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Cardinals broke Astrodome hex with 19 RBI in one game

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Pitchers, Records on November 23, 2011| 1 Comment »

The Astrodome opened in Houston in 1965 and was billed “the eighth wonder of the world.” To the Cardinals, there was nothing wonderful about it.

The Cardinals lost the first five games they played at the Astrodome, scoring a total of eight runs. They were swept by the Astros in a three-game series in May, losing by scores of 6-1, 3-2 and 4-3, and were swept again, in a two-game series, in July, losing by scores of 2-0 and 3-2.

When the Cardinals returned to Houston Sept. 30 to close the 1965 regular season with a four-game series against the Astros, they were in seventh place in the National League at 77-80 and the Astros were ninth at 64-94.

Based on how the Cardinals produced in their first two trips to the Astrodome _ and with regulars such as third baseman Ken Boyer, first baseman Bill White and shortstop Dick Groat out of the lineup as manager Red Schoendienst took a look at younger players _ there was no way to anticipate the breakout performance St. Louis was about to unleash.

The Cardinals produced 19 RBI in defeating Houston, 19-8, before a Sept. 30 Thursday night gathering of 7,494.

The 19 RBI are the third-highest total in Cardinals history. Others that surpassed or matched it:

_ 25 RBI for St. Louis in the Cardinals’ 28-6 victory over the Phillies on July 6, 1929. Boxscore

_ 20 RBI for St. Louis in the Cardinals’ 21-5 victory over the Giants on Aug. 2, 1948. Boxscore

_ 19 RBI for St. Louis in the Cardinals’ 20-2 victory over the Dodgers on July 24, 1937. Boxscore

Against Houston, the Cardinals started a lineup that included right fielder Mike Shannon batting cleanup, rookie George Kernek (.143 batting average) playing first base, and Jerry Buchek (.227) at shortstop, Phil Gagliano (.241) at third base and Dal Maxvill (.135) at second base.

All nine Cardinals starters produced at least one RBI in the game. Starting pitcher Nelson Briles had two. His two-run single highlighted a six-run first that chased Astros starter Jim Ray.

The Cardinals scored in every inning except the second and the third. Buchek, batting seventh, had a game-high five RBI. He had a two-run home run against Dave Giusti in the fifth, a RBI-groundout in the seventh and a two-run double in the ninth.

Gagliano and Maxvill each had three RBI. Left fielder Lou Brock and center fielder Curt Flood had four hits apiece. Brock singled twice in the first.

The Cardinals led 16-2 in the seventh. When the game finished in a relatively snappy 2:49, the Cardinals had 19 runs on 19 hits and seven walks. Boxscore

Part Three: Forsch vs. Forsch: Bob had edge in brotherly matchup

Part One: Cardinals first visit to Houston

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From the start, Cardinals vs. Houston rivalry was special

Posted in Games, Hitters, Managers, Opponents, Pitchers, Records on November 21, 2011| 2 Comments »

When the Houston Colt .45s began play in the National League in 1962, one of the most anticipated homestands was the one with the Cardinals.

Houston had been a Cardinals minor-league affiliate from 1921-35 and from 1946-58. Many in the region were Cardinals fans.

The 1962 Cardinals had several close connections to Houston. Cardinals manager Johnny Keane and pitching coach Howie Pollet were Houston residents. Keane had played for Houston (1934-37) and also had managed the club (1946-48). Pollet had pitched for Houston (1939-41).

Also, Cardinals coach Harry Walker had been the last Houston manager (1956-58) while it was a Cardinals affiliate. Top 1962 Cardinals players, such as third baseman Ken Boyer and pitcher Larry Jackson, had played for the Houston farm club.

St. Louis made its first visit to Houston for the second homestand in Colt .45s history (the franchise changed its name to Astros in 1965). The Cardinals and Colt .45s were scheduled for three midweek night games April 24-26.

The Cardinals won one, lost one and tied another. Two games each were decided by a run and the other ended in a tie after 17 innings.

According to Clark Nealon of the Houston Post in a story for The Sporting News, Houston “waited years for the first National League series with the St. Louis Cardinals and when it came it was tremendous.”

Houston 4, Cardinals 3, April 24, 1962

In pre-game ceremonies, The Sporting News reported, each member of the Cardinals was “introduced individually to ringing applause.”

At the end, the cheers were for Houston starter Hal Woodeshick, who pitched a six-hitter.

Houston left fielder Don Taussig, who had played for the Cardinals in 1961, hit a solo home run off Jackson in the sixth.

With one on and two outs in the ninth, Bill White ripped a sinking liner that Houston right fielder Johnny Weekly snared at his shoetops.

