Twins Flashback: Carew, Oliva, Power Twins to a 9th Inning Rally Against the Pilots (4/16/1969)

[Thiéres Rabelo]

On their way to what would’ve been their second playoff run in Minnesota, the Twins visited for the first time the Seattle Pilots. Down by one to start the ninth inning, Carew and Oliva boosted the late comeback, to give Minnesota its third consecutive win, 6-4.Twins 6, Seattle 4 Box Score

Chance: 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 2 K

Home Runs: none

Multi-hit games: Carew (4-for-5, two 2B), Oliva (3-for-4, RBI, BB), Cardenas (2-for-4, RBI, BB)

Top 3 WPA: Reese .344, Oliva .266, Carew .175

 

The Twins opened the 1969 season with a seven road game sequence, five of which were played in the west coast. They lost the first four, before beating the Angels in Anaheim, to avoid a three-game series sweep. They beat the Athletics two days later, before heading north to face the Seattle Pilots, playing its debut season, to conclude the road series. The Pilots played only the one season in Seattle, before being relocated to Milwaukee the following year and becoming the Brewers.

 

Pilots’ starter, veteran Gary Bell, was coming off an All-Star season for Boston in ‘68 and a complete game shutout over the White Sox to start the ‘69 season. But the top of the Twins order was not impressed. After leadoff hitter Ted Uhlaender grounded out, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva and Harmon Killebrew each hit a single and loaded them up. Graig Nettles hit a Twin fourth consecutive single to put the first run on the board and Leo Cardenas, two at bats later, also singled and made it 2-0 Minnesota.

 

Righty Dean Chance, starting the game for Minnesota, delivered three clean innings, but gave up a couple of runs in the two following innings. He gave up a walk to lead off the sixth and manager Billy Martin took him off the game, bringing in reliever Joe Grzenda. He couldn’t take care of the inherited runner, allowing the Pilots to tie the game a couple of at bats later. In the eighth, a solo home run from center fielder Jim Gosger gave Seattle the first lead of the game.

 

Down 4-3 to start the ninth, the Twins had yet again the top of its order lined up, awaiting to face former reliever of the year Jack Aker (he was the AL Fireman of the Year award winner in 1966). The story here was almost identical to that of the first inning. Uhlaender grounded out, but Carew followed him up by smacking a double to left. Oliva stepped up to the plate and singled, bringing home Carew to tie the game. Aker intentionally walked Killebrew in the following at bat and retired Nettles in the sequence, but first baseman Rich Reese, 0-for-4 at the time, came up and doubled, scoring two runs and finishing the Twins three-run comeback.

 

That was Minnesota’s third consecutive win, in an effort that saw them go 13-3 to follow the 0-4 start and finish April with a 13-7 record. The Twins went on the have an amazing season, in which they were crowned the first ever AL West champions, with a 97-65 record. They were swept by the Baltimore Orioles (109-53) in the ALCS. Here are some highlights from that season:

• Harmon Killebrew won his first and only AL MVP award, leading the majors in home runs (49) and RBI (140), while playing all 162 games;
• Rod Carew won the first of his seven AL Batting Title, hittin .332. He also stole home seven times that year, leading the majors;
• Four Twins were named AL All-Stars: Killebrew, Carew, Oliva and catcher John Roseboro;
• Lefty Ron Perranoski, who earned a save and the win in this game, led all the majors with 31 saves;
• Jim Kaat was earned his eighth consecutive Gold Glove award;
• Starter Jim Perry finished third in the AL Cy Young voting and ninth in the AL MVP voting, after logging 261 2/3 innings and 2.82 ERA. He and Dave Boswell became the first and only Twins starters to earn 20 wins each in a season;
• On May 18, Carew and Cesar Tovar combined for
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[DocBauer]

I always forget Nettles was originally a Twin. To me, and my memory, he was a Yankee. What a great and underrated career.

[Doctor Gast]

Billy Martin was feisty, always fighting w/ umpires & even players. He encouraged Carew & others to steal  home. which they uncommonly did. He was definitely not boring. The Twins couldn`t put up w/ him even though they had winning teams 

[David HK]

Man, these recaps bring back a hundred old memories! Dean Chance, Perry and Kaat, Dave Boswell- the Twins were loaded with good pitchers in 69, as well as that early version of the Bomba Squad.

 

Boswell was my fave pitcher that year, 'til Billy took him out behind the old Lindell AC that night in Detroit. He missed about 3 weeks, but still won 20 games, even after having his 6'3" a** handed to him by a pint-sized old man...

 

What a year that was.