Baseballville

Wally Post hasn't been putting up the big numbers that teammates Frank Robinson and George Crowe have so far this season. Going into the game Wally was hitting around the .200 mark for the season. Hal Jeffcoat had limited the Dodgers to five hits over his 9 innings and gave them a big goose egg for their efforts. Johnny Podres was even more impressive. Through 8 innings he allowed the Redlegs 3 measely hits and no runs. Birdie Tebbetts asked Jeffcoat if he wanted a pinch hitter to lead off the bottom of the 9th with the score tied at zeroes. "Hell no Skip, I'm gonna win it right here and now", he retorted. Tebbetts laughed and said "It's all yours kid". On three pitches, Podres blew him away as Jeffcoat hit three "Air Homers". With one out, Johnny Temple ducked in a hump back liner over secondbaseman Jim Gilliam and the Redlegs had the lead runner on base. Post had a earlier single off of Podres, but his last at bat Johnny struck him out with a slow curve. Podres recalled that pitch to open the sequence against Wally here in the bottom of the 9th and it dropped in again for a called strike. Post didn't think so and he gave Shag Crawford a long look and got back in the batter's box. Podres reminded himself that Post is a highball, fastball hitter, so he wanted this pitch to stay down and away from Post if possible. "Strike two", yelled Crawford and Post new it that time. With two strikes on him Post knew he was in a big hole. Thirdbase Coach Jimmie Dykes called time out and went to talk to Post. "He told me not to give into Podres and go after a good pitch..."look for something and guess right boy, Dykes said. Well Post took a guess and hit it right on the spot, the "sweet spot". "I looked for that slow curve and he got it up a little too high. Well you saw what happened", he said. Post was all over it and hit it hig and deep over the leftfield screen and onto the highway. Podres just started walking for the dugout because he knew the game was over. "The pitched flattened out for me. I wanted to grab it back as soon as I threw it", Podres lamented. It was Posts' 7th homerun of the season and gave the Redlegs sole possession of second place behind the Milwaukee Braves, one game back after the Braves dropped a 8-7 decision to the Philadelphia Phillies.