Phils Top Cards as Belinsky Earns First N.L. Win

May 17, 1965 - Tony Taylor’s home run and clutch throw gave Bo Belinsky his first National League victory tonight as the Phillies defeated the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, 2-1.

Belinsky, who had lost twice, had a two-hit shutout until the eighth inning. Then Phil Gagliano singled with one out, moved to second on Gus Triandos’ passed ball as Julian Javier struck out, and scored on Lou Brock’s single.

Curt Flood followed with a double into the right-field corner, but Brock was cut down at the plate, Taylor taking Johnny Callison’s throw and firing a strike to Triandos. 

“It was one of the better jobs of blocking home plate I’ve seen,” said Philadelphia manager Gene Mauch. “If Gus has to reach for the ball in any direction, Brock is safe.”

Taylor’s home run off Curt Simmons, leading off the Philadelphia eighth, proved to be the decisive run.

“It’s nice,” Belinsky said afterward of his first win with the Phils. “It’s nice that we’re winning and, like I’ve said all along, I’d like to help.”Belinsky was 0-2 before tonight, but he wasn’t fidgety.

“I knew the man was with me,” he said tonight. “Before, I knew if I didn’t win, I was gone. I knew they were gunning for me. He feels I’m putting out, and if I go out and pitch good, then I stay in the rotation.”The “man” is Mauch, and he plans to keep Belinsky in the rotation.

“He pitched good,” Mauch said of Belinsky’s five-hitter. “I like to see him throw strikes. When he throws strikes, he can win. What I liked most of all was that this was the second time he faced this club, and he was effective.”

“He had real good stuff,” said Triandos, Bo’s battery-mate. “The bottom was dropping out of his screwball. It was jumping, and when he throws it inside to those righthanded hitters, it’s murder.”

The loss was Simmons’ third in 19 decisions with the Cards since he was traded to St. Louis by Philadelphia in 1960.

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