Three big innings made the difference for Los Angeles as the Dodgers defeated the Boston Red Sox 11-3 in the second round of the Strat-O-Matic 1959 Tournament presented by Press Room Pass.
After Jackie Jensen gave the Red Sox an early lead with a solo homer in the second inning, the Dodgers went to work scoring three times in the bottom of that frame and then adding three more in the third and another trio of runs in the fourth to build a 9-1 advantage.
Jim Gilliam put the Dodgers on top 2-1 with a two-run single in the second and then he scored on a hit by Maury Wills.
In the third, Wally Moon hit a three-run shot to make it 6-1, which ended the day for Red Sox starter Tom Brewer.
One inning later, Duke Snider blasted a three-run homer off Leo Kiely and the Dodgers would never look back.
Boston’s Gene Stephens hit a two-run homer in the eighth to close the gap, but the Dodgers had a response.
With his game-high third of the contest, Wills hit a homer to drive in the final two runs of the contest in the bottom of the eighth.
Larry Sherry went the distance for the Dodgers as he allowed six hits with five strikeouts.
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 at (A2) Cleveland Indians
(Bottom Bracket Final)
(N6) Chicago Cubs at (A2) Cleveland Indians winner
at (N1) Los Angeles Dodgers
IN REAL LIFE:
Maury Wills was a rookie shortstop as the Dodgers won the World Series in 1959. He appeared in 83 games that season and batted .260, ironically without a homer. He also had just seven stolen bases, which would become his forte for the rest of his career.
From 1960 to 1965, Wills led the National League in stolen bases. He set a major league record of 104 during the 1962 season when he was named the NL Most Valuable Player. After winning the world championship in 1959, Wills helped the Dodgers win titles in 1963 and 1965 before they fell to the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.
Wills played 14 years in the majors with a 596 career stolen bases and a .281 batting average, while hitting just 20 homers. He was an all-star from 1961 to 1963 and again in 1965 and 1966. He won Gold Gloves in 1961 and 1962.
After the 1966 season, Los Angeles traded Wills to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Bob Bailey and Gene Michael.
The Pirates left Wills unprotected for the 1968 expansion draft and he was selected by the Montreal Expos.
Midway through the 1969 season, the Expos shipped him and Manny Mota to the Dodgers for Ron Fairly and Paul Popovich. Wills finished his career with the Dodgers in 1972.