1961 Games 153 & 154: Washington Senators (56-96) @ Minnesota Twins (68-83)

Saturday September 23, 1961

Senators 6, Twins 4
Twins 10, Senators 0

Pedro Ramos added two more home runs allowed to his league leading total, bringing the number to 39. The second of the two was the most costly. With his team trailing 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Ramos issued three walks to load the bases with two outs. Jim King stepped to the plate and took Ramos deep to right field for a grand slam. It was the last pitch Ramos threw on the day, and was essentially the end of game one.

Despite the game one loss, the Twins must have left the Met with a good feeling after game two. Camilo Pascual pitched a two-hit shut out, bringing his season record to 15-15. He walked two and struck out nine in the effort; his AL-leading eighth shutout of the season. The Twins’ offense gave him plenty of support, scoring 10 runs in total, including Harmon Killebrew’s 44th home run of the season in the eighth inning.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               157  105   51    1  .673     -   815  602
Detroit Tigers                 155   95   59    1  .617   9.0   790  635
Baltimore Orioles              157   91   65    1  .583  14.0   667  567
Chicago White Sox              156   84   71    1  .542  20.5   733  689
Cleveland Indians              155   75   80    0  .484  29.5   696  712
Boston Red Sox                 156   73   82    1  .471  31.5   706  769
Minnesota Twins                154   69   84    1  .451  34.5   677  731
Los Angeles Angels             155   66   88    1  .429  38.0   694  746
Kansas City Athletics          155   58   96    1  .377  46.0   656  830
Washington Senators            154   57   97    0  .370  47.0   592  745

1961 Game 152: Minnesota Twins (67-83) @ Washington Senators (56-95)

Thursday September 21, 1961

Twins 6, Senators 3

Harmon Killebrew’s two-run single capped off a three-run fifth inning for the Twins, who bunched three more runs over the course of the next two innings on the way to an eventual 6-3 win over the Senators in Washington. Zoilo Versalles knocked in two runs with his sixth inning single, and Killebrew led off the seventh with a triple, scoring on a Joe Altobelli double to add the Twins’ sixth run.

Jack Kralick pitched 5 1/3 innings to earn his 13th win of the season. Don Lee came on in the sixth and finished the game for the Twins.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               156  104   51    1  .671     -   807  599
Detroit Tigers                 153   93   59    1  .612   9.5   780  629
Baltimore Orioles              156   90   65    1  .581  14.0   659  561
Chicago White Sox              155   84   70    1  .545  19.5   727  681
Cleveland Indians              153   74   79    0  .484  29.0   684  703
Boston Red Sox                 155   73   81    1  .474  30.5   703  761
Minnesota Twins                152   68   83    1  .450  34.0   663  725
Los Angeles Angels             153   66   86    1  .434  36.5   688  736
Kansas City Athletics          153   57   95    1  .375  45.5   647  818
Washington Senators            152   56   96    0  .368  46.5   586  731

1961 Game 151: Minnesota Twins (66-83) @ Washington Senators (56-94)

Tuesday September 19, 1961

Twins 3, Senators 1

The Twin did not have a lot of success in their former home in 1961. Jim Kaat made sure they could boast at least a little with a one-run complete game victory over the the new Washington Senators. It was only the second win against five losses for the former Nats in their old ballpark.

Kaat allowed just six hits – five of which were singles. He walked two and struck out six in one of his personal best performances of the season.

The offense scored two in the second inning. Earl Battey led the inning off with a double. He came home to score on Bill Tuttle’s triple, and Tuttle, in turn, came home on a Zoilo Versalles single. Versalles added another RBI single in the seventh to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Twins.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               154  103   50    1  .673     -   800  592
Detroit Tigers                 152   92   59    1  .609  10.0   774  626
Baltimore Orioles              154   89   64    1  .582  14.0   652  554
Chicago White Sox              154   83   70    1  .542  20.0   724  680
Cleveland Indians              152   74   78    0  .487  28.5   682  699
Boston Red Sox                 154   73   80    1  .477  30.0   702  758
Minnesota Twins                151   67   83    1  .447  34.5   657  722
Los Angeles Angels             152   66   85    1  .437  36.0   685  730
Kansas City Athletics          152   56   95    1  .371  46.0   643  816
Washington Senators            151   56   95    0  .371  46.0   583  725

1961 Games 149 & 150: Minnesota Twins (64-83) @ Cleveland Indians (73-75)

Sunday September 17, 1961

Twins 5, Indians 0
Twins 5, Indians 3

Camilo Pascual allowed eight hits in the first game of the double header, but only one of those was for extra bases. He struck out nine on the way to his seventh shut out of the season. Joe Altobelli knocked in three of the Twins’ five runs, including a solo home run (2).

