The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates got off to a great start in the matchup with the 1968 St. Louis Cardinals as Bob Friend outduelled Bob Gibson to a 4-1 win in Game 1 between the teams. Friend allowed just 5 hits and struck out 11 in a complete game to improve to 2-0 in the Tournament. Friend had left his prior start in the 3rd inning after getting hit in the face by a line drive, but seemed no worse for the wear today. Gibson struggled to find his rhythm, and it caught up to him in the 3rd inning, where the Pirates scored 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk. Gibson struck out 8, but allowed 4 runs on 10 hits. Dick Groat led the Pittsburgh offense, going 4 for 5 and driving in a run. Tim McCarver was 2 for 4 with a triple for the Cardinals. St. Louis entered the series as the top-seeded team in the National League.

’60 Pirates @ ’68 Cardinals – 9/8/25

The 1961 New York Yankees started their Best of the Decades Tournament by showing just how dangerous their lineup can be, holding on to top the 1964 Chicago White Sox 7-5 in the 1st game between the teams. Juan Pizarro exited in the 2nd inning, and the Yankees feasted on White Sox relief. Moose Skowron hit a solo homer off Frank Kreutzer to get things started, and Mickey Mantle added a solo shot of his own in the 4th. In the 5th, Roger Maris got in on the action with a 2-run homer off Ray Herbert. In the 6th, Skowron added his 2nd homer of the game to put New York up 5-0. Clete Boyer added an RBI single later in the inning. Whitey Ford dominated on the mound, taking a one-hitter into the 8th. But Dave Nicholson led off with a solo homer to end the shutout. Four hits later, and Chicago had cut the Yankee lead to 6-4 and ended Ford’s day. Hal Reniff’s wild pitch made it a one-run game before New York escaped the inning. A Boyer single drove in an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, and Luis Arroyo pitched a scoreless 9th to get the same. Chicago looks to rebound in Game 2, but with some tired relievers. Pizarro is expected to miss a few games, but hopes to return later in the series.

’64 White Sox @ ’61 Yankees – 9/8/25

The 1965 Minnesota Twins came back from a 5-2 deficit, tying the game in the 9th, but lost anyway when Mike Hershberger hit a walk-off single in the 10th to win it for the 1964 Chicago White Sox 6-5. Harmon Killebrew hit his 2nd home run in as many days, as the teams traded runs early in the game. In the 6th, Tony Oliva misjudged a flyball, leading to three unearned runs to give the Sox the 5-2 lead against Jim Kaat. But Oliva would redeem himself. First, he hit an RBI double in the 7th, as the Twins cut the lead down to 5-4 against Chicago starter Gary Peters. Then, facing Hoyt Wilhelm in the 9th with one out, Oliva smashed a home run to tie the game. In the bottom of the 10th, Jerry Klippstein struck out the 1st two batters he faced before hitting Ron Hansen with a pitch. Dave Nicholson singled to put Hansen into scoring position. Hershberger drilled a base hit into the gap to walk it off. Hershberger finished 3 for 4 with a walk, Oliva was 3 for 5 with a homer and two doubles to lead the Twins. Minnesota turned the 1st triple play in Best of the Decades Tournament history when Jerry McNertney hit a sharp grounder to Rich Rollins, who stepped on 3rd and threw it around the horn. With the loss, the Twins become the 2nd team of the Tournament to be eliminated. Chicago advances to play the 1961 New York Yankees in the next round.

’65 Twins @ ’64 White Sox – 9/5/25

The 1969 New York Mets became the 1st team to be eliminated from the Best of the 1960s Tournament. The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates pitching staff combined to shutout the Mets, allowing just 3 hits. This was after starter Bob Friend exited the game in the 3rd inning after being struck by a line drive off the bat of Tommie Agee. Joe Gibbon earned the win with 3 scoreless innings of relief, and Clem Labine pitched a perfect 9th for the save. The Mets nearly scored off Gibbon in the 7th when Art Shamsky walked and Ken Boswell doubled. With the infield drawn in, Ed Kranepool dribbled the 1st out in front of the plate, and Ron Swaboda hit a sharp grounder to 3rd. Jerry Grote walked, but Bud Harrelson grounded out to end the inning. Roy Face was originally slated to pitch the 9th for Pittsburgh, but wasn’t able to enter after straining a rib warming up. Tom Seaver pitched nearly as good for New York, holding Pittsburgh hitless until a triple by Roberto Clemente in the 5th. Seaver escaped that time, striking out Smoky Burgess and getting Don Hoak to pop out. He wasn’t as lucky in the 7th when Dick Stuart led off with a triple and scored on Clemente’s sacrifice fly for the only run of the game. Seaver allowed just 4 hits in 8 innings. With the 1-0 win, the Pirates advance to face 1968 St. Louis Cardinals, while the ’69 Mets head home. The Pirates didn’t allow a home run in any of the 4 games.

