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How Cardinals speedsters rattled Bob Welch in 1985 NLCS

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Pitchers on June 25, 2014| Leave a Comment »

After losing the first two games of the 1985 National League Championship Series, the Cardinals could have been fazed by the prospect of facing Dodgers pitcher Bob Welch in Game 3. Welch had produced two complete-game wins against St. Louis in the regular season. A loss to him in the third game of the postseason series would push the Cardinals to the brink of elimination.

Instead, it was Welch who was shaky.

Speedsters Vince Coleman and Willie McGee distracted a jumpy Welch and the Cardinals beat him, sparking a streak of four consecutive wins that propelled them into the World Series.

Welch was a premier pitcher for 17 years in the big leagues with the Dodgers and Athletics. He posted a career record of 211-146. In 1990, he was 27-6 with a 2.95 ERA and earned the American League Cy Young Award while pitching for the pennant-winning Athletics team of manager Tony La Russa and coach Dave Duncan.

In 1985, Welch was 14-4 with a 2.31 ERA in 23 starts for the Dodgers. He averaged less than two walks per nine innings.

The Cardinals, though, jolted Welch out of his comfort zone in the National League Championship Series.

Give the ump a mitt

In the first inning, Coleman lined a single over the head of third baseman Bill Madlock. With the count 1-and-0 on the next batter, McGee, the Dodgers pitched out, but Coleman swiped second anyway. Distracted by Coleman dancing off second, Welch walked McGee.

Tommy Herr came up next and worked the count full. Welch then whirled and attempted a pickoff of Coleman. The throw came closer to hitting umpire Paul Runge than it did to reaching the glove of shortstop Dave Anderson, covering second, and the ball sailed into center field. Coleman scored and McGee raced to third.

“I’m supposed to be able to make this play,” Welch said to the Daily Breeze of Torrance, Calif. “But for some reason I threw the ball to Runge. Too bad he didn’t have a mitt. He could have made the tag.”

Said Coleman to the Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register: “I was surprised he threw. The count was 3-and-2 and I wasn’t going to run until he threw to the plate.”

After walks to Herr and Andy Van Slyke, McGee scored on Terry Pendleton’s grounder to second, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

Sitting on the fastball

In the second inning, the Cardinals continued to apply pressure on Welch. With one out, Coleman singled. Catcher Mike Scioscia tried to pick off Coleman, but the throw eluded first baseman Greg Brock. Coleman advanced to third and scored on McGee’s single. After McGee was nailed attempting to swipe second, Herr smacked a Welch fastball over the right-field wall for a home run, putting the Cardinals ahead, 4-0.

“Welch kept throwing me fastballs,” Herr said to the Daily Breeze. “I fouled three of them off and I was sitting on the fastball when he threw the home run pitch.”

Said Welch: “I never got in a situation where I could use my curve ball. I never got in a situation where I was pitching, period. I just threw it up there.”

(Including the postseason, Herr batted .300 against Welch in his career, with 12 hits in 40 at-bats. Eleven of those hits were singles.)

Herr told the San Diego Union that the reason Welch beat the Cardinals twice during the 1985 regular season was because “he kept Coleman and McGee off base and was able to throw his breaking ball a lot. Today, he had to throw more fastballs with Vince and Willie on base.”

Welch was lifted after 2.2 innings. His line: 6 walks, 5 hits, 4 runs, 2 earned. Harried by the Cardinals, he’d made 20 pickoff throws.

“We weren’t trying to screw Welch up, even though that’s what happened,” said McGee.

Given the 4-0 lead, Cardinals starter Danny Cox and relievers Ricky Horton, Todd Worrell and Ken Dayley held the Dodgers to two runs. St. Louis won, 4-2. Boxscore

The Dodgers never recovered, losing the next three games, including Game 5 on the Ozzie Smith “Go crazy, folks” walkoff home run and Game 6 on Jack Clark’s ninth-inning three-run homer.

Welch finished his career with a 7-8 record and 3.99 ERA against the Cardinals in 18 regular-season appearances, including 15 starts.

