Redbirds sweep Cubbies

8/12 - Sportsman Park - Cardinals 3, Cubs 1
Wilmer "Vinegar Bend" Mizell carried a no hitter into the 9th. Mike Vail led off the inning as a pinch hitter for reliever Dick Tidrow and grounded weakly to short for the first out. Up stepped Ivan DeJesus who worked the count to 2-2 before singling to center to break up Mizell's no-no. Of course this wasn't your classic no-no, because the Cubs actually scored an unearned run in the 4th and even had the lead until the 6th. Thanks to an error by young Ken Boyer at third DeJesus was able to reach base and wind up in scoring position for Bill Buckner to score him with a sac fly. The Cards tied it up in the 6th when Cub 3rd-sacker Steve Ontiveros made an error of his own to allow Stan Musial to score. The following inning the Cards took the lead when Musial singled home Blasingame and Boyer doubled home Del Greco who pinch ran for the injured Bill Virdon.

8/13 - Sportsman Park - Cardinals 4, Cubs 2
The Cards broke a scoreless tie with 2 in the bottom of the 5th plus solo runs in the 6th and 7th. The Cubbies put a scare into St. Louis when they plated 2 runs in the 9th. Lindy McDaniel came on board to put out the fire and grab the final 2 outs, as Barry Foote fanned to strand 2. Lost in the shuffle was Bobby Murcer's 3-4 day for the Cubbies in a losing cause. Cardinal catcher Ray Katt also went 3-4, but interestingly had no runs scored or RBI's.

8/14 - Sportsman Park - Cardinals 4, Cubs 1
Dennis Lamp gave up 2 quick runs to St. Louis in the bottom of the first as the Cards never looked back. That "man" Stan Musial singled home Blasingame, who led off the inning with a double. Ken Boyer lifted a fly to right that was deep enough to allow Alvin Dark to tag up and score the 2nd run. Cardinal pitcher Murry Dickson not only helped his team with his arm (8 IP / 1 ER), he also helped them with this bat by singling home Del Greco in the 6th. The Cubbies managed one lone run in the 7th when "King Kong" Dave Kingman singled home Ted Sizemore. Larry Jackson got Sizemore, Murcer and Kingman to ground out to end the 9th and notch the save.