But things were wild from the start that day in Dodger Stadium. The Reds scored five in the first, sending the slumping Johnny Podres (0-3, 7.35 ERA in June) to an early shower. (Catcher Hank Foiles' grand slam was the big blow.) But in the bottom of the second, Cincinnati's starter, lefty Ted Wills, making only his second start with the team after being purchased from the Red Sox, found himself singled to death by the Dodgers, who ultimately scored five runs of their own in the bottom of the second to tie the score. (O'Toole had allowed two of Wills' runners to score when he came on in relief; it would be the only mistake he'd make the entire afternoon.)
Enter Stan Williams--what, you thought we were talking about Musial? Listen, nobody put position players on the mound back in days of yore...that's strictly twenty-first century mishegas--whose first task on the mound that day was to face Frank Robinson. Fast-forward fourteen seconds, and watch Stan follow Frank's jog around the bases, having hit his 1-0 pitch into the right-field bleachers. Williams walked another batter in the third, but got out of the rest of the inning unscathed.
Meanwhile O'Toole was mowing down the Dodgers. In the sixth, Stan finally struck out Frank, but not before issuing a wild pitch that allowed ex-Dodger Don Zimmer to score. Wally Post followed Robinson and stepped into the batters box. BLAM! Another home run. The Reds now led, 11-5.
In the top of the seventh, Stan completed his day of futility by giving up an RBI single to O'Toole, making it 12-5. Jim finally weakened in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with two out. But Dave Sisler relieved him and got the third out, snuffing out the Dodgers' potential rally.
Sisler proved to be wild in the bottom of the eighth, however, walking three and having to be bailed out by veteran lefty Bill Henry, who walked in a run before fanning Willie Davis to end the inning. Henry, who'd had a ugly hold for the Reds in their win on 6/22, then proceeded to have another ugly inning in the ninth, allowing a two-run double to Daryl Spencer and a two-run homer to Norm Sherry before retiring the side and bringing the game to an end. For reasons that remain highly elusive, Henry was credited with a save for this ungainly (and uncharacteristic) performance. The game's pitching lines were a study in contrast: Wills 1.2 IP, 5 runs; O'Toole 5.1 IP, 0 R; Henry 1.1 IP, 4 runs. (We'll spare you those numbers for Johnny P. and Stan-not-the-Man.) Final score: Reds 12, Dodgers 10.
IN San Francisco, two Hall of Famers--the Braves' Warren Spahn and Juan Marichal--faced off. This day belonged to Marichal, who held Milwaukee to just four hits (one of them, of course, a homer, given up to Joe Adcock), but the Giants scored three off Spahn in the bottom of the fifth, keyed by a two-run double from Willie Mays. Marichal made it stand up, improving his record to 11-4. Final score: Giants 3, Braves 1.
SEASON RECORDS: LAD 48-26, SFG 46-27
