On October 7, 1961 — Cincinnati hosted its first World Series in 21 years at Crosley Field.
Game 3 pitted New York’s 23-year-old right-hander Bill Stafford against Reds’ veteran knuckleballer Bob Purkey. Stafford pitched well for 6 2⁄3 innings. Purkey also had outstanding control and kept the Yankee hitters off-balance, but New York would triumph on a Maris home run in the ninth. While the Yankees’ offense still was stagnant, it was just good enough.
Cincinnati struck first with a run in the bottom of the third when Elio Chacón beat out a bunt and took second when Stafford threw wildly to first. Eddie Kasko fouled out to Bill Skowron and Vada Pinson grounded out to send Chacón to third before Frank Robinson hit a double off the left-field wall to make it 1–0.
In the seventh, the Yankees got a big break to tie the game. Tony Kubek led off with a single to center, then took second on a Johnny Edwards passed ball. After Mickey Mantle struck out, Yogi Berra blooped a ball into short right field that neither second baseman Chacón nor right fielder Robinson called before the two collided, allowing the ball to drop as Kubek scored. The Reds regained the lead in their half of the inning when Edwards doubled into the right-field corner and eventually scored on a Kasko singled to left. Bud Daley came in to relieve Stafford and retired Pinson on a flyout to right to end the inning.
The Reds’ lead would be short-lived, as the Yankees tied the score in the eighth. With two outs, Johnny Blanchard (pinch-hitting for Daley), smacked a Purkey knuckler into the right-field bleachers. The Reds went quietly in the bottom of the inning, the score tied at 2–2.
In the ninth, Maris recorded what would be one of only two hits in the Series, but this one went into the right-field bleachers for a go-ahead home run. With ace reliever Luis Arroyo on the mound for the Yankees in the ninth, the Reds had one last shot. After Gene Freese struck out, Leo Cárdenas, batting for Johnny Edwards, doubled off the left-center field scoreboard. Dick Gernert, pinch-hitting for Purkey, grounded out to short, Cardenas holding. The third pinch-hitter in the inning, Gus Bell, ended the Reds’ comeback attempt by grounding back to the mound, Arroyo to Skowron, to end the thriller and give the Yankees a two games to one Series lead.
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World Series Game 3 Played on Saturday, October 7, 1961 (D) at Crosley Field
NY A 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 - 3 6 1 CIN N 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 - 2 8 0
BOX+PBP WP: Arroyo (1-0) LP: Purkey (0-1) HR: Maris (1), Blanchard (1)
Play by Play
YANKEES 1ST: Richardson grounded out (shortstop to first); Kubek grounded out (second to first); Maris popped to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 0. REDS 1ST: Chacon was called out on strikes; Kasko singled to center; Pinson flied to center; Robinson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 0. YANKEES 2ND: Mantle flied out to center; Berra walked; Howard popped to second; Skowron flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 0. REDS 2ND: Coleman singled to pitcher; Post flied out to right; Freese walked [Coleman to second]; Edwards grounded out (first unassisted) [Coleman to third, Freese to second]; Purkey was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 0. YANKEES 3RD: Boyer popped to first in foul territory; Stafford lined to pitcher; Richardson grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 0. REDS 3RD: On a bunt Chacon singled to pitcher [Chacon to second (error by Stafford)]; Kasko popped to first in foul territory; Pinson grounded out (second to first) [Chacon to third]; Robinson doubled to left [Chacon scored]; Coleman grounded out (first to pitcher); 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 1. YANKEES 4TH: Kubek flied out to left; Maris grounded out (first to pitcher); Mantle flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 1. REDS 4TH: Post grounded out (second to first); Freese flied to left; Edwards grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 1. YANKEES 5TH: Berra struck out; Howard doubled to center; Skowron lined into a double play (shortstop unassisted) [Howard out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 1. REDS 5TH: Purkey was called out on strikes; Chacon grounded out (third to first); Kasko popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 1. YANKEES 6TH: Boyer popped to shortstop; Stafford popped to second; Richardson lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 1. REDS 6TH: On a bunt Pinson popped to catcher in foul territory; Robinson popped to catcher in foul territory; Coleman singled to left; Post forced Coleman (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Yankees 0, Reds 1. YANKEES 7TH: Kubek singled to center; Maris flied out to center; Edwards allowed a passed ball [Kubek to second]; Mantle struck out; Berra singled to right [Kubek scored (unearned)]; Howard popped to third in foul territory; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Yankees 1, Reds 1. REDS 7TH: Freese flied out to left; Edwards doubled to right; Purkey struck out; LYNCH BATTED FOR CHACON; Lynch was walked intentionally; BLASINGAME RAN FOR LYNCH; Kasko singled to left [Edwards scored, Blasingame to second]; DALEY REPLACED STAFFORD (PITCHING); Pinson flied out to right; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Yankees 1, Reds 2. YANKEES 8TH: BLASINGAME STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); Skowron grounded out (pitcher to first); Boyer popped to first in foul territory; BLANCHARD BATTED FOR DALEY; Blanchard homered; Richardson singled to left; Richardson stole second; Kubek flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Yankees 2, Reds 2. REDS 8TH: ARROYO REPLACED BLANCHARD (PITCHING); Robinson struck out; Coleman popped to catcher in foul territory; Post grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 2, Reds 2. YANKEES 9TH: Maris homered; Mantle struck out; Berra grounded out (first to pitcher); Howard grounded out (first to pitcher); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Yankees 3, Reds 2. REDS 9TH: REED REPLACED MANTLE (PLAYING CF); Freese struck out; CARDENAS BATTED FOR EDWARDS; Cardenas doubled to center; off left-center field scoreboard; GERNERT BATTED FOR PURKEY; Gernert grounded out (shortstop to first); BELL BATTED FOR BLASINGAME; Bell grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Yankees 3, Reds 2. Final Totals R H E LOB Yankees 3 6 1 3 Reds 2 8 0 8
