|
Tuesday, October 13th 1970. Fort Worth vs Alexandria
Frank Viola(1-0, 1.04) vs Fritz Peterson(1-1, 2.31)
Clear skies, 53 degrees, wind blowing right to left 9mph
Down 1, the Alexandria Aces exploded in the bottom of the 5th for 8 runs, turning game 5 into a blowout. Dave Watkins and Dell Alston started of the Aces 5th with singles. Buddy Blair then reached base when SS Jerry Lumpe failed to catch a routine popup. Bases loaded. Duke Kenworth would fly out to center deep enough to score Watkins. Billy Sample was up next. Sample singles to left, scoring Alston. Blair moved to third. Marty Marion grounded a ball to third that resulted in Sample being forced out at 2B. Blair scores from third. 3-1 Alexandria. With 2 out and a runner on 1st, up comes Ed Kranepool. Called strike one, ball, ball.....Home run to right field, 401 feet. 5-1 Alexandria. But the Aces aren't done. Jim Presley decided to get into the act with a home run of his own. Also to right, 399 feet. 6-1. Frank Viola would then walk Joe DiMaggio and one has to wonder why he's still out there on the mound. That question really takes shape when the next batter Dave Watkins steps to the plate and smashes a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for a 2 run blast. 8-1 Alexandria. Watkins had 2 hits in the inning and scored 2 runs.
Both Alexandria and Fort Worth would push across one more run. The game ended 9-2 Alexandria. Alexandria gets the sweep at home. We now take a day off and head back to Fort Worth with Alexandria up 3-2.
In a sidenote Fort Worth catcher Earl Averill had one of those days one can only hope to forget. 5 trips to the plate, 5 strike outs.
|