Original Document

"Bunning's 18th, Callison's Throw Beat Dodgers," by Ray Kelly

With a six-and-half game lead and only 12 to play, the Phillies will do well to heed Wes Covington's advice about "not letting ourselves be carried away."

The younger folk will need reminding that in 1950 on this date the Whiz Kid Phillies had a seven-and-a-half game lead with 11 to play. Yet they lost eight of the next 10 and had to beat the Dodgers at Brooklyn on the last day of the season to avoid a pennant playoff.

There is no reason for the present Phillies to give the past a second morbid thought. They've reason to feel confident after getting through another rugged road trip with a favorable 6-4 balance that was tipped by Jim Bunning's 3-2 decision over the Dodgers at Los Angeles yesterday.

"It was a struggle- they all are," Bunning said of his 18th triumph. He had a shutout going into the ninth inning when the Dodgers scored two runs, one on a Vic Power error, and put the tying runner on base before John Roseboro struck out.

FOUR SQUEAKERS

Thus, all four series games were decided by one run and manager Gene Mauch was quick to point out: "These other clubs are not making it easy for us."

Mauch was generalizing. The Dodgers committed four errors and two of them were involved in the scoring. Moreover, rookie outfielder Derrell Griffith tested Johnny Callison's throwing arm twice on the same play. He got away with it only once.

A throwing error by Maury Wills on Cookie Rojas" infield single in the first inning, plus Tony Taylor's double and a single by Richie Allen gave Bunning a two-run working margin. After singles by Ruben Amaro and Gus Triandos in the fourth, the Phillies picked p their third run when Roseboro tossed Bunning's bunt into right field.

Bunning's worst moments in his first -time conquest of the Dodgers came in the fourth inning. That's when youg Griffith got too frisky on the bases.

Wills led off with a single and was forced by Griffith. Willie Davis singled to right and Griffith raced into third ahead of Callison's high throw. At the same time, Davis took off for second and Allen's hurried throw went past Tony Taylor at second base - into right field.

CALLISON'S FOLKS SEE HIM

Griffith immediately broke for home and Callison, making like an infielder, took the ball on the run and threw out Griffith at the plate - with the help of a nice pick-up and tag by Triandos. This broke up a budding rally and gave Callison's mother and father, along with 1,000 friends and neighbors from nearby Bakersfield, something to cheer about.

Johnny, who received a batch of gifts from the townspeople before the game, followed custom after such doings and went hitless. He didn't seem to mind and made that corny "as long as we won" crack sound genuine.

The Dodgers stirred up considerable excitement for the 25,867 spectators in the ninth. With one out, Wills singled. Griffith went out and Wills made his 49th steal before coming home as Power mashed his thumb on W. Davis" hopper.

FANS ROSEBORO

W. Davis stole second while Bunning was concentrating on the hitter and thus was in position to score on Tommy Davis" single to left. But Bunning, paying attention to the runner, went to a 2-2 count and then fanned Roseboro.

Although the teams played 16 innings Saturday night in a game that ended at 1:16 A.M., the player s on both sides were reasonably alert, with the Phillies getting eight hits off Jim Brewer, Bob Miller, and Ron Perranoski.

Ruben Amaro was the batting star for the trip. The Mexican dandy was 14 for 38 (.368) and he fielded like a master. Tony Taylor also turned in some plays that rocked the Los Angeles audience.

"This is a .600 team," declared Mauch. "We're 12 over .500 on the road and 18 over .500 at home which is consistency."

It was also the Phillies 90th victory. No team in Phillies history has ever won more than 91.


Credit: Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, September 21, 1964.