By virtue of a five game win over the Homies today, the Ann Arbor River rats advanced to the 1963 World Series two face a yet to be determined opponent.
Every game in the series but one was close through the middle innings, the Rats doing the bulk of their damage late, outscoring the Townies by 10 runs in the seventh inning or later.
It started well for the Homies, a 5¨C2 win in the opener thanks to Camilo Pascual¡¯s complete game four-hitter, Frank Robinson and Donn Clendenon with two RBI apiece.
G2 was an easy 8¨C1 win for Ann Arbor. Pedro Ramos went the distance, allowing just five hits, and helped himself with a two-run homer in the fourth. Santo ripped a three-run shot in the sixth to put the game away.
G3 featured lots of back-and-forth action which resulted in a 4¨C4 game through nine. But the wheels came off for Spark Town in the top of the 10th, however, the Rats jumping on Bill Kunkel for a single, two doubles and another Santo home run for four runs and an 8-4 win.
The Homies look like good bets to even up the series with a five run third inning in game four highlighted by Joe Gaines¡¯s three-run dinger. But Ann Arbor, trailing 5-2, tied the game with three in the seventh, two coming home on Tony Taylor¡¯s double. More late inning magic ensued in the 11th, and Taylor was the man again, his two-run single giving the Rats the 7¨C5 win and a stranglehold on the series.
G5 was another good one, 2¨C2 through six. In the bottom of the eighth, Johnny Callison ripped a lead off triple and trotted home on Jimmy Hall¡¯s sac fly to put the Rats in front 3-2. The Homies threatened in the top of the ninth, Clendenon tripling with one out, but Koufax got Felix Mantilla on a ground out and Gaines on a line out to wrap up the series.
Good luck in the World Series, Bob!
