5/3/75 KC @ MINN

Five runs in the first inning, and 3 the rest of the game.  Kansas City wasted very little time getting on the board with a 2-run home run by Amos Otis.  But Paul Splittorff was shaky in his first inning, giving up 4 singles and a double.  The only reason the Twins stopped at three was because Disco Dan Ford, after doubling home 2 runs, was thrown out by Otis trying to score on Craig Kusick’s single for the third out.  If he stays put, Minnesota’s still got runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs.

Twins starter Dave Goltz settled down until the 5th when Vada Pinson singled, advanced on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on George Brett’s single, which tied the game at 3-3.  He lasted until the 6th, when a double, followed by back-to-back walks to Jim Wohlford and Cookie Rojas ended his evening.  Bill Campbell came in to retire Pinson on a pop up and Freddie “The Flea” Patek on a fly ball to right to end the inning and keep the game tied.

Phil Roof came up with the clutch hit, a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 6th off Splittorff, giving the Twins a 5-3 lead, one that they would hold as Campbell threw 3-2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Interesting play of the game:  In the top of the 7th, Brett’s on first.  Fran Healy hits a groundball to Kusick at first.  Kusick fields the ball and tosses to Campbell covering for the out.  No big deal, at least until Brett decides he’s going to try to take third on the play.  He’s thrown out for a not-so-common 3-1-5 double play.

5/3/75 CC @ STL

Yet another low-scoring game.  Bill Bonham went the distance for the Cubs, scattering 6 hits and 5 walks while striking out 8, leading Chicago to a 2-1 win.  Both Cubs runs came in the top of the 3rd.  Jose Cardenal singled off John Denny and proceeded to steal 2nd.  He scored on Rick Monday’s single.  Bill Madlock drove Monday home with a double, but was stranded there.

The Cardinals threatened big time in the 8th.  Lou Brock led off with a single.  Bake McBride walked, followed by a Reggie Smith single.  Only a strong throw by Jerry Morales kept Brock at third.  With the bases loaded and nobody out, Ted Simmons popped out.  Ron Fairly then drew a walk, forcing in a run.

This is when things got interesting.  Despite the fact that he’s hitting over .340, Red Schoendienst (that’s SHANE-deenst for the German-impared), the St. Louis manager, asks Ken Reitz to try to squeeze home a run.  The pitch is fouled off.  The next pitch Reitz squared to bunt, but pulled back when McBride never broke for the plate.  The pitch was high for ball one.  Reitz then squares again, McBride breaks for home, but Kenny missed the pitch, and McBride was nailed at the plate easily for the 2nd out, though the runners did move up.  Reitz then proceeded to take a called third strike, ending the rally.

Denny, despite one of his better outings took the loss, dropping him to 1-2.  He gave up only 6 hits and one walk in 7 innings, striking out 8.  Ted Sizemore went 2-3 with 2 doubles and a walk, but it just wasn’t enough.

5/3/75 OAK @ CWS

Ken Holtzman picked up his third win of the year for Oakland, shutting out the White Sox 2-0.  This was a pretty good pitching matchup between Holtzman & Jim Kaat, who went 8 innings, giving up 6 hits and 3 walks.

The fourth inning proved to be Kaat’s downfall.  Reggie Jackson singled to lead off then inning, going to 3rd on a Gene Tenace double.  After two pop outs, Claudell Washington’s single scored both runners for the only runs of the game.

Chicago’s only threat was in the bottom of the third.  Jerry Hairston led off with a single, followed by another single by Carlos May.  Each runner picked up another base when Bill North bobbled the ball, but Hairston got a little greedy, and was thrown out by North trying to score.  May took 3rd on the throw.  But he was stranded about Jorge Orta grounded out and Pat Kelly flew out to right.

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