Dave Morehead Shuts Out Twins at Fenway

May 27, 1965 - The free-swinging Twins, who scored 26 runs in winning the first two games at Boston, drew their first shutout of the American League season, 2-0, today. Co-authors of this three-hit pitching sparkler were Dave Morehead, Boston’s 21-year-old righthanded pitcher with the sharp-breaking curveball, and Dick Radatz in clutch ninth-inning relief.

The defeat dropped Minnesota back into second place, a half-game behind idle Chicago.

It’s hard to imagine a pitching duel in the Fenway Park “band box,” where the Twins hit eight homers in the first two games of the series.

But here it was, Morehead and Jim Kaat of the Twins battling 0-0 through the first six innings.

The Red Sox took half of their six hits off Kaat to score two runs in the seventh.

Morehead won his fourth in seven decisions. He pitched smartly to check the Twins, who feast on fastball pitching.

“I had good control of my curve today,” Morehead noted. “I wanted to show them the fastball but try to make them hit the curve.”

He walked six and struck out five.

Morehead walked himself into trouble in the Twins’ ninth. With one out, he passed Jimmie Hall, Bob Allison, and Frank Kostro to fill the bases.

This called for “The Monster,” Radatz, Boston’s relief ace who has run upon hard times this spring. Radatz promptly struck out pinch-hitter Don Mincher on a 3-2 fastball and whiffed pinch-hitter Sandy Valdespino on a 1-2 fastball to preserve the shutout.

Mincher said he had whiffed on ball four.

“It was too close to take with a 3-2 count,” he said. “It was a fastball high and outside.”

Kaat, who lost his fifth game in eight decisions, said it was the best game he ever pitched at Fenway.

“I might have fielded Tony Conigliaro’s bunt in the seventh if I had broken to the right instead of coming straight in off the mound,” Kaat said. “The ball was by me before I could make the play.”Third baseman Kostro said, “I could have fielded Conigliaro’s bunt if I had charged it. Instead, I went back to cover third base with runners at first and second.”Kostro said Eddie Bressoud’s run-scoring tap with the bases loaded in the seventh “fell off the end of my glove.”

Felix Mantilla scored from third to unlock the 0-0 deadlock. Bob Tillman then sent a sacrifice fly to center, delivering the second run.

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