Braves Destroy Dodgers as Mack Jones Hits Grand Slam

June 5, 1965 - Mack Jones, determined to nail down a permanent job in his fifth trial with Milwaukee, cracked his first grand slam today in powering the Braves to a 9-1 victory over the National League-leading Dodgers at County Stadium.

Jones’ bases-loaded blast came in the first inning off southpaw Johnny Podres and was all Milwaukee righthander Tony Cloninger needed in hurling the runner-up Braves to within three games of the injury-riddled Dodgers.

Podres, who had won his first three 1965 decisions in rebounding from arm surgery last year, retired the first two batters but surrendered singles to Hank Aaron and Joe Torre. With the count 2-2 on Gene Oliver, Johnny unloaded a wild pitch and then gave an intentional pass to load the bases for Jones.

The muscular outfielder, a bust in previous tests with Milwaukee, promptly hit Podres’ first pitch over the right-field wall for his eighth homer.

Last season, Mack batted .317 for Syracuse to merit one last chance with the parent Braves, but as of May 23 he was hitting a meek .234 and figured hardly at all in manager Bobby Bragan’s plans.

On that date, however, outfielder Lee Maye was traded to Houston for pitcher Ken Johnson, and Bragan inserted Jones in center field more out of necessity than desire. 

Since then, there’s been no stopping Jones. While batting .356 since Maye left, Mack has hit five home runs, three triples, a double, and driven in 14 runs.

“I was on the verge of giving up any chance to stick in the majors until Maye was traded,” Jones said today, “but now that I’m playing every day, I’ve got my confidence again.”

The victory was the surging Braves’ fourth straight and ninth in the last 12 games. The crowd was 8,964, including 4,116 paid and 4,850 Boy Scouts and Knot-Hole guests. Knot-Hole memberships are a special ticket package for children sold in an effort to bring more families out to games.

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