By JOHN LIKANJE
The 1960 International League semifinal matchup between the Red Wings and Richmond Virginians decided which team had the opportunity to slay the Goliath that was the 100-win Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Red Wings finishing a game behind the Virginians for home field advantage didn’t stop them from winning the series in five games. This was thanks to Arthur Kay, who pitched 39 games out of the bullpen during the regular season.
The 5-foot-9 right-hander struck out 10 of the 11 batters he faced in three of the first four contests, including back-to-back to win Game 4, 5-2.
Kay relieved Dean Stone with runners on second and third and one out in the ninth. The two hitters he faced (Jesse Gonder and Ken Hunt) combined for 36 regular-season home runs. Hunt, who accounted for 23, struck out on four pitches.
Gonder appeared to tie the game on the first offering until the ball flew past the wrong side of the foul pole. Kay then proceeded to sent him down on three more pitches, including a sinker to conclude the contest.
The trio of Kay, Willard Schmidt and Stone combined to strand 13 baserunners despite the Virginians compiling 11 base knocks.
Rochester batting
Batter | p | ab | r | h | bi |
Burton | CF | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Frey | LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Harrell | 3B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Oliver | 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mateosky | RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Shannon | 2B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Cannizzaro | C | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Buchek | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Schmidt | P | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Richmond batting
Batter | p | ab | r | h | bi |
Reed | CF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Jaciuk | 1B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Thomas | RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Johnson | 3B | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Hunt | LF | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Gonder | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Brickell | SS | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Terwilliger | 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
a-Hadley | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Bellino | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Blaylock | P | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rochester pitching
Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
Schmidt | 6 2/3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Stone | 1 2/3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Kay | 3-Feb | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Richmond pitching
Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
Short | 1 1/3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Blaylock | 6 2/3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
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