Editor’s note: The 1964 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
Home runs made the difference as the Minnesota Twins hammered the Kansas City A’s 9-1 in the opening round of the 1964 Tournament.
Minnesota advances to the second round as the Twins travel to New York to play the Yankees.
After the A’s scored a run on a RBI triple by Rocky Colavito in the top of the first, the Twins went to work in the bottom of the frame sending nine batters to the plate.
Rich Rollins, Harmon Killebrew and Bob Allison each singled as the Twins loaded the bases with two outs against Kansas City starter Orlando Pena (0-1).
Jimmie Hall stepped in the batter’s box and drilled a grand slam to give the Twins a 4-1 advantage.
The Twins didn’t stop as Earl Battey walked and Bernie Allen followed with two-run blast and the Metropolitan Stadium crowd was thrilled with the 6-1 lead.
Tony Oliva‘s solo homer in the second made it 7-1. Pena’s day came to an end after two innings as he surrendered seven runs on six hits with three long balls, while walking two and fanning two.
A’s relievers Moe Drabowsky and Ken Sanders both held the Twins scoreless for two innings before Wes Stock tossed the seventh and eighth.
In the eighth, the Twins added their final runs. Allen reached on a error and Twins starting pitcher Camilo Pascual sacrificed him to second. Rollins then hit a two-run shot, which was the fourth homer of the contest for the Twins
Pascual (1-0) went the distance for Minnesota giving up nine hits with five strikeouts.
1964 Tournament
Second Round Schedule
National League Bracket
(7) Pittsburgh Pirates at (1) St. Louis Cardinals
(6) Los Angeles Dodgers at (5) Milwaukee Braves
(8) Chicago Cubs at (2) Philadelphia Phillies
(4) San Francisco Giants at (3) Cincinnati Reds
American League Bracket
(7) Minnesota Twins at (1) New York Yankees
(6) Cleveland Indians at (5) Los Angeles Angels
(9) Washington Senators-(8) Boston Red Sox winner at (2) Chicago White Sox
(4) Detroit Tigers at (3) Baltimore Orioles
First Round Schedule and Results
National League Bracket
(7) Pittsburgh Pirates 8, (10) New York Mets 1
(8) Chicago Cubs 3, (9) Houston Colt .45s 2 (10)
American League Bracket
(7) Minnesota Twins 9, (10) Kansas City A’s 1
(9) Washington Senators at (8) Boston Red Sox