Aided by the ineptness of a Cubs club that could neither field nor pitch effectively, the 1964 Cardinals achieved a feat that remains unmatched in franchise history.
On Sept. 13, 1964, the Cardinals scored in each of the nine innings and beat the Cubs, 15-2, at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
It was only the second time since 1900 that a National League team scored in all nine innings. The Giants did it in a 22-8 victory over the Phillies on June 1, 1923, at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. Boxscore
The Rockies are the only National League team to achieve the feat since the Cardinals did it. On May 5, 1999, the Rockies scored in each of the nine innings and defeated the Cubs, 13-6, at Wrigley Field. Boxscore
Culpable Cubs
In the same ballpark, 35 years earlier, the Cubs committed seven errors and yielded 18 hits and two walks, giving the Cardinals the opportunities to score in every inning.
Second baseman Joe Amalfitano and shortstop Andre Rodgers each made two errors.
The Cardinals scored against five pitchers _ starter Dick Ellsworth and relievers Don Elston, Sterling Slaughter, John Flavin and Lee Gregory. Rookies Flavin and Gregory never again would appear in a major-league game.
Dick Groat had four hits for the Cardinals. Curt Flood and Julian Javier had three apiece.
Five Cardinals _ Lou Brock, Ken Boyer, Flood, Groat and Javier _ each scored two runs. Five others _ Dal Maxvill, Bill White, Mike Shannon, Bob Uecker and Curt Simmons _ scored one apiece.
Simmons, the Cardinals’ starting pitcher, got an easy win despite yielding eight hits and five walks in eight innings. “How could anyone struggle with a 15-2 victory?” Simmons said to The Sporting News. “I was wilder than I had been all year.”
Ray Washburn, pitching the ninth, made his first Cardinals appearance since going on the disabled list July 22.
1 through 9
A look at each Cardinals inning:
_ First inning, 2 runs: The Cardinals scored twice. Flood scored from third on Boyer’s single. Groat scored from third on White’s ground out.
_ Second inning, 1 run: Javier homered.
_ Third inning, 2 runs: Shannon’s two-run single scored Groat and Boyer.
_ Fourth inning, 2 runs: Brock homered. White scored from second when Rodgers made an error on Shannon’s grounder to short.
_ Fifth inning, 2 runs: Groat’s two-run single scored Uecker and Simmons.
_ Sixth inning, 1 run: Shannon homered.
_ Seventh inning, 3 runs: Groat’s two-run double scored Flood and Brock. Maxvill, who ran for Groat, scored on Boyer’s single.
_ Eighth inning, 1 run: Flood’s single scored Javier.
_ Ninth inning, 1 run: Shannon’s sacrifice fly to center scored Boyer from third, completing the streak of runs in nine consecutive innings. Boxscore
Previously: Cubs knew Lou Brock was on verge of stardom in 1964
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