Tonight’s 2 – 1 win over Philly gives the Cardinals their 24th victory in 30 decisions (49-15 since May 29th), putting them 35 games over .500 and 15 games up on 2nd-place Atlanta. Though they’ll pretty much tread water from this point on (3 games under .500 the rest of the way), no one else catches fire either; their lead will not fall below double digits until well after they clinch on September 15th. The Phillies’ only run against Steve Carltonis the result of Johnny Callison’s home run.

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Tonight’s 2 – 1 win over Philly gives the Cardinals their 24th victory in 30 decisions (49-15 since May 29th), putting them 35 games over .500 and 15 games up on 2nd-place Atlanta. Though they’ll pretty much tread water from this point on (3 games under .500 the rest of the way), no one else catches fire either; their lead will not fall below double digits until well after they clinch on September 15th. The Phillies’ only run against Steve Carltonis the result of Johnny Callison’s home run.

Stan Bahnsen, who will be named the AL Rookie of the Year, sets the Yankee freshman record for strikeouts in a game, whiffing 12 batters en route to hurling a 1-0 masterpiece over Boston at Fenway Park. The 23 year-old right-hander’s mark will last for 30 years until Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez strikes out one more in a 1998 game against Texas.

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Stan Bahnsen, who will be named the AL Rookie of the Year, sets the Yankee freshman record for strikeouts in a game, whiffing 12 batters en route to hurling a 1-0 masterpiece over Boston at Fenway Park. The 23 year-old right-hander’s mark will last for 30 years until Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez strikes out one more in a 1998 game against Texas.

Chicago’s Billy Williams, Ernie Banks and Jim Hickman hit 4th-inning home runs as Fergie Jenkins (12-10) beats the Astros, 6 – 1, at Wrigley Field.

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Chicago’s Billy Williams, Ernie Banks and Jim Hickman hit 4th-inning home runs as Fergie Jenkins (12-10) beats the Astros, 6 – 1, at Wrigley Field.

In the 1st inning, Washington SS Ron Hansen turns the 8th unassisted triple play in major league history and the first in 41 years. Cleveland’s Joe Azcue hits a liner to Hansen, who steps on second base to double Dave Nelson, and tags Russ Snyder sliding into second base for the third out. Hansen’s effort is not enough, as Washington loses, 10 – 1.

ByThis Day in Baseball

In the 1st inning, Washington SS Ron Hansen turns the 8th unassisted triple play in major league history and the first in 41 years. Cleveland’s Joe Azcue hits a liner to Hansen, who steps on second base to double Dave Nelson, and tags Russ Snyder sliding into second base for the third out. Hansen’s effort is not enough, as Washington loses, 10 – 1.

Roberto Clemente makes “an impossible catch” in Pittsburgh’s doubleheader sweep of the Braves. So says manager Larry Shepard. The grab is described by Les Biederman in the Pittsburgh Press: “The one play that brought the fans up screaming was a Roberto Clemente fielding special. Mike Lum, the Chinese rookie outfielder, was the victim. Lum hit a shot off Steve Blass that was headed for the right field wall, near the 375-foot-mark. Clemente took off in pursuit and ran as hard and as fast as he could. Just as he approached the wall, Clemente reached up and caught the ball, still with his back to the diamond. He crashed into the wall, bruised his chin and fell down. He was stunned for a second but held the ball.”

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Roberto Clemente makes “an impossible catch” in Pittsburgh’s doubleheader sweep of the Braves. So says manager Larry Shepard. The grab is described by Les Biederman in the Pittsburgh Press: “The one play that brought the fans up screaming was a Roberto Clemente fielding special. Mike Lum, the Chinese rookie outfielder, was the victim. Lum hit a shot off Steve Blass that was headed for the right field wall, near the 375-foot-mark. Clemente took off in pursuit and ran as hard and as fast as he could. Just as he approached the wall, Clemente reached up and caught the ball, still with his back to the diamond. He crashed into the wall, bruised his chin and fell down. He was stunned for a second but held the ball.”

Pittsburgh edges Atlanta, 3 – 2, and Roberto Clemente burns Hank Aaron, sort of. Bill Mazeroski puts Pittsburgh on the board first with a 2nd-inning solo home run while Joe Torre singles and scores Atlanta’s first run, then doubles to drive in the other. Clemente, for his part, singles and scores the Bucs’ second run, then singles home the third and deciding run. Aaron has a fine day at bat (3 for 4), but not on the bases. Leading off the 7th, with the Braves down, 3 – 0, he singles but is quickly picked off by Bob Veale. Three innings before, he is burned in even more embarrassing fashion on a play which involves all three of the future Hall of Famers and Torre. Charley Feeney of the Post Gazette writes: “Hank led off the 4th with a single, but on a hit-and-run, he was decoyed by both Gene Alley and Maz, who faked fielding a phantom grounder. Aaron was standing on second when Clemente caught Torre’s fly ball and was easily doubled up.” The one time he does manage to stay on base, representing the tying run in the 8th inning, he fails to score on Torre’s double.

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Pittsburgh edges Atlanta, 3 – 2, and Roberto Clemente burns Hank Aaron, sort of. Bill Mazeroski puts Pittsburgh on the board first with a 2nd-inning solo home run while Joe Torre singles and scores Atlanta’s first run, then doubles to drive in the other. Clemente, for his part, singles and scores the Bucs’ second run, then singles home the third and deciding run. Aaron has a fine day at bat (3 for 4), but not on the bases. Leading off the 7th, with the Braves down, 3 – 0, he singles but is quickly picked off by Bob Veale. Three innings before, he is burned in even more embarrassing fashion on a play which involves all three of the future Hall of Famers and Torre. Charley Feeney of the Post Gazette writes: “Hank led off the 4th with a single, but on a hit-and-run, he was decoyed by both Gene Alley and Maz, who faked fielding a phantom grounder. Aaron was standing on second when Clemente caught Torre’s fly ball and was easily doubled up.” The one time he does manage to stay on base, representing the tying run in the 8th inning, he fails to score on Torre’s double.

George Culver

Reds right-hander George Culver, facing 34 batters, throws a no-hitter, beating the Phillies, 6-1

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Reds right-hander George Culver, facing 34 batters, throws a no-hitter, beating the Phillies, 6-1. Philadelphia tallies an unearned run in the second inning of the Connie Mack Stadium contest when Dick Allen reaches base on a throwing error by the third baseman, goes to second on another error on the same play, gets to third base on a groundout, and then scores on a sacrifice fly.

Ron Hansen turns the 8th unassisted triple play in history
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Ron Hansen turns the 8th unassisted triple play in history

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On July 29, 1968, Washington Senators shortstop Ron Hansen turns an unassisted triple play – the eighth in the game’s history and the first in 41 years. With runners on first and second, Cleveland’s Joe Azcue hits a line drive to Hansen, who makes the catch before retiring the two runners. Three days later, the…

Ken Holtzman and the Cubs beat the Dodgers’ Don Sutton, 1 – 0. It is Sutton’s second straight 1 – 0 loss to Chicago; he is now 0-10 against the Cubs, and Holtzman will top him the next three times they face each other.

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Ken Holtzman and the Cubs beat the Dodgers’ Don Sutton, 1 – 0. It is Sutton’s second straight 1 – 0 loss to Chicago; he is now 0-10 against the Cubs, and Holtzman will top him the next three times they face each other.