Attendance was 19,335 _ impressive for a weeknight at a ballpark that seated about 25,000. Boxscore

Cardinals 5, Houston 5, 17 innings, April 25, 1962

In the afternoon, Keane was honored at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon and presented with a replica of a Colt .45 gun. He told the audience, “We’re a lot better club than we showed you on April 24.”

The Cardinals’ manager again was honored in ceremonies before the game. Among his gifts was a king-sized pass to “the first World Series game in Houston.” (It would be 2005 before Houston made its first World Series appearance.)

The game began at 8:02 p.m. It was halted at 1:15 a.m. because of a local curfew in Houston that forbid starting an inning after 12:50 a.m. The game was replayed on another date but all the statistics counted.

Boyer’s RBI-single to left in the ninth off Turk Farrell scored Julian Javier from second, tying the score 5-5.

Ed Bauta pitched eight scoreless innings for the Cardinals after entering in the 10th.

The Cardinals had runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the 17th, but Doug Clemens struck out and Red Schoendienst hit into a double play.

Six Houston pitchers struck out 18 Cardinals, including Boyer three times. Houston left 16 runners on base and the Cardinals stranded 15. Boxscore

Cardinals 3, Houston 2, April 26, 1962

The Cardinals were spared embarrassment by salvaging a victory in the series. Bob Gibson pitched a two-hitter for his first win of the season and Stan Musial drove in the deciding run with a two-out single in the eighth, scoring Curt Flood from third base. Boxscore

Part Two: Cardinals broke Astrodome hex with 19 RBI in one game

Part Three: Forsch vs. Forsch: Bob had edge in brotherly matchup

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Yadier Molina: Most RBI in Series game by a Cards catcher

Posted in Games, Hitters, Records on October 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

(Updated Dec. 21, 2024)

Lost amid the historical splendor of Albert Pujols’ performance in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series was the achievement of Yadier Molina.

Though it paled in comparison to the hitting of Pujols (the first Cardinals player with three home runs, five hits and six RBI in a World Series game), Molina also accomplished a franchise standard in Game 3.

Molina became the first Cardinals catcher with four RBI in a World Series game.

Molina produced a two-run double in the fifth inning off Scott Feldman, a sacrifice fly in the sixth off Mike Gonzalez and a RBI-double in the eighth off Mark Lowe in the Cardinals’ 16-7 victory over the Rangers Oct. 22. Boxscore

The performance by Molina continued a remarkable year for him at the plate. In the regular season, Molina hit a team-best .305, with 32 doubles, 14 home runs and 65 RBI.

Asked about his hitting approach, Molina said to Stan McNeal of Cardinals Yearbook in 2019, “One thing my dad told me was never strike out. Try to hit the ball. That’s something that has stayed with me. When I get two strikes, I just try to hit the ball.

“Right now, players want to hit the ball so hard, but they’re striking out too many times. Why? If you hit the ball 100 mph but strike out more than 100 times, why don’t you hit the ball 95, 90 mph and get base hits? They’re trying to hit the ball 450 feet, but you can hit it 380 and still get a home run.”

Recalling how Yadier learned to hit as a youth in Puerto Rico, his brother Bengie Molina, who also played in the majors, said in an article he did for the 2019 Cardinals Yearbook, “Our game was tape ball. We’d get a newspaper and scrunch it into the shape of a ball, then wrap it with electrical tape. For hitting, we’d cut a broomstick down to the length of a bat.

“We also learned to hit by doing a really challenging drill with my dad. He would sit in a chair and flip corn kernels or dried beans to us, which we tried to hit with a broomstick … The more we practiced that drill, the better our hand-eye coordination got. I believe that’s one reason Yadi has never struck out much.”

Until Game 3 of the 2011 World Series, Molina had played in 10 World Series games over three years (2004, 2006 and 2011) and had produced one RBI. That came on a double in Game 4 of the 2006 World Series against the Tigers. Boxscore

Tim McCarver and Joe Garagiola had held the club record for most RBI by a catcher in a World Series game, with three. McCarver did it twice. As a broadcaster on the telecast of the Cardinals-Rangers Game 3, McCarver witnessed Molina’s performance.

Here’s a look at the three-RBI games by McCarver and Garagiola:

TIM McCARVER

In each World Series game in which McCarver drove in three runs, one swing produced the RBI each time.