Previously: How Bing Devine tried coaxing Kirk Gibson to Cardinals

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Why the Cardinals played baseball in Delaware on D-Day

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Pitchers on June 6, 2014| Leave a Comment »

(Updated June 6, 2020)

When news of the D-Day invasion of France by Allied Forces reached the United States that morning, most of Organized Baseball honored the solemn event by canceling the games scheduled for June 6, 1944, but the Cardinals chose to play an exhibition game.

On D-Day, the United States and its allies crossed the English Channel and launched an offensive that significantly helped lead to the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. More than 9,000 Allied soldiers died or were wounded in the effort.

Two National League games _ Phillies vs. Dodgers at Brooklyn and Reds vs. Pirates at Pittsburgh _ were scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, 1944. Both were called off in deference to the D-Day invasion. No American League games had been scheduled for that date.

In addition, four minor-league groups _ Appalachian League, American Association, Eastern League and International League _ called off all games on the June 6 schedule.

Because of the time difference between Europe and the United States, news of the invasion reached America in time for the ballgames that day to be canceled.

The Cardinals decided to honor their commitment to play an exhibition that night in Wilmington, Del., against the Wilmington Blue Rocks, a Phillies affiliate in the Inter-State League.

Long, winding road

It was part of a long, winding road trip for the two-time defending National League champions.

On May 26, 1944, the Cardinals embarked on a 17-game road swing that began in Brooklyn and took them to New York, Boston and Philadelphia before ending at Cincinnati on June 11.

After playing the Phillies at Philadelphia on June 4, the Cardinals weren’t scheduled to play their next regular-season game until June 8 at Cincinnati.

Rather than enjoy off-days, the Cardinals were scheduled to play an exhibition with their minor-league affiliate at Allentown, Pa., on June 5 before going to Wilmington for the June 6 exhibition versus the Blue Rocks.

In the June 5 exhibition at Allentown, the Cardinals put on a power display for the crowd of 3,091. Stan Musial and Danny Litwhiler each hit two home runs and Walker Cooper had one home run in the Cardinals’ 22-4 victory. Cardinals manager Billy Southworth started Freddy Schmidt, who pitched for Allentown in 1942, as a gesture to the local fans, The Sporting News reported. A total of 17 Cardinals played and the others rotated as base coaches so the fans could see all the big-league players.

Musial’s big night was extra special for the Allentown manager, Ollie Vanek, who as a scout had recommended the Cardinals sign Musial.

Down on the farm

The next day, while the nation was gripped by the news of the D-Day invasion, the Cardinals were in Delaware. The Blue Rocks selected a 6-foot-7 left-hander, George Michotte, 20, as their starting pitcher.

“Before the game, the members of both squads lined up on the foul lines and stood in silent prayer in respect of D-Day,” the Wilmington Morning News reported. “The players remained there during the playing of the National Anthem.”

Before a crowd of 3,668, the Cardinals did most of their damage in the seventh. With the score tied at 1-1, Marty Marion opened with a single and George Fallon, a second baseman who hit .199 that season, followed with a two-run home run to left off Michotte. After Johnny Hopp, batting for pitcher Ted Wilks, walked, Augie Bergamo tripled, scoring pitcher Harry Brecheen, who was running for Hopp.

After the Phillies farmhands batted in their half of the seventh, the game was halted by rain.

The 4-1 victory came at a cost to the Cardinals. Third baseman Whitey Kurowski injured his leg and missed the next two regular-season games.

The Cardinals were supposed to leave Philadelphia by train for Cincinnati on June 7, but Leo Ward, Cardinals traveling secretary, could get accommodations for only 14. Southworth and the Cardinals starting players, including pitcher Max Lanier, who was scheduled to start the June 8 game at Cincinnati, boarded the train. The rest of the team waited for another train, which departed Philadelphia at 1:08 a.m. on June 8, and arrived in Cincinnati less than three hours before game time, The Sporting News reported.