’69 Mets @ ’60 Pirates – 9/5/25

The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates took control of the best-of-5 series with the 1969 New York Mets, slugging 3 home runs and holding on to win 5-4. Bob Skinner led the way, hitting a 2-run home run in the 1st inning off Gary Gentry. Roberto Clemente added a solo home in the 2nd, and Don Hoak hit another solo shot in the 4th. The Mets traded runs in the early innings, giving Vinegar Bend Mizell trouble in multiple innings, but Mizell held New York down in the middle innings. Bill Virdon’s error in the 8th allowed the Mets to close to within a run. Bobby Pfeil doubled with 2 outs in the 9th against Pirates closer Roy Face. Tommie Agee followed with a sharp liner up the middle, but Face reached out and snagged it to end the game. The Pirates are now up 2 games to 1 and hope to close the series out tomorrow at home to send the Mets home.

’69 Mets @ ’60 Pirates – 9/4/25

The Minnesota Twins took advantage of Chicago White Sox starter Joe Horlen’s lack of control to win Game 3 5-3 and stay alive in the Best of the 1960s Tournament. Horlen walked the 1st two batters of the game, leading to the 1st Minnesota runs. In the 5th, Horlen walked in the 4th Twins run. Camilo Pascual scattered 8 hits, allowing 2 runs over 7 2/3 innings to keep the Twins on top. Harmon Killebrew hit a solo shot off reliever Don Mossi in the 9th to extend the Minnesota lead. Al Worthington hit JC Martin and then allowed a triple in the bottom of the inning to make things interesting, but then retired the next three hitters to hold on for the save. Minnesota will turn things over to ace Jim Kaat to try to force a Game 5 tomorrow.

’65 Twins @ ’64 White Sox – 9/4/25

The 1969 New York Mets avoided a 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates comeback, winning with a walk-off single in the 9th to even the best-of-five series between the teams. Ken Boswell’s 2-out 2-run triple in the 1st inning got the Mets on the board early. Pirates starter Vern Law left in the 2nd with a sore tendon, forcing Harvey Haddix into the game. Pittsburgh’s Dick Groat hit a solo home run off Jerry Koosman to cut the lead in the 3rd, but Clean Jones’ RBI single in the 4th gave them some breathing room. The Pirates evened the game with an RBI single in the 5th from Bob Skinner and a bases-loaded groundout by Don Hoak in the 6th. Koosman struck out Bill Mazeroski and got Bill Virdon to ground out to keep the game tied. Facing Clem Labine in the 9th, Tommie Agee led off with a single, and Wayne Garrett laid down a bunt to get him to scoring position. After Clean Jones was given a free pass, Art Shamsky grounded to Hoak, who misplayed it, loading the bases. Boswell laced a liner to center, driving in the winning run. With the 4-3 win, the Mets hope to carry the momentum to Pittsburgh for Game 3. Boswell finished 3 for 4 with 3 RBI. Koosman allowed 3 runs on 9 hits, striking out 6 in the complete game. Virdon and Roberto Clemente each had 3 hits for the Pirates.

’60 Pirates @ ’69 Mets – 9/3/25

Facing Jim Kaat in Game 1, it took the 1964 Chicago White Sox until the 9th inning to score their 1st runs. After a 6-2 win in 10 innings, Chicago’s offense kept going in Game 2. Falling behind 2-1 heading into the 5th inning, the White Sox finally broke out against Minnesota starter Mudcat Grant. Three runs on 4 hits and 2 walks in the inning, capped by a 2-run single by Floyd Robinson, put Chicago on top for good. Robinson added to the lead with a 2-run home run in the 7th. The Sox added two more runs in the 9th off reliever Johnny Klippstein. Juan Pizarro allowed 4 runs on 9 hits, including 3 solo homers, but struck out 9 to pick up the win for Chicago. Bob Allison went 3 for 4 with a homer and 2 RBI to lead the Minnesota offense. The Minnesota Twins now head to Chicago down 2-0 in the series. They’ll need to win 3 straight to avoid early elimination in the Tournament.

’64 White Sox @ ’65 Twins – 9/2/25

After losing Game 1 6-3, the 1969 New York Mets will get another day to think about things before facing off against the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates. Heavy rains have postponed Game 2 until tomorrow. This delay isn’t expected to have a big impact on pitching rotations.

The 1969 New York Mets had high hopes for the opening game in their series against the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates. But Tom Seaver never found his rhythm. After trading runs early, Pittsburgh bats finally broke out in the 5th when Bob Skinner and Dick Stuart hit back-to-back home runs. The Pirates carried a 4-2 lead into the 8th when Seaver walked Don Hoak with two outs. Bill Mazeroski followed with a 2-run homer to extend the lead. The Mets threatened in the bottom of the 9th against reliever Joe Gibbon. Ed Kranepool singled and Ron Swaboda walked with one out, but Jerry Grote followed with a pop up. Bud Harrelson singled to cut the lead to 6-3, bringing the tying run to the plate. Tommie Agee followed with another infield popout to end the game. Mazeroski finished 2 for 3 with a walk and 2 RBI. Bob Friend allowed 2 runs on 8 hits in 8 innings for the win. Seaver struck out 8 in 8 innings, but allowed 6 runs on 8 hits and walked 5. New York is hoping to bounce back tomorrow.

’60 Pirates @ ’69 Mets – 9/1/25