June 11, 1964 - M and M, a great act in 1961, came out of the mothballs for a Boston tryout tonight. Mickey Mantle busted two homers and Roger Maris one as the Yankees demonstrated their readiness for the big town series with the league-leading White Sox by whipping the Red ones, 8-4.
The victory, combined with Chicago’s 3-1 loss to Baltimore, reduced the Chicago margin over New York to five games. By winning tonight, the Yanks finished at the .500 level on the road trip.
Jim Bouton gave his own show on the mound, becoming the third pitcher to start and finish a game on this trip. Bouton unloosed a couple of gophers to keep the 28,494 customers interested but really had a breeze.
He led, 4-0, before Ed Bressoud conked one to right in the fifth, and it was 8-1 by the time Felix Mantilla hit one over the left wall in the eighth after a double by Bob Tillman. Tonight Felix was filling in for outfielder Carl Yastrzemski, who had a king-sized bellyache.
Bill Monbouquette, who won 20 last year and looks like something from the dime store this season, was the loser — for the sixth time in eight decisions. Monbo got by for three innings before the M-squad got their guns going.
Maris drove his third in three games in Boston into the right stands for the game’s first run in the fourth. Bouton and Tony Kubek laid out back-to-back doubles in the fifth, then Mantle hit into the right-field bleachers. It was his first homer since May 24. Mickey socked another in the seventh for a 5-1 lead and that made 10 for the year, equaling Maris.
“For the last three or four games, I’ve been feeling much better batting left-handed,” said a happy Mantle afterward. “Actually, I’m feeling better from both sides, but more so left-handed because I wasn’t doing nearly as well there. It’s just a question of seeing pitching.” Both of Mickey’s homers carried about 425 feet. “I’m confident that by the end of the season, I’ll be hitting around .300 left-handed. That’s what I’ve done all my career.”
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