The weary Cardinals lost that June 8 game against the Reds by a 2-1 score, but won the remaining three games of the series, including an 18-0 shellacking in a game that featured the big-league debut of 15-year-old Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall. Boxscore

The Cardinals won 11 of the 17 regular-season games on the trip and went home with a 32-16 record. Having survived their odyssey, they went on to clinch their third consecutive National League pennant.

Previously: How a B-17 nearly clipped Cardinals in World Series

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How Joaquin Andujar made like Babe Ruth for Cardinals

Posted in Games, Hitters, Pitchers on May 16, 2014| 9 Comments »

(Updated May 15, 2020)

Three factors combined to make the last home run of Joaquin Andujar’s career both special and unconventional: It was a grand slam, he called the shot and the Cardinals pitcher, a right-hander, hit it left-handed.

On May 15, 1984, Andujar pitched a complete game and slugged the fifth and final home run of his big-league career in the Cardinals’ 9-1 victory over the Braves at St. Louis.

In the eighth inning, the Cardinals led, 5-1, and had Andy Van Slyke on third and Ozzie Smith on second with two outs and catcher Tom Nieto at bat. The Braves opted to walk Nieto intentionally, loading the bases.

As reliever Jeff Dedmon delivered the mandatory four pitches outside the strike zone to Nieto, Andujar, waiting at the on-deck circle, pointed to the right-field wall.

“I told (teammates) George (Hendrick) and Tito (Landrum) that I was going to hit a home run,” Andujar told The Sporting News.

Smith, watching from second base, confirmed to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he saw Andujar call his shot. “He pointed while he was in the on-deck circle and said he was going to do it,” Smith said. “Can you believe that?”

Said Andujar to the Atlanta Constitution: “Everyone knows that I’m strong.”

Special formula

Leaving the on-deck circle, Andujar strode toward the plate and settled into the left side of the batter’s box.

His first four major-league home runs had been hit right-handed. Andujar hit three homers _ off Bill Lee of the Expos, Steve Rogers of the Expos and Rick Wise of the Padres _ with the Astros. The fourth was hit for the Cardinals, again off the Expos’ Rogers, on April 27, 1984, at Montreal.

A career .127 hitter in his 13 major-league seasons, Andujar used a personal formula to determine whether he would bat right-handed or left-handed. He usually opted for the left side when facing a right-hander (such as Dedmon) with runners in scoring position, according to St. Louis reporter Rick Hummel.

Watching from the dugout, Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog never knew what side of the batter’s box Andujar would choose. “What the hell do I know?” Herzog said to The Sporting News. “I’m only the manager.”

Sultan of Swat

With the bases loaded, “I knew they’d have to pitch to me,” Andujar told the Associated Press.

Andujar dug in and waited for a pitch in the strike zone.

Dedmon delivered.

“It was right down the middle,” said Braves manager Joe Torre.

Andujar uncoiled what the Atlanta Constitution described as “his left-handed going deep swing” and hit the ball to where he had pointed _ over the right-field wall _ for his lone grand slam and his only home run struck left-handed. Boxscore and Audio

“Every day, I hit five or six home runs in batting practice,” Andujar told The Sporting News. “I know I’m not a good hitter. I know I’m a lousy hitter. But … if I make contact, it’s gone.”

Previously: Cardinals pitchers enjoy grand slam streak

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Dodgers rake Tom Poholsky for 14 singles, lose to Cardinals

Posted in Games, Opponents, Pitchers on May 14, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Tom Poholsky had a remarkable performance against the Dodgers on Aug. 3, 1956, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. The Cardinals pitcher gave up 14 hits, all singles, and managed to avoid getting a loss.

The latter was no small feat. Ebbets Field was a house of horrors for Poholsky. His career record against the Dodgers at Brooklyn: 0-11 with a 5.72 ERA. Ten of those losses were as a Cardinal, one as a Cub.

Poholsky, who pitched five years for the Cardinals and one for the Cubs, was 4-17 overall against the Dodgers. As a Cardinal, he was 4-15 versus the Dodgers.

