The Chicago Cubs blasted four home runs on their way to a 9-2 win in Cleveland during the second round of the Strat-O-Matic 1959 Tournament presented by Press Room Pass.
The biggest homer of the contest was a grand slam by Walt Moryn in the third inning that put the Cubs on top 6-0 and sent Indians starter Cal McLish to the showers.
Ernie Banks had a two-run homer in the first, while Sammy Taylor had a solo shot in the sixth and Dale Long hit one in the seventh.
Tito Francona had a sacrifice fly for Cleveland’s first run in the bottom of the third, while Minnie Minoso homered in the sixth.
Dave Hillman went the distance for the Cubs as he was able to scatter nine hits with three strikeouts.
Banks and Taylor led the Cubs with two hits apiece.
Billy Martin topped Cleveland with a game-high three hits, but the Indians left him stranded on base in the third, fifth and seventh.
1959 TOURNAMENT RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
(Top Bracket Opening Round)
(A1) Chicago White Sox 7, (N8) Philadelphia Phillies 1
(N5) Cincinnati Reds 5, (A4) Detroit Tigers 3
(A6) Baltimore Orioles 2, (N3) San Francisco Giants 1
(N2) Milwaukee Braves 4, (A7) Kansas City A’s 1
(Top Bracket Second Round)
(A1) Chicago White Sox 10, (N5) Cincinnati Reds 4
(A6) Baltimore Orioles 3, (N2) Milwaukee Braves 0
(Top Bracket Final)
(A6) Baltimore Orioles at (A1) Chicago White Sox
(Bottom Bracket Opening Round)
(N1) Los Angeles Dodgers 4, (A8) Washington Senators 3
(A5) Boston Red Sox 16, (N4) Pittsburgh Pirates 3
(N6) Chicago Cubs 4, (A3) New York Yankees 0
(A2) Cleveland Indians 3, (N7) St. Louis Cardinals 0
(Bottom Bracket Second Round)
(N1) Los Angeles Dodgers 11, (A5) Boston Red Sox 3
(N6) Chicago Cubs 9, (A2) Cleveland Indians 2
(Bottom Bracket Final)
(N6) Chicago Cubs at (N1) Los Angeles Dodgers
IN REAL LIFE:
Walt Moryn hit 101 homers in his eight-year career with one grand slam.
With the Chicago Cubs in 1957, Moryn hit the blast off Brooklyn’s Clem Labine at Ebbets Field on April 30. Although it gave the Cubs a 9-7 lead in the seventh, the Dodgers would come back to win 10-9 in 10 innings.
Moryn began his career with the Dodgers in 1954 and 1955. He was with the Cubs from 1956 to the middle of the 1960 season when he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. The next year, which was his final season, the Pittsburgh Pirates purchased him from the Cardinals in June.
An all-star in 1958, Moryn hit a career-high 26 homers to go with 77 RBI. He knocked in a career-best 88 runs a year earlier.
In 1959, Moryn batted just .234 with 14 homers and 48 RBI.