1965 NL Playoff Series : Reds vs. Pirates

I’ve learned to expect the unexpected while doing my APBA replay of the 1965 baseball season and I wasn’t disappointed in the three-game playoff for the National League pennant that resulted when Pittsburgh and Cincinnati tied at season’s end.

It’s really been that kind of season. It was only fitting that one playoff game featured a no-hitter and another that lasted 15 innings before a home run by one the premier stars of the game helped end it.

The Reds and Pirates each compiled 97-65 regular season records, forcing the playoff series. The San Francisco Giants finished two games back and St. Louis, which led the league for much of the season, ended three games behind. Pittsburgh won its last five games of the season and the Reds took three out of four games in San Francisco to create the tie. (I plan to do a season recap blog in a few days with team records and some statistics and observations.)

Here are the results of the playoff series. The winner would travel to Bloomington, Minn., to face the Twins in the World Series.

Game 1- Cincinnati 5 Pittsburgh 0

Reds pitcher Jim Maloney tossed a no-hitter in Pittsburgh, walking two and striking out 11.  Catcher Johnny Edwards and shortstop Leo Cardenas, the seventh and eighth batters in the Cincinnati lineup each hit home runs for the win. Frank Robinson, the MVP in the National League in my replay, went a dismal o for 4, a foreshadowing of things to come.

Maloney had a perfect game through six and a third innings before walking Manny Mota and then Willie Stargell in the seventh. He then struck out five of the last seven batters to end the game.

Game 2 – Pittsburgh 11 Cincinnati 9, 15 innings

This was the opposite of Game 1. The teams combined for 29 hits and 20 runs. There were four home runs, including two by reserve Reds’ catcher Don Pavelitch. Gordon Coleman and Willie Stargell also hit homers.

The Pirates scored three in the top of the first against Reds hurler Joe Nuxhall. But Cincinnati responded with six runs in the bottom of the inning and the hit parade was on. Both teams scored single runs in the second inning and by the sixth inning, Cincinnati led, 8-5. Pittsburgh tied it in the seventh with hits by pinch hitter Jerry Lynch, Roberto Clemente, Stargell and Donn Clendenon.

The Reds regained the lead on a sacrifice fly by Robinson in the bottom of the seventh, one of the few things he did in the series. But in the top of the ninth, Stargell hit a sacrifice fly with one out to drive in Bill Virdon and Pirates reliever Al McBean mowed down the Reds in the ninth to preserve the tie. Six innings later, Stargell hit his homerun off Reds’ fifth reliever Jim Duffalo and Gene Alley drove in Clendenon for the second run. Don Schwall gave up a double to Robinson in the bottom of the 15^th, Robinson’s only hit in seven plate appearances for the game, but then got the next three Reds for the save and to give Pittsburgh a 1-1 tie in the series.

Game 3 Cincinnati 7 Pittsburgh 4

Pittsburgh opened the first with Virdon’s double, Clemente’s triple and Stargell’s single to take a 2-0 lead and stun the Cincinnati crowd at Crosley Field.

But the Reds roared back, plating four on four hits and a sacrifice fly. Vern Law lasted six innings before manager Harry “The Hat” Walker pulled him and brought in a young Wilbur Wood in relief. Meanwhile, Joey Jay went seven innings, before being relieved with a 7-3 lead. Pittsburgh scored once more in the top of the eighth, but Bob Bailey grounded into a double play in the top of the ninth and Virdon struck out to give the Reds the pennant.

Despite his team winning, Robinson had an anemic bat, hitting .154 for the series. Vada Pinson batted .429 and drove in five runs and shared the playoff MVP honors with Maloney.

Stargell went six for 12 for a .500 batting average  and drove in four RBIs for the Bucs in the losing cause.

The Reds will travel to Minnesota for the first two games of the 1965 World Series. Will Robinson come out of his slump? Will Minnesota capitalize on the Twins’ long-ball hitters? Which pitching unit will fare better?

Stay tuned. The Series recap is next.