Editor’s note: The 1964 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
Joey Amalfitano delighted the Wrigley Field crowd with a walk-off single in the 10th inning that gave the Chicago Cubs a 3-2 victory over the Houston Colt .45s in the 1964 Tournament.
The opening round win for Chicago has the Cubs headed to Philadelphia to face the Phillies in their next contest.
Houston reliever Hal Woodeshick was beginning his second frame on the mound as he gave up back-to-back singles to Andre Rodgers and pinch-hitter Jimmy Stewart.
Amalfitano’s single had Rodgers racing home with the game-winning run.
Larry Jackson (1-0) went the distance for the for the Cubs to earn the victory as he allowed 11 hits with a walk a five strikeouts.
Woodeshick (0-1) was tagged with the loss after getting the final two outs of the ninth inning before not retiring a hitter in the 10th. Houston starter Ken Johnson left with one out in the bottom of the ninth after surrendering six hits with a walk, while fanning seven.
Both teams scored in the first inning as Walt Bond had a sacrifice fly for Houston and Ron Santo had a RBI single to make it 1-1.
In the third, the Cubs took a 2-1 lead. After Amalfitano singled, Billy Cowan and Billy Williams reached on errors that loaded the bases.
Santo hit into a double play that allowed Amalfitano to score his second run of the affair.
Bond led off the top of the ninth with a double, but Jackson got the next to batters before Eddie Kasko‘s single tied the contest at 2-2 to set the stage for the extra inning.
1964 Tournament
Second Round Schedule
National League Bracket
(7) Pittsburgh Pirates at (1) St. Louis Cardinals
(6) Los Angeles Dodgers at (5) Milwaukee Braves
(8) Chicago Cubs at (2) Philadelphia Phillies
(4) San Francisco Giants at (3) Cincinnati Reds
American League Bracket
(10) Kansas City A’s-(7) Minnesota Twins winner at (1) New York Yankees
(6) Cleveland Indians at (5) Los Angeles Angels
(9) Washington Senators-(8) Boston Red Sox winner at (2) Chicago White Sox
(4) Detroit Tigers at (3) Baltimore Orioles
First Round Schedule and Results
National League Bracket
(7) Pittsburgh Pirates 8, (10) New York Mets 1
(8) Chicago Cubs 3, (9) Houston Colt .45s 2 (10)
American League Bracket
(10) Kansas City A’s at (7) Minnesota Twins
(9) Washington Senators at (8) Boston Red Sox