Apr. 29, 1964 - The Cardinals collected in more ways than one today. Their first 1964 paychecks arrived and there were comebacks all over the place as they beat the New York Mets, 4-3, in 11 innings at Busch Stadium and moved into fourth place, two games from the top.
The relief was near-perfect. Ray Sadecki, replacing starter Bob Gibson after Gibson walked the leadoff man in the eighth, faced only one man and got a double play before the tandem of Ron Taylor and Bobby Shantz behaved at last like the Taylor and Shantz of 1963. Only one of the Mets’ four hits came after the fourth inning.
Bill White, getting a home run and two singles, climbed to .293 on a three-game, 8-for-12 spurt that has lifted that average nearly 100 points.
Dick Groat, showing the benefits of extra batting practice, had two hits in one game for only the second time this season.
Ken Boyer, whose three-day harvest of seven hits in 12 times at bat has put him at .329, touched off the winning rally in the eleventh with a single through the box. Jeoff Long closed out the 3-hour-12-minute game by drawing a bases-loaded walk off Larry Bearnarth.
The firm of Taylor of Shantz, which made a total of 109 appearances in helping the Cards to a strong second-place finish last season, was virtually untouchable this time.
“The more work they get, the better they are,” said manager Johnny Keane.
Shantz, credited with his first victory after two losses, retired all six men he faced.
“I was just getting the ball over the plate, that’s all,” Shantz explained. “I never was wilder for so long a time than I was this spring. With the junk I throw, I have to be sharp.”
Starter Bob Gibson fell into an old bad habit — a rough first inning. He walked the first two batters of the game, then gave up a home run to Tim Harkness. But Bob closed the door after that and ended up with five strikeouts. His earned run average now stands at 2.18.
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