O’s capture AL Flag with classic 7 game series win over Bronx Bombers

Series Boxscores

8/15-8/16 - Yankee Stadium
GAME 1 - Orioles 4, Yankees 1
Whitey Ford uncharacteristically gives up 3 in the first & hits the showers early after Gus Triandos hits a 3 run shot just over the centerfield monuments.  Chuck Estrada (6IP) combines with Jack Fisher (3IP) to shutout New York on a combined 5 hitter.  Marv Breeding goes 2 for 4 to increase his tournament average to .341.  Orioles lead series 1-0

GAME 2 - Yankees 9, Orioles 2
Milt Pappas and Ralph Terry were locked in a duel until the Bombers unloaded for 3 runs  in the bottom of the 4th off of Pappas.  Roger Maris led off the inning with a homer into the short port in right.  The Mick followed that with a single and Hector Lopez walked after Moose Skowron struck out.  Bobby Richardson singled home Mantle and Clete Boyer bunted home Lopez to make it 3-0.  Two innings later the Bombers put the game away when Lopez and Boyer both hit solo shots, which also chased Pappas from the bump.  Terry did his job and allowed only 2 runs (1 earned) over 6 2/3 innings of work.  Ryne Duren got the final 7 outs to save the game.  Series tied 1-1

8/18-8/20 - Memorial Stadium
GAME 3 - Orioles 7, Yankees 1
With the Series heading south on I-95 the O's treated their fans to a comfortable 7-1 win.  Hal Brown would go 5 innings for the O's and leave on the winning side of the ledger up 7-1.  Jack Fisher (1 IP) and Hoyt Wilhelm (3 IP) would finish out the contest.  With no score in the game the O's unloaded for 4 runs in the bottom of the 4th to chase Art Ditmar from the game.  Jim Coates would fare no better as he gave up 3 runs in the 5th to help the O's put the game out of reach.  Gene Woodling would have a 3 for 4 day and Jim Gentile would hit a 2 run shot to pace the O's offense.  Yogi would hit a solo shot in the 6th to account for New York's lone run.  Orioles lead series 2-1

GAME 4 - Yankees 6, Orioles 2 (10 inn)
Forget the score, which makes it look like the Bombers had an easy time of it.  New York needed to score solo runs in the 7th and the 9th to force extra frames.  Respective starters, Whitey Ford and Steve Barber were gone after the 7th inning and had no part in the decision.  Ford lay the victim of 2 unearned runs thanks to 3 errors by his defense.  Hoyt Wilhelm was tasked with closing the game out in the 9th and easily got the first two outs, but fell victim to a Roger Maris blast that tied it at 2.  In the top of the 10th Wilhelm completely melted down and gave up 4 runs.  After Moose Skowron singled, Hector Lopez doubled him home.  Pinch hitter Gil McDouglad was given an intentional pass and Bobby Richardson bunted both runners up into scoring position.  Reliever Luis Arroyo botched a squeeze play for out number 1, but Joe DeMaestri was able to slice a 2 run single to right to provide New York it's 4 run margin of victory.  Series tied 2-2

GAME 5 - Yankees 5, Orioles 3
”Bullet” Bob Turley flashed the same brilliance that won him the 1958 Cy Young Award.  Turley went 7 strong innings and allowed just 1 earned run in this pivotal game 5.  Chuck Estrada, who had been so good all tournament finally blew a stinker.  Five runs over 7 innings just won't get it done vs the fabled Yankee lineup.  With the O's up 1-0 New York scored twice in the 5th to take a one run lead, when Yogi doubled home 2.  New York followed that up with three more runs the following inning.  After Mantle led off with a walk and Skowron singled Hector Lopez cleared the bases with a triple to death valley.  McDougald followed that with a sac fly to left to score Lopez and make it 5-1.  Ryne Duren came on for the final 2 frames for the Bombers, and allowed Brooks Robinson to double home 2 in the 8th to cut New York's lead to two before clamping down and closing it out.  The series would now head back to the Bronx with the Yanks up 3 games to 2.  Yankees lead series 3-2.

8/22-8/23 - Yankeee Stadium
GAME 6 - Orioles 12, Yankees 2
Art Ditmar was not up to the task of closing out the O's.  Staked to a 2-1 lead Ditmar  was victimized for 6 runs in the top of the 4th as the O's showed grit and determination in forcing an all decisive game 7.  Milt Pappas, who has been horrendous during the tournament, gutted it out for 5 innings and only allowing 2 runs.  Artie Portocarrero came on board to shut the Bombers out over the final 4 innings of work.  Once again Marv Breeding was a hit machine.  Baltimore's second sacker went 3 for 5 and scored 2 runs.  Gene Woodling also went 3 for 5 and added 3 RBI's.  Baltimore had 5 batters hit homers, including Gentile, Brooksie and Woodling.  Series tied 3-3.

Game 7 - Orioles 3, Yankees 1
The great big Ball Orchard in the Bronx played host to the all decisive game 7 in this fabulous 1960 ALCS.  New York fans had to have a smile on their face with "Slick", aka..Whitey Ford on the hill facing an inexperienced Hal Brown.  With both sides obviously a bit nervous the first 3 innings resembled an opening round of a classic heavyweight title bout.  Both combatants seemed to be feeling the other guy out and not looking to land a big blow.  That big blow would actually come in the form of some small jabs in the 4th inning.  Ford would walk Gentile, who would move to second when Gil McDougald booted his opposite number's (Brooksie) grounder to third.  McDougald, who has had a fantastic career in pinstripes covering all 4 infield positions is normally sure handed, but certainly not the same caliber as Clete Boyer who has been tabbed McDougald successor.  This scenario  setup one of those defining moments in a series where a pitcher needs to make a pitch.  Over the years Ford had made those pitches and made opposing hitters look bad.  This time the hitter got the best of him when Gus Triandos lined a double down the left field line that rattled around the rim of the outfield wall for what seemed like an eternity before Lopez could secure it.  During that time frame both Gentile and Robinson scored easily to make it 2-0.  Ford then walked his former teammate, Woodling, on 4 pitches to create a possible DP situation.  O's centerfielder, Jackie Brandt, would have nothing to do with a game changing DP and promptly hit a hump backed liner to center to score Triandos.  Woodling tried to follow Gus home and was nailed easily at the plate for the first out of the inning.  Ford would settle down and get out of the jam, but the damage had already been done.  Neither team would score again until the bottom of the 9th.  New York entered the home half of the 9th  down by 3 with 3 outs to go and Hal Brown riding the crest of a 3 hit shutout.  Mantle led off and hit a scorcher right at second baseman Breeding who caught the ball more out of self defense.  Moose Skowron stepped to the plate and finally put the Bombers on the scoreboard with a slicing opposite field "excuse me" homer that just dropped over the 297 mark in the short right field porch.  The home crown finally had something to cheer about, but that enthusiasm would die as then next two Yankee batters would ground out weakly to end the game and the series.  Baltimore would outlast the fabled "Evil Empire" and win itself a spot in the 1960 World Series.  Orioles win series 4-3.