The Twins only managed six hits in the second game, all of them singles, but drew six walks and scored five against the Indians, whose starter was Mudcat Grant – a pitcher who had given the Twins fits in the past.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               152  102   49    1  .675     -   797  590
Detroit Tigers                 151   91   59    1  .607  10.5   768  624
Baltimore Orioles              152   88   63    1  .583  14.0   650  551
Chicago White Sox              153   82   70    1  .539  20.5   719  679
Cleveland Indians              150   73   77    0  .487  28.5   676  691
Boston Red Sox                 153   73   79    1  .480  29.5   701  753
Minnesota Twins                150   66   83    1  .443  35.0   654  721
Los Angeles Angels             151   66   84    1  .440  35.5   683  724
Washington Senators            150   56   94    0  .373  45.5   582  722
Kansas City Athletics          150   55   94    1  .369  46.0   635  810

1961 Game 148: Minnesota Twins (64-82) @ Cleveland Indians (72-75)

Saturday September 16, 1961

Indians 2, Twins 0

Barry Latman shut out the Twins, allowing just four hits while striking out seven. Pedro Ramos was almost as good, but among his seven hits allowed was a home run off the bat of Wes Held that came as part of a two-run fifth inning that accounted for all of the Cleveland runs. It was the 37th home run allowed by Ramos. While his home runs allowed pace has slowed a bit, he still leads the league by seven.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               151  101   49    1  .673     -   791  586
Detroit Tigers                 150   91   58    1  .611   9.5   764  618
Baltimore Orioles              151   88   62    1  .587  13.0   650  550
Chicago White Sox              151   80   70    1  .533  21.0   707  675
Cleveland Indians              148   73   75    0  .493  27.0   673  681
Boston Red Sox                 152   72   79    1  .477  29.5   700  753
Los Angeles Angels             149   66   82    1  .446  34.0   679  712
Minnesota Twins                148   64   83    1  .435  35.5   644  718
Washington Senators            149   56   93    0  .376  44.5   580  719
Kansas City Athletics          149   54   94    1  .365  46.0   632  808

1961 Game 147: Minnesota Twins (63-82) @ Cleveland Indians (72-74)

Friday September 15, 1961

Twins 3, Indians 2

The Twins entered the ninth inning trailing by a score of 2-0. The offense had been held to just three hits by the pitching combination of starter Sam McDowell and reliever Frank Funk, and looked to be lacking the ability to score any runs.

That all changed in the ninth inning. Pinch hitter Joe Altobelli started things off with a lead off single. After Dan Dobbek struck out, Zoilo Versalles sinled Altobelli the third. Harmon Killebrew fouled out, but Bob Allison delivered with a single to right, scoring the first Twins’ run and moving the tying run to third. The fourth single of the inning came off the bat of Earl Battey and tied the game. With Bill Dailey on to pitch, Jim Lemon hit the final blow, an RBI double that put the Twins in front and ultimately gave them the win.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               150  101   48    1  .678     -   787  576
Detroit Tigers                 149   90   58    1  .608  10.5   754  614
Baltimore Orioles              150   87   62    1  .584  14.0   645  546
Chicago White Sox              150   80   69    1  .537  21.0   703  664
Cleveland Indians              147   72   75    0  .490  28.0   671  681
Boston Red Sox                 151   72   78    1  .480  29.5   696  748
Los Angeles Angels             148   65   82    1  .442  35.0   668  708
Minnesota Twins                147   64   82    1  .438  35.5   644  716
Washington Senators            148   55   93    0  .372  45.5   577  719
Kansas City Athletics          148   54   93    1  .367  46.0   632  805

1961 Games 145 & 146: Los Angeles Angels (63-81) @ Minnesota Twins (62-81)

Thursday September 14, 1961

Angels 5, Twins 1
Twins 3, Angels 1

The Angels got to Minnesota starter Don Lee in the first game with a little small ball, scoring three runs in the first two innings with just three singles. An error charged to Billy Martin in the second inning helped, as did a passed ball and hit batsman in the first. The Twins were not able to recover and dropped the first game 5-1.

Game two went much better for the home team. Once again the Angels scored in the first inning, this time on a Jim Kaat wild pitch. Kaat settled down, however, and allowed just one hit from the first inning on, holding the Angels to the one run.

Minnesota didn’t score until the bottom of the sixth when Lenny Green led off with a triple. He scored on Joe Altobelli’s single to tie the game. An ground ball off the bat of Bob Allison plated the go ahead run, and the Twins added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh to earn a split in the doubleheader.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               148  100   47    1  .680     -   774  571
Detroit Tigers                 147   89   57    1  .610  10.5   749  601
Baltimore Orioles              149   87   61    1  .588  13.5   643  543
Chicago White Sox              149   80   68    1  .541  20.5   698  655
Cleveland Indians              146   72   74    0  .493  27.5   669  678
Boston Red Sox                 150   71   78    1  .477  30.0   693  746
Los Angeles Angels             147   64   82    1  .438  35.5   659  703
Minnesota Twins                146   63   82    1  .434  36.0   641  714
Kansas City Athletics          147   54   92    1  .370  45.5   631  802
Washington Senators            147   54   93    0  .367  46.0   574  718

1961 Game 144: Los Angeles Angels (63-80) @ Minnesota Twins (61-81)

Monday September 11, 1961

Twins 5, Angels 2

The Angels led 2-1 after seven-and-a-half innings. All they needed from Dean Chance to come away with a victory was two more scoreless innings.

