World Series Game #4

10/22 - Comiskey Park - GAME #4
White Sox 2, Reds 1 (10 inn)
No reason to pull any punches here.  Cincy had one option:  win or go home.  The Reds were now in a position where they needed 4 straight wins to take the series.  Athletes speak in sound bites and when asked what they needed to do Cincy starter Gene Schott said, "We need to take it 1 game at a time and not look to far ahead".  Schott might have amended his statement to say "1 inning at a time", which is exactly what he did.  Through the first 5 innings of play Schott was locked in mortal combat mano y mano with Chicago's starter Jack Fisher.  Neither man would budge.  Neither man would allow a run.  After yesterday's blowout victory the White Sox offense fell back into the coma that afflicted it during the regular season.  Schott's pin point control and pitch selection had just as much to do with Chicago not hitting as the cold dreary rainy day that the Windy City offered.  Buck Jordan would single off of Fisher with 1 out in the 6th, then move to second on a wild pitch.  Sensing that Fisher was not up to the task of being perfect Chicago's manager lifted him in favor of all world reliever Wilbur Wood.  Wood was able to get lefties Goodman and Hafey to line out and end the inning.

Despite a single by Wood and an error by Riggs at 3rd, which allowed Aparicio to reach base Schott was able to reach back and get Alomar and Davis to ground out and end the inning and keep the game scoreless.  Schott was looking for some break and he got in by way of a solo homer by Billy Myers to lead off the top of the 7th.  Wood's knuckle ball didn't knuckle and Myers launched it out of the huge cavern called Comiskey Park.  Schott would set the Pale Hose down in order in the 7th and get a 4-6-3 DP on No Neck Williams to fix an error by Kampouris at second.  Bob Locker would replace Wood and set the Reds down in order in the 9th.  All Schott needed to do was get 3 more outs and Cincy would live to see another day.  After Aparicio grounded out to short to lead off the inning Schott needed just 2 more outs.  Alomar came to the plate and took matters into his own hands when he noticed that Riggs was playing him way too deep at third.  On 2-1 curve ball Alomar layed down a beautiful bunt that only Brooks Robinson or Clete Boyer could have gotten him on.  Tommy Davis followed with a frozen rope to left center to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out.  Schott looked into his dugout, but his manager gave him that nod that tells a pitcher that this was his game to win or lose.  Schott took that sign of confidence as an adrenaline boost, which gave his fastball some extra hop.  Tommy McCraw was a victim of that fastball which caused him to loop a ball right into Riggs' glove for out number 2. One more out to go and Schott will have pulled off one of the greatest post season pitching performances in league history.  All that stood in the way of that glorious ending  was centerfielder Ken "F-Troop" Berry.  Berry, who had grounded out weakly in his previous 3 trips to the plate needed to scratch his way on.  After fouling off 2 potential third strikes Berry found a pitch to his liking and punched it just over the outstretched arms of Kampouris at second base.  Alomar was moving on the pitch and scored the tying run easily.  Schott was that close to saving his team from elimination, now he would need to get one final out in the 9th to keep the game tied.  Schott, who was clearly out of gas, never got the chance to face Pete Ward and do battle.  Instead Ted Kleinhans was called in from the pen to do the job.  Kleinhans easily dispatched of Ward who grounded weakly to second to send the game into extra innings.

Immediately the press corps began second guessing Cincy's decision to leave Schott in 1 batter too long, but how can you second guess a decision to stick with a guy who made so many big pitches all afternoon.  Bob Locker easily dispatched of Davis, Kampouris and Riggs in the top of the 10th by getting all 3 to fly out weakly.  Duane Josephson would lead off the bottom of the 10th with a bomb down the left field line that hit about 3 inches below the top of the wall for a stand up double.  Bill Voss successfully bunted Josephson over to third.  With Locker due up next it was time for a pinch hitter.  Rookie Bill Melton was selected for the task.  Kleinhans quickly got Melton in an 0-2 hole, but got too fine and began to nibble, which eventually evened the count at 2-2.  Rather than describe the 2-2 offering I'm going to throw it back up to the broadcast booth and let Jack Drees make the call:  "Kleinhans toes the rubber.  The 2-2 from Kleinhans.  Looks like a change up.  Melton swings...soft line drive back up the middle...it's a hit !  Josephson scores !  The Pale  Hose are champs !  There mobbing Melton at first !  That young man is like a fine thoroughbred with some future ahead of him."   As sweet as hearing those fine words from Drees it would have been even sweeter if they came from the mouth of the great Jack Brickhouse who left the White Sox booth only a year before after 20 years of service to the home team.  Immediately after the game it was announced that Melton, who his a big grand slam in game #1 and the walk off single in game #4, was elected Series MVP.  What an extraordinary feat for a guy who only had 5 at bats.  His 2 hits were huge difference makers as the 1968 Chicago White Sox won their first KOD Championship.
Chicago wins the KOD11 World Series 4-0