The Moe Drabowsky Game

October 5, 1966 was a good day for one Baltimore Orioles pitcher, Moe Drabowsky.  This happened to be game one of the World Series and the Orioles were in LA playing Walter Alston‘s Dodgers.

So what did ol’ Moe do this day anyway?  Dave McNally got roughed up in the start for Baltimore and Drabowsky was called upon by skipper Hank Bauer to come in during the third inning.  After McNally walked the last three guys he faced Moe came in throwing darts.  With the basses loaded the first batter he faced, Wes Parker, went down on strikes.  Moe then walked one and got the next guy to pop out, escaping the inning allowing just one Dodger run.

Here is where it gets really fun.  In the bottom of the fourth all three Dodgers batters struck out against Drabowsky.  The bottom of the fifth would be a mirror image of the fourth as Moe Drabowsky would strikeout 6 Dodgers in a row.

He would end up completing the game and throwing 6 2/3 shutout innings with 11 Ks, 2 BBs and one hit allowed (a single to Willie Davis).  Baltimore won game one 5-2 in the highest scoring game of the ’66 World Series.

Jim Palmer and Wally Bunker threw shutouts in the next two games while Dave McNally would  come back in game 4 for the Orioles third shutout of the series.  That’s right, LA scored just two runs in four WS games.

Chris Davis flexing his power #Orioles

The Flying Showalter’s are the potential story of the year in MLB.  Their primary power threat has been former Rangers prospect Chris Davis who has finally actualized into what many scouts expected.  His 2012 season qualifies him as big league talent while still only 26 years of age.  In fact he is on a 39 HR pace in his last 64 games.

While still a big strikeout risk Davis has proven his supporters and the Orioles front office correct this year.  Whether Davis turns into Greg Vaughn or Butch Huskey is TBD but either way he will always be a 2012 2nd half All-Star.