In 1956, Poholsky, 26, a right-hander, was one of the Cardinals’ top starters. He ranked second on the staff in starts (29) and innings pitched (203).

6-run cushion

On Aug. 3, he appeared headed for a win at Brooklyn. The Cardinals led, 8-2, after five innings, but the Dodgers kept piling up singles against Poholsky. Jackie Robinson had three. Carl Furillo, Jim Gilliam, Gil Hodges and Duke Snider had two apiece. Sandy Amoros, Roy Campanella and Randy Jackson had one each.

Poholsky also unleashed two wild pitches, but he protected the lead, in part, because the Dodgers hit into three double plays against him.

When Poholsky was relieved by Larry Jackson, with one on and one out in the seventh, the Cardinals led, 8-4.

Jackson gave up a home run to the first batter he faced, Hodges, narrowing the margin to 8-6, and the Dodgers scored twice more in the eighth, tying the score at 8-8.

Poholsky’s line: 6.1 innings, 14 singles, 5 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, 2 wild pitches.

History repeats

The Cardinals prevailed because their third pitcher of the game, left-hander Jackie Collum, held the Dodgers scoreless for 4.1 innings in relief of Jackson. Collum yielded one hit, a single by Campanella.

In the 12th, facing Clem Labine, the Cardinals scored three runs, two on a single by their 41-year-old catcher, Walker Cooper, and won, 11-8. The Dodgers had 19 hits, 18 singles and the Hodges homer. Boxscore

Fifty-eight years later, May 9, 2014, the Mariners’ Brandon Maurer became the first pitcher since Poholsky to yield 14 hits in a game, with all being singles, ESPN.com reported. Unlike Poholsky, Maurer was the losing pitcher. The Royals beat the Mariners, 6-1, at Seattle.

Maurer’s line: 7.1 innings, 14 singles, 6 runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts. Boxscore

The Royals had 16 hits (including two off Tom Wilhelmsen), all singles.

Poholsky was 1-5 against the Dodgers in 1956. He pitched a complete-game three-hitter in a 4-1 Cardinals triumph over the Dodgers at St. Louis on May 5. Snider homered, Gilliam tripled and Amoros had the lone single.

Overall for the 1956 Cardinals, Poholsky was 9-14 with a 3.59 ERA. He was traded to the Cubs in December 1956 and was 1-7 (including two losses to the Cardinals) in his lone season with Chicago.

Previously: Duke Snider, Stan Musial put on big show

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Down to last strike, George Hendrick spoiled Reds no-hit bid

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Pitchers on May 12, 2014| 14 Comments »

For George Hendrick, the combination of a nervous pitcher and a hanging changeup was a recipe for hitting heroics.

On May 12, 1984, Hendrick, the Cardinals’ cleanup hitter, ruined a no-hit bid by the Reds’ Mario Soto, slugging a home run with two outs in the ninth inning.

Though the Reds recovered to win, 2-1, against closer Bruce Sutter, Hendrick’s home run after Soto got within a strike of a no-hitter got the headlines.

Soto, 27, a right-hander, was in his eighth season with the Reds when he faced the Cardinals on a Saturday afternoon at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium. Primarily relying on a fastball, Soto struck out 10 Cardinals in the first six innings and 12 overall.

Backed by sparkling defensive plays from second baseman Ron Oester, who stopped an Ozzie Smith grounder in the seventh and swatted the ball to first baseman Dan Driessen, and from right fielder Dave Parker, who made a diving catch of Tommy Herr’s liner to the gap in right-center in the eighth, Soto held the Cardinals hitless.

Nervous ninth

With a 1-0 lead, Soto faced Ozzie Smith leading off the ninth. Most of the 24,355 in attendance rose and cheered wildly. Instead of inspiration, Soto felt fear.

“I was too nervous,” Soto told the Associated Press. “I just couldn’t stand it out there. I was nervous after I made the last out in the eighth. I’ve never felt that way before.”

