Roberto Clemente hits 2 home runs off Don Drysdale, accounting for all of Pittsburgh’s runs in a 4 – 1 victory over Los Angeles. Clemente’s first bomb travels 400 feet to tie the score at 1 – 1 in the fifth. Facing him again in the seventh with 2 on and 2 out, Drysdale makes two mistakes: first, he flattens him; then, to compound his gaffe, rather than walk Clemente outright, he tries to pitch around him. The celebrated free-swinger lays off balls two and three and fouls off ball four, before slugging another potential ball four 420 feet away. Speaking with the Pittsburgh Press after the game, Clemente confides: “I was hoping he wouldn’t walk me. I wanted one good swing and I got it. It was a thrill but the biggest thrill came when I went back to the field and the [Dodger] fans applauded me. This doesn’t happen very often.”

 

On June 4 1967 — Roberto Clemente hits 2 home runs off Don Drysdale, accounting for all of Pittsburgh’s runs in a 4 – 1 victory over Los Angeles. Clemente’s first bomb travels 400 feet to tie the score at 1 – 1 in the fifth. Facing him again in the seventh with 2 on and 2 out, Drysdale makes two mistakes: first, he flattens him; then, to compound his gaffe, rather than walk Clemente outright, he tries to pitch around him. The celebrated free-swinger lays off balls two and three and fouls off ball four, before slugging another potential ball four 420 feet away. Speaking with the Pittsburgh Press after the game, Clemente confides: “I was hoping he wouldn’t walk me. I wanted one good swing and I got it. It was a thrill but the biggest thrill came when I went back to the field and the [Dodger] fans applauded me. This doesn’t happen very often.”

 


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Sources:

Baseball Reference June 4

SABR Games Project

National Pastime June 4

Hall of Fame

Replay The Game

Retro Sheet