Indians Rally in Ninth to Split Doubleheader With Tigers
Piersall Homers in Both Games; Detroit Takes Opener 6–5, Cleveland Wins Nightcap 6–4
DETROIT, May 29 — The Cleveland Indians waited until the final swings of the afternoon to halt Detroit’s longest winning streak in four years, using Jimmy Piersall’s three‑run homer in the ninth inning to claim a 6–4 victory in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Briggs Stadium.
The Tigers had won the opener 6–5, stretching their streak to six, and were two outs from a sweep before Piersall struck again. The Cleveland center fielder homered in both games and finished the day with four runs batted in.
Detroit has now won 12 of its last 17, but remains in fifth place in the tightly packed American League standings.
Piersall Decides Nightcap With Late Blast
Detroit led 4–3 entering the ninth behind Frank Lary, who had held Cleveland scoreless for six innings. But singles by Bob Hale and Bubba Phillips brought on reliever Tom Morgan. After Johnny Temple sacrificed the runners along, Piersall drove Morgan’s first good pitch into the left‑field seats.
The homer capped a four‑hit Cleveland rally over the final two innings. John Briggs, the fourth of five Indian pitchers, earned the win, with Dick Stigman finishing the ninth.
Tigers Build Early Lead
Detroit scored three times in the second inning of the nightcap on a walk to Lou Berberet, an infield hit by Frank Bolling, and a two‑run double by Eddie Yost. Another run came in the fifth when Charley Maxwell walked, Al Kaline singled, and Norm Cash lifted a sacrifice fly.
Cleveland scored twice in the seventh on a throwing error by shortstop Chico Fernandez and an infield out, then added a run in the eighth on singles by Harvey Kuenn, Tito Francona, and Vic Power.
Detroit Takes Opener Behind Cash and Semproch
The Tigers won the opener 6–5, with Norm Cash providing the deciding blow — a fifth‑inning home run off Stigman. Cash’s drive into the lower right‑field stands was his third of the season.
Detroit also received home runs from Maxwell and Neil Chrisley, while Cleveland countered with homers by Piersall and Francona.
The Indians led 5–3 before Detroit tied the game in the fourth on two walks, a bunt single by Fernandez, and run‑scoring hits by Sandy Amoros and Yost.
Reliever Ray Semproch held Cleveland to two hits over the final four innings to earn his first win of the season.
Pitching Notes
- Don Mossi and Wynn Hawkins both departed early in the opener, each chased in the fourth inning.
- Bob Bruce stopped a Cleveland rally in the fourth before giving way to Semproch.
- In the nightcap, Lary allowed only two hits through six innings before Cleveland rallied late.
- Stigman, the losing pitcher in Game 1, retired the Tigers in order in the ninth inning of Game 2 to preserve Briggs’ win.
Defensive Highlights
- Piersall made a running catch in deep center to rob Chrisley in the fourth inning of the nightcap.
- Fernandez knocked down a hard smash by Russ Nixon in the seventh but threw wildly, allowing a run to score.
- Detroit turned two double plays in the opener to halt Cleveland threats.
Attendance
A crowd of 42,670, the largest since opening day, watched the holiday doubleheader.
Courtesy of The Detroit Free Press May 30, 1960 via Newspapers.com