In Game 5 of the 1964 World Series, McCarver hit a three-run home run off Yankees reliever Pete Mikkelsen in the 10th inning, snapping a 2-2 tie and carrying the Cardinals to a 5-2 victory. Boxscore

Four years later, McCarver launched a three-run, fifth-inning home run off reliever Pat Dobson in the Cardinals’ 7-3 Game 3 victory over the Tigers in the 1968 World Series. Boxscore

JOE GARAGIOLA

One of three Cardinals in the game to get four hits (Whitey Kurowski and Enos Slaughter were the others), Garagiola drove in his three runs off three relievers in St. Louis’ 12-3 victory over the Red Sox in Game 4 of the 1946 World Series. Boxscore

Garagiola had a RBI-single off Jim Bagby in the third inning, a RBI-double off Bill Zuber in the seventh and a RBI-single off Mace Brown in the ninth.

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In 1945, Cardinals hit into fewest double plays

Posted in Hitters, Records on September 14, 2011| 3 Comments »

(Updated July 2, 2014)

When it comes to double plays, the Cardinals, more than any other National League franchise, have experienced the extremes.

The 2011 Cardinals set the NL single-season record for grounding into the most double plays, with 169. The 1958 Cardinals had held the NL mark of 166. The single-season major-league record for double plays is 174 by the 1990 Red Sox.

A Cardinals team also holds the NL and major-league single-season record for grounding into the fewest double plays. The 1945 Cardinals hit into 75.

Because of military service during World War II, the 1945 Cardinals were without top hitters such as Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Harry Walker, Terry Moore, Walker Cooper and Danny Litwhiler.

The lineup was short on sluggers but loaded with contact hitters who ran the bases exceptionally well.

In its Sept. 6, 1945, edition, The Sporting News wrote of the Cardinals:

Despite the fact the Redbirds have gained a nationwide reputation as speedboys in winning their last three pennants, (manager) Billy Southworth’s scheme of attack is based more on the hit-and-run, and taking that extra base on a hit, than trying to steal his way around.

The 1945 Cardinals ranked first in the NL in hits (1,498) and second in runs (756) and sacrifice hits (138).

Third baseman Whitey Kurowski was the lone Cardinal to reach double figures in hitting into double plays (10).

Reserve outfielder Augie Bergamo had 304 at-bats and never hit into a double play.

Among the regulars, rookie left fielder Red Schoendienst had 565 at-bats, 157 hits and grounded into just six double plays. Center fielder Buster Adams slugged 20 home runs and 26 doubles in 578 at-bats, with just eight double plays. Second baseman Emil Verban struck out only 15 times in 597 at-bats and hit into just nine double plays.

To put that into perspective, Pirates first baseman Babe Dahlgren hit into 23 double plays in 1945 and Reds first baseman Frank McCormick hit into 20. Each was one of four players on his team to reach double figures in hitting into double plays.

Even though Kurowski, Schoendienst, shortstop Marty Marion, first baseman Ray Sanders, outfielder Johnny Hopp and catcher Ken O’Dea all missed games because of injuries, Billy Southworth had the 1945 Cardinals playing fundamentally sound baseball. St. Louis posted a 95-59 record and finished in second place, three games behind the Cubs.

In the Oct. 4, 1945, edition of The Sporting News, Frederick G. Lieb wrote:

Nothing but praise can be bestowed on Billy Southworth for his grand job in keeping the Cards in the race until next to the last day of the season. Everyone votes it Billy’s greatest managerial job … There was scarcely a day that he had his regular lineup in the field.

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Ray Lankford did what Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle couldn’t

Posted in Games, Hitters, Records on September 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »

(Updated May 4, 2018)

In a sport noted for great center fielders, the Cardinals’ Ray Lankford established a production standard for the position that largely hasn’t received the attention it deserves.

In 1992, Lankford became the first center fielder in major-league history to achieve at least 40 doubles, 20 home runs and 30 steals in a season.

Since then, two others have accomplished the feat: Carlos Beltran of the 2002 Royals (44 doubles, 29 homers, 35 steals) and Jacoby Ellsbury of the 2011 Red Sox (46 doubles, 32 homers, 39 steals), according to MLB.com.

Lankford (40 doubles, 20 homers, 42 steals) remains the only National League center fielder to meet the standard.

Four others who came close to achieving those numbers were Willie Mays of the 1959 Giants, Vada Pinson of the 1959 Reds, Andre Dawson of the 1980 Expos and Mike Trout of the 2013 Angels.

Mays (43 doubles, 34 homers, 27 steals) missed by three stolen bases; Pinson (47 doubles, 20 homers, 21 steals) missed by nine stolen bases; Dawson (41 doubles, 17 homers, 34 steals) missed by three home runs; and Trout (39 doubles, 27 homers, 33 steals) missed by one double.