In fairness to Chance, the downhill slide started with an error charged to third baseman Tom Satriano. With Billy Martin at first thanks to an error, Chance struck out Harmon Killebrew. Two singles later, one by Bob Allison and one by Earl Battey, and the Twins had tied the game. It was the three-run home run by Joe Altobelli that put the Twins in the lead for good.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               145   99   45    1  .688     -   764  556
Detroit Tigers                 144   87   56    1  .608  11.5   736  595
Baltimore Orioles              148   87   60    1  .592  13.5   643  538
Chicago White Sox              146   78   67    1  .538  21.5   683  645
Cleveland Indians              145   71   74    0  .490  28.5   664  678
Boston Red Sox                 148   71   76    1  .483  29.5   690  737
Los Angeles Angels             145   63   81    1  .438  36.0   653  699
Minnesota Twins                144   62   81    1  .434  36.5   637  708
Kansas City Athletics          144   53   90    1  .371  45.5   625  789
Washington Senators            145   52   93    0  .359  47.5   565  715

1961 Games 142 & 143: Minnesota Twins (60-80) @ Kansas City Athletics (52-89)

Sunday September 10, 1961

A’s 13, Twins 1
Twins 7, A’s 0

The Twins and the A’s both experienced the extreme ups and downs of a baseball season on one September afternoon.

Kansas City put together what might have been one of their best games of the season in the first of two (might have been second behind the 20-2 win they had over the Twins in April). 13 runs on 17 hits off of Twins pitching, though most of the damage came in an eight-run seventh inning, after the A’s already had the game pretty well in hand with a four-run lead.

It may have also been a low point for the Twins, who were not strangers to allowing a lot of runs, but couldn’t have been happy about giving up 13 to the lowly Athletics.

The roles reversed in game two, however, with a 7-0 Twins victory. Pedro Ramos pitched a five-hit shutout, while Harmon Killebrew (42) and Earl Battey (17) both homered in the winning effort.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               145   99   45    1  .688     -   764  556
Detroit Tigers                 144   87   56    1  .608  11.5   736  595
Baltimore Orioles              148   87   60    1  .592  13.5   643  538
Chicago White Sox              146   78   67    1  .538  21.5   683  645
Cleveland Indians              145   71   74    0  .490  28.5   664  678
Boston Red Sox                 147   70   76    1  .479  30.0   676  733
Los Angeles Angels             144   63   80    1  .441  35.5   651  694
Minnesota Twins                143   61   81    1  .430  37.0   632  706
Kansas City Athletics          144   53   90    1  .371  45.5   625  789
Washington Senators            144   52   92    0  .361  47.0   561  701

1961 Game 141: Minnesota Twins (59-80) @ Kansas City Athletics (52-88)

Saturday September 9, 1961

Twins 5, A’s 4

It would have been easy for a Twins fan to give up on this game. They had seen the script before in 1961: big early inning leads for the opposition, the Twins mount a comeback but fall short.

The A’s took a 3-0 lead in the first inning thanks to four singles, a walk, and a wild pitch allowed by Al Schroll. By the end of three innings, it was a 4-0 Kansas City lead.

This time the script played out differently, however, thanks in large part to the long ball. Green and Martin started the top of the sixth inning with consecutive singles. After a Harmon Killebrew sacrifice fly and a Lenny Green double cut the lead in half, Earl Battey tied the score with his 16th home run of the season.

Killebrew added a solo shot (41) in the top of the seventh that turned out to be the game winner. Schroll left the game after five innings, but Bill Pleis came on to finish the game allowing no runs on five hits in four innings of work to earn the victory.

Team Name                        G    W    L    T   PCT    GB    RS   RA
New York Yankees               143   97   45    1  .683     -   748  547
Detroit Tigers                 143   87   55    1  .613  10.0   729  587
Baltimore Orioles              147   86   60    1  .589  13.0   640  536
Chicago White Sox              145   78   66    1  .542  20.0   680  641
Cleveland Indians              143   71   72    0  .497  26.5   655  662
Boston Red Sox                 146   69   76    1  .476  29.5   668  726
Los Angeles Angels             143   62   80    1  .437  35.0   647  691
Minnesota Twins                141   60   80    1  .429  36.0   624  693
Kansas City Athletics          142   52   89    1  .369  44.5   612  781
Washington Senators            143   52   91    0  .364  45.5   559  698