On April 11, 1959, at Wrigley Field, Don Drysdale of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits his second Opening Day home run, becoming the only pitcher to hit more than one career homer in opening games. Drysdale’s historic blast doesn’t prevent the Dodgers from losing their game, 6-1, to the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs catcher Sammy Taylor drives in 4.  Drysdale gives up 5 earned runs and 8 hits over 5 innings.

 

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1959 | April 11 | Chicago Cubs | Don Drysdale | Los Angeles Dodgers | Sammy Taylor | Wrigley Field
 

Chicago Cubs 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 1

Game Played on Saturday, April 11, 1959 (D) at Wrigley Field

LA N 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 6 1
CHI N 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 x - 6 9 1
WP: Anderson (1-0)
LP: Drysdale (0-1)
HR: Drysdale (1)

Play by Play

DODGERS 1ST: Fairly grounded out (first unassisted); Moon
singled to left; Roseboro grounded into a double play (pitcher
to shortstop to first) [Moon out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Dodgers 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 1ST: T. Taylor struck out; Altman was hit by a pitch;
Debut game for George Altman; Banks struck out; Moryn struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Cubs 0.

DODGERS 2ND: Snider struck out; Neal grounded out (shortstop to
first); Hodges grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Dodgers 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 2ND: Averill flied out to right; Long grounded out (pitcher
to first); Thomson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0,
Cubs 0.

DODGERS 3RD: Zimmer grounded out (shortstop to first); Baxes
grounded out (shortstop to first); Debut game for Jim
Baxes; Drysdale homered; Fairly grounded out (second to
first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 0.

CUBS 3RD: S. Taylor struck out; Anderson was called out on
strikes; T. Taylor singled to third; Altman singled to center
[T. Taylor to third]; Banks flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 0.

DODGERS 4TH: Moon flied out to left; Roseboro grounded out
(second to pitcher); Snider flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 0.

CUBS 4TH: Moryn singled to center; Averill singled to shortstop
[Moryn to second]; Drysdale threw a wild pitch [Moryn to third,
Averill to second]; Long grounded out (second to first); Thomson
reached on a fielder's choice [Moryn scored (error by Roseboro;
assist by Zimmer), Averill to third]; S. Taylor singled to left
[Averill scored (unearned), Thomson to second]; Anderson made an
out to shortstop; T. Taylor lined to left; 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E,
2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 2.

DODGERS 5TH: Neal grounded out (shortstop to first); Hodges
singled to third; Zimmer grounded into a double play (shortstop
to first) [Hodges out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers
1, Cubs 2.

CUBS 5TH: On a bunt Altman singled to third; Banks out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Altman to second]; Moryn
walked; Averill doubled to left [Altman scored, Moryn to third];
Long was walked intentionally; Thomson forced Moryn (third to
catcher) [Averill to third, Long to second]; S. Taylor doubled
to center [Averill scored, Long scored, Thomson scored];
Anderson struck out; 4 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 6.

DODGERS 6TH: Baxes singled to left; GILLIAM BATTED FOR DRYSDALE;
Gilliam was called out on strikes; Fairly singled to center
[Baxes to second]; Moon lined into a double play (first
unassisted) [Fairly out at first]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. 
Dodgers 1, Cubs 6.

CUBS 6TH: FOWLER REPLACED GILLIAM (PITCHING); T. Taylor flied
out to right; Altman struck out; Banks singled to right; Moryn
flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 6.

DODGERS 7TH: Roseboro flied out to left; Snider grounded out
(shortstop to first); Neal grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 6.

CUBS 7TH: Averill struck out; Long was called out on strikes;
Thomson flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1,
Cubs 6.

DODGERS 8TH: Hodges struck out; Zimmer singled to left; Baxes
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Zimmer out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 6.

CUBS 8TH: S. Taylor flied out to center; Anderson grounded out
(third to first); T. Taylor grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 6.

DODGERS 9TH: LARKER BATTED FOR FOWLER; Larker flied out to
center; Fairly was called out on strikes; Moon walked; Roseboro
reached on an error by Banks [Moon to second]; Snider grounded
out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Cubs 6.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Dodgers          1   6   1    3
 Cubs             6   9   1    7