Aug. 21, 1964 - Tonight’s fantastic 6-5 victory by the Cardinals over the Giants at Candlestick Park came with two out in the ninth and the Redbirds just one strike from a 5-3 defeat.
Dal Maxvill, the utility infielder, was at the plate because, as St. Louis manager Johnny Keane said, “We didn’t have any more pinch hitters.”
Lou Brock had opened the ninth with a single off Jim Duffalo, but Dick Groat and Ken Boyer then grounded out.
San Francisco manager Alvin Dark went to the mound and told Duffalo to walk Bill White, an unorthodox move which put the tying run on base. But, since Maxvill was up next, it appeared Dark would get away with the gamble.
So, here was little Dal at the plate for just the seventh time this season. When the count went to 2-2, the crowd of 19,646 headed for the exits, believing the Giants had ended a losing streak after five defeats.
But Maxvill banged a clean single to left, scoring Brock, and then Mike Shannon bounced a single through the middle.
Shannon said he hit an inside slider. “I should have tied it up in the seventh,” he said. “I was lucky to get a second chance — thanks to Maxvill.”
White scored the tying run, and Maxvill tallied right behind him when Hal Lanier, the Giants’ rookie second baseman, let go with a wild throw.
“I was trying to get White at the plate,” Lanier said later, “but I made a bad play. I threw before I was set, and it was a terrible throw.”
The ball sailed between home and third, where nobody could retrieve it in time to prevent Maxvill scoring the winning run.
Ron Taylor, the fourth of five Cardinal pitchers tonight, worked just one inning but emerged with the victory.
Barney Schultz wrapped it up with his knuckleball, gaining his sixth save. Barney had to face Harvey Kuenn, Duke Snider, and Willie Mays in the ninth and got them all without a ball leaving the infield.
Said Keane: “We had a lot of chances earlier. We almost waited too long. As for [Dark] purposely putting the tying run on base, that strategy can backfire sometimes. It’ll do that — I know.”
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