Aug. 7, 1964 - “I don’t have the slightest idea why I’m so successful against the Yankees this year,” Steve Barber told one reporter after another following tonight’s 2-0 Oriole triumph at Yankee Stadium which Barber shared with Harvey Haddix.
The victory was Barber’s third in as many decisions against the Yanks, pulling the Bronx Bombers down from the league lead. Still, the Birds’ 20-game winner of last year is only 7-8 over-all this season.
“I must be catching them this year when I’m due to win one and they’re due to lose,” Barber said.
Adding to Barber’s success was the fact that he was able to retire Mickey Mantle all three times he faced the powerful slugger tonight.
Where is the special importance in this factor?
Mantle went into tonight’s game batting .485 righthanded — against lefthanders, that is. Against righthanders, batting lefthanded, Mantle is hitting only .235.
But against Barber, Mantle this season is only 2-for-11, for a .182 average. Against the rest of the league’s lefthanders, Mantle is 47-for-93, for a percentage of .505.
“I’m pitching Mantle the same as anybody else,” Barber said. “I’m just keeping the ball down. Check past years, and you’re liable to see he’s hitting .600 against me.”
Manager Hank Bauer explained his choice of Haddix in relief tonight instead of Stu Miller: “Haddix has been the more effective of the two recently. He’s not rattled pitching in such big games. He’s been in such situations before.
“I’ve also been keeping track of what he’s done against the Yankees. In nine innings against them, he’d allowed only two runs, and one of them was unearned on a passed ball. He’d struck out eight and walked only one. Why shouldn’t I go with him?”
Haddix entered the game in the seventh with runners on first and second and two away. The Oriole lead was only 1-0. Haddix fanned pinch hitter Phil Linz to end the threat to the shutout.
Haddix went into tonight’s game with a 1.96 ERA, the best on the staff. In 2⅓ innings, he yielded three hits but no runs, striking out Pedro Gonzalez to end the game with Yanks on first and third.
“I guess we just gotta beat ‘em three straight now,” said Yankee manager Yogi Berra, referring to tomorrow’s game and Sunday’s doubleheader.
Tomorrow could be the most vital of the year for the Yankees. Whitey Ford, ailing hip and all, informed Berra today that he was ready to go. “I’ll see how he feel during warmups tomorrow, and if he’s okay he’ll go,” Berra said. “If he isn’t, I’ll use Roland Sheldon.”
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