Still, Soto had a promising start to the ninth. Ozzie Smith grounded out and Lonnie Smith popped out to second. That brought up Hendrick, who had entered the game with one home run and a .224 batting average.

Soto got two strikes on the right-handed batter. Hendrick then fouled off a couple of pitches, building the drama. Hoping to induce Hendrick to swing and miss, Soto threw his next two pitches high. Hendrick wasn’t tempted, though, and the pitches were called balls, evening the count at 2-and-2.

Looking to catch Hendrick off-guard, Soto delivered a changeup.

“As soon as I threw the pitch, I said, ‘That’s trouble.’ I hung the pitch,” Soto said.

Hendrick swung at the high, inside offering and walloped it over the left-field wall, tying the score at 1-1.

Nowhere to hide

Soto appeared stricken as Hendrick circled the bases.

“I almost died right there,” Soto said. “I don’t think anybody felt worse than I did. I wanted to leave. I almost walked out.”

Instead, he walked the next batter, Andy Van Slyke, before getting Ken Oberkfell on a fly out to center, ending the inning.

Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog sent in Sutter to pitch the bottom half of the ninth, even though it wasn’t a save situation. With one out, Dave Concepcion singled and swiped second. Brad Gulden, the Reds catcher who began the day with a .103 batting average, singled, scoring Concepcion, lifting the Reds to a 2-1 victory and salvaging the win for Soto. Boxscore

In his next start, Soto pitched a three-hitter and got the win against the Cubs, even though he yielded a two-run home run on a changeup to Jody Davis. “I’d say that three or four of the seven homers I’ve given up this season have come on the changeup, but that’s not going to stop me from throwing it,” Soto said to The Sporting News.

Soto, who three times led National League pitchers in most home runs given up in a season, finished 1984 with an 18-7 record while yielding 26 home runs, second-most in the league and one behind Bill Gullickson of the Expos.

In his last of seven seasons with the Cardinals. Hendrick finished 1984 with nine home runs and a .277 batting mark.

Previously: George Hendrick influenced hitting style of John Mabry

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The strange, short Cardinals career of Memo Luna

Posted in Games, Pitchers, Trades on April 17, 2014| 2 Comments »

(Updated June 26, 2020)

The Cardinals paid $75,000 and gave up a trio of players for a pitcher who netted them two outs.

Guillermo Romero “Memo” Luna pitched in one game for the Cardinals in 1954, failed to complete an inning and never played in the majors again.

A left-hander, Luna was the first Mexican-born player to appear in a game for the Cardinals.

On April 20, 1954, he got the start in his Cardinals debut against the Reds at St. Louis, even though his arm was hurting. In the clubhouse before the game, the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported, “Luna smiled his usual pleasant fashion and said his arm felt fine and indicated by widening the grin and slapping his glove that he was ready to go out and do a little pitching.”

The confidence gave way to a shelling.

In the first inning, Luna yielded two runs on two doubles, two walks and a sacrifice fly. He was lifted with two outs. One of the outs came on a fly ball caught by Stan Musial with his back against the wall. Boxscore

“He was pounded so hard … that manager Eddie Stanky would hardly be justified in another such risky trial,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch observed.

The Globe-Democrat declared Luna had “a hard time throwing a nickel’s worth” of the price the club paid to acquire him.

A few days later, the Cardinals sent Luna to their farm club in Rochester, N.Y.

Though he continued to pitch in the minor leagues and in Mexico until 1961, Memo Luna never returned to the majors.

His big-league career totals: 0-1 record, 27.00 ERA, 0.2 innings, 2 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 6 batters faced.

Super southpaw

In 1951, after he was 26-13 for Tijuana of the Southwest International League, Luna was pursued by the St. Louis Browns, but the San Diego club in the Pacific Coast League had a working agreement with Tijuana and acquired him. In addition to his pitching, Luna was a sketch artist. Asked what he sketched, Luna told the Globe-Democrat, “Everything in life.”

On Sept. 23, 1953, the Cardinals acquired Luna from San Diego for $75,000 and players to be named. They eventually sent pitchers Cliff Chambers and John Romonosky and outfielder Harry Elliott to San Diego, completing the deal.

