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On April 10, 1962, the Houston Colt .45s make their debut with an 11-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. Roman Mejias hits a pair of three-run homers before a crowd of 25,271 fans. The Colt .45s and New York Mets recently joined the National League as expansion teams. Former Yankee hurler Bobby Shantz gets the win-striking out Lou Brock as the first batter.  Hal Smith also homers for the new franchise on the owner Judge Hofheinz’s 50th birthday.

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Houston Colt .45s 11, Chicago Cubs 2

SABR Article

Game Played on Tuesday, April 10, 1962 (D) at Colt Stadium

CHI N 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 - 2 5 0 HOU N 1 0 4 0 0 0 3 3 x - 11 13 2

BOX+PBP
WP: Shantz (1-0)
LP: Cardwell (0-1)
HR: Banks (1), Mejias 2 (2), Smith (1)

Play by Play

CUBS 1ST: First game for Houston franchise; Brock struck
out; Hubbs grounded out (shortstop to first); Williams singled
to right; Banks grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 0.

COLT .45S 1ST: Aspromonte singled to left; Spangler tripled to
right [Aspromonte scored]; Mejias grounded out (pitcher to
first); Larker reached on a fielder's choice [Spangler out at
home (first to catcher)]; Pendleton grounded out (pitcher to
first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 1.

CUBS 2ND: Altman popped to second; Santo grounded out (shortstop
to first); White grounded out (second to first); Debut game
for Elder White; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 1.

COLT .45S 2ND: Smith doubled to center; Amalfitano grounded out
(pitcher to first) [Smith stayed at second]; Buddin struck out;
Shantz popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt
.45s 1.

CUBS 3RD: Barragan singled to center; Cardwell grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Barragan out at
second]; Brock struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt
.45s 1.

COLT .45S 3RD: Aspromonte walked; Spangler walked [Aspromonte to
second]; Mejias homered [Aspromonte scored, Spangler scored];
Larker flied out to center; Pendleton popped to third; Smith
homered; GERARD REPLACED CARDWELL (PITCHING); Amalfitano
grounded out (shortstop to first); Debut game for Dave
Gerard; 4 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

CUBS 4TH: Hubbs grounded out (first unassisted); Williams
grounded out (pitcher to shortstop to first); Banks lined to
right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

COLT .45S 4TH: Buddin grounded out (shortstop to first); Shantz
grounded out (shortstop to first); Aspromonte singled to center;
Spangler grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. 
Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

CUBS 5TH: Altman reached on an error by Amalfitano; Santo forced
Altman (pitcher to shortstop); Smith dropped a foul fly hit by
White for an error; White walked [Santo to second]; Barragan
grounded into a double play (pitcher to second to first) [White
out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

COLT .45S 5TH: Mejias flied out to left; Larker walked;
Pendleton grounded out (shortstop to first) [Larker to second];
Smith popped to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s
5.

CUBS 6TH: MORHARDT BATTED FOR GERARD; Morhardt made an out to
second; On a bunt Brock grounded out (pitcher to first); Hubbs
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0,
Colt .45s 5.

COLT .45S 6TH: SCHULTZ REPLACED MORHARDT (PITCHING); Amalfitano
was hit by a pitch; Buddin out on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to
first) [Amalfitano to second]; Shantz struck out; Aspromonte
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

CUBS 7TH: Williams struck out; Banks homered; Altman grounded
out (first to pitcher); Santo walked; RODGERS BATTED FOR WHITE;
Rodgers popped to first in foul territory; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Cubs 1, Colt .45s 5.

COLT .45S 7TH: RODGERS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); Spangler
singled to shortstop; Mejias singled to center [Spangler to
second]; Larker singled to right [Spangler scored, Mejias to
third]; Pendleton singled to third [Mejias scored, Larker to
second]; WARNER REPLACED SCHULTZ (PITCHING); Smith grounded into
a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Larker to third,
Pendleton out at second]; Debut game for Jack Warner;
Amalfitano singled to pitcher [Larker scored]; Amalfitano was
caught stealing second (catcher to second); 3 R, 5 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 1, Colt .45s 8.

CUBS 8TH: Barragan flied out to right; MCKNIGHT BATTED FOR
WARNER; McKnight tripled to center; Brock hit a sacrifice fly to
right [McKnight scored]; Hubbs lined to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 2, Colt .45s 8.

COLT .45S 8TH: LARY REPLACED MCKNIGHT (PITCHING); Buddin flied
out to right; Shantz grounded out (shortstop to first);
Aspromonte singled to shortstop; Aspromonte stole second;
Spangler walked; Mejias homered [Aspromonte scored, Spangler
scored]; Larker flied out to left; 3 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs
2, Colt .45s 11.

CUBS 9TH: Williams grounded out (second to first); Banks singled
to center; Altman struck out; Santo flied out to right; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 2, Colt .45s 11.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Cubs             2   5   0    4
 Colt .45s       11  13   2    5