Hall of Fame center fielders such as Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider never came close. Same with other top center fielders such as Ken Griffey Jr. (he missed by 12 steals in 1991, the only season he had a chance to match Lankford), Jim Edmonds, Bernie Williams, Kirby Puckett, Andruw Jones, Dale Murphy and Torii Hunter.

Lankford did it in dramatic fashion: his last two hits of 1992 were a double and a home run, putting him exactly at the 40 and 20 totals for those categories.

On Oct. 2, 1992, in the opener of a season-ending three-game series with the Phillies at St. Louis, Lankford hit a two-out, sixth-inning double to right off Curt Schilling. (The Cardinals won, 2-1, even though Schilling pitched a four-hitter). Boxscore

After going 0-for-4 the next day, Lankford went into the season finale on Sunday, Oct. 4, needing a home run to reach 20. He got it in the first inning _ a two-run blast to right-center off Tommy Greene, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in a game they won, 6-3. Boxscore

The home run also enabled Lankford to become the first Cardinals player to achieve 20 homers and 20 steals in a season since Lou Brock in 1967.

Although Lankford struck out a NL-leading 147 times, the 1992 season was a breakthrough for him. Thanks, in large part, to the work of first-year hitting coach Don Baylor, Lankford led the Cardinals in 13 offensive categories. After hitting .251 with nine homers and 69 RBI in 1991, Lankford batted .293 with 20 homers and 86 RBI in 1992.

When Baylor resigned after the 1992 season to become manager of the Rockies, St. Louis general manager Dal Maxvill told The Sporting News, “His importance to the Cardinals was demonstrated by the development of our young hitters last season, especially Lankford.”

After 1992, Lankford hit 20 or more homers five times and topped 30 steals once more, but he never again achieved 40 doubles in a season.

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Dave Campbell was hitless as Cardinal during 0-for-45 skid

Posted in Games, Hitters, Records on August 9, 2011| Leave a Comment »

(Updated April 9, 2019)

Dave Campbell’s brief career with the Cardinals was most notable for what he didn’t do.

In 21 at-bats for the 1973 Cardinals, Campbell failed to get a hit.

Campbell went 45 consecutive at-bats without a hit in 1973. His streak occurred while playing for three teams.

In 2019, Chris Davis of the Orioles set a major-league record for a position player by extending his hitless streak to 47 consecutive at-bats.

Campbell, an ESPN baseball broadcaster from 1999-2010, began his seventh big-league season in 1973 as an infielder for the Padres. He went hitless in his last 17 at-bats for San Diego before he was traded to the Cardinals for infielder Dwain Anderson on June 7, 1973.

In 24 plate appearances in 13 games for St. Louis, the best Campbell could achieve was a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.

Campbell’s lone batting highlight as a Cardinal came on July 10, 1973, against the Dodgers at Los Angeles. In the top of the seventh, with the Dodgers ahead 2-1, the Cardinals had Jose Cruz on third, Mike Tyson on first and one out when manager Red Schoendienst called on Campbell to pinch-hit for pitcher Tom Murphy.

Facing Dodgers starter Claude Osteen, Campbell hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Cruz with the tying run. The Cardinals went on to a 5-4 victory. Boxscore

Campbell’s final at-bat as a Cardinal came on Aug. 17, 1973, at St. Louis against the Padres. After San Diego scored twice in the 13th inning, snapping a 2-2 tie, the Cardinals had Ted Simmons on second and Hector Cruz on first with two out. Schoendienst chose Campbell to pinch-hit for pitcher Diego Segui. Campbell popped out to second base, ending the game. Boxscore

The next day, the Cardinals traded Campbell to the Astros for outfielder Tommie Agee. St. Louis, in first place in the National League East, was seeking to bolster its bench for a pennant push.

“It’s tough to leave a club that is in first place and has a shot at the big money,” Campbell told The Sporting News. “But due to my past association with (Astros coach) Preston Gomez it could be a break for me. Preston was the manager at San Diego when I was a regular there for four years. So he knows what I can do.”

After a 17 at-bat hitless streak for the Padres and a 21 at-bat hitless streak for the Cardinals, Campbell went hitless in his first seven at-bats for the Astros, tying the major-league mark of 45 consecutive hitless at-bats by a non-pitcher.

On Sept. 19, 1973, in the opener of a doubleheader against the Padres at Houston, Campbell hit a two-run double against Clay Kirby in the first inning, breaking his drought. Boxscore  Campbell had four hits in the doubleheader: two in each game.

In an eight-year big-league career, Campbell batted .213.

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