At the time, Luna, 23, seemed worth the price. He had a 17-12 record and a league-best 2.67 ERA with 16 complete games for San Diego in 1953. Jack Bliss, a catcher for the 1908-1912 Cardinals, watched Luna at San Diego and told Cardinals manager Eddie Stanky, “He’s got exceptional control and a good curve.”

Cardinals scout Joe Mathes checked him out and was impressed. Luna is “a great control pitcher with other skills,” Mathes told the Post-Dispatch. “His knuckleball and curve are very good, he has tremendous poise on the mound and is outstanding in fielding his position and holding runners on base.”

That fall, Luna pitched in the Cuban League for Almendares and manager Bobby Bragan. The Cardinals granted permission with the understanding Luna would quit around Dec. 1, The Sporting News reported.

Luna posted a 4-1 record in his first five decisions for Almendares. The Sporting News wrote Luna “has shown remarkable poise and control, plus a fine knuckler.”

After Luna lost his next two decisions as the Dec. 1 deadline loomed, the Cardinals suggested he leave Cuba and rest his arm before reporting to spring training in February. Luna obliged and went to St. Louis, where he passed a physical examination.

While in St. Louis, Luna told the Cardinals that a day in his honor was being planned in Mexico City and he was being asked to pitch, the Globe-Democrat reported. The Cardinals misunderstood, thinking the game was in December, not February, and agreed to let Luna pitch, the Globe-Democrat reported.

Luna went home to Mexico, believing he had the Cardinals’ approval to pitch on Memo Luna Day.

Worn down

On Feb. 19, 1954, pitching for the Mexico City Reds against Aztecas, Luna struck out a batter in the third inning and grabbed his left elbow in pain.

According to The Sporting News, Luna stayed in the game until its completion, yielding five runs and nine hits in nine innings, and “was throwing with only half speed after the injury.” It was the second farewell game he pitched since returning to Mexico. The Cardinals’ front office had approved him to pitch only one, the Post-Dispatch reported.

Luna reported late to Cardinals spring training camp in Florida, complaining of a sore arm.

“We asked Luna to quit pitching Dec. 1, but we have no way of controlling what a man does back in his home country,” said Stanky.

In spring training, Luna failed to impress. He gave up three runs in two innings to the Phillies and surrendered a two-run, game-winning home run to the Reds’ Gus Bell. The Post-Dispatch described his exhibition game efforts as “a sorry spring.”

Having paid a high price for him, the Cardinals put Luna on the Opening Day roster. He got the start in the Cardinals’ sixth game of the season _ and never got another chance with them again.

“Luna, in Spanish, means moon, but only the English version, outfielder Wally Moon, has resembled a star in the making,” the Post-Dispatch concluded.

After Luna’s demotion to Rochester, Bob Burnes of the Globe-Democrat wrote, “Whether he hurt his arm before he started for spring training or whether it was something else, like maybe getting and feeling a little lost in the hustle and bustle of major league work, no one can say except Luna and he apparently can’t explain it himself. If he regains his control and confidence, both of which he must have to win, the Cardinals probably will accommodate him with a second look. If he doesn’t, they’ll probably leave him at Rochester.”

In late June 1954, when asked whether Luna would be a candidate to return to the Cardinals, Rochester manager Harry Walker told the Post-Dispatch, “Frankly, I’d have to consider him doubtful.”

Luna told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, “Could I pitch for the Cardinals? Without the fastball, no. If my arm was not hurt anymore, I can pitch for the Cardinals.”

Said Walker: “His changeup and his curveball are his strong points, but his control has to be sharp or he’s in trouble.”

Luna was 9-11 with a 3.50 ERA for Rochester in 1954.

Used primarily in relief, Luna pitched for manager Johnny Keane with the Cardinals’ farm club in Omaha in 1955 and was 4-4 with a 5.43 ERA. Luna spent a season in the Orioles’ farm system and played the rest of his career in Mexico.

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