth, giving the Red Sox a 5-0 win and evening the series. Boxscore

Lonborg later revealed he achieved the one-hitter despite developing a blister on his right thumb that kept him from getting a proper grip on his breaking pitches. “If I hadn’t gotten the blister, I might have been able to get Javier,” Lonborg told The Sporting News.

Lonborg pitched effectively inside. Cardinals manager Red Schoendienst complained that Lonborg purposely was delivering brushback pitches, a charge Lonborg denied.

Despite Lonborg’s dominance, the Cardinals were reluctant to praise him. “He’s not quick, but he keeps the ball in good spots,” said St. Louis speedster Lou Brock. “He’s no Juan Marichal or Gaylord Perry.”

In Game 5, Lonborg pitched a three-hitter, winning 3-1. The Cardinals got the upper hand in Game 7, winning 7-2 behind Bob Gibson and knocking out Lonborg after 6 innings. The decisive blow: Javier’s three-run home run off Lonborg.