Bressoud’s Inside‑the‑Park Homer Caps Giants’ Six‑Run Rally, Beats Pirates 6–5
San Francisco Erases 5–0 Deficit With Wild Seventh Inning; Byerly Earns Win in Relief
SAN FRANCISCO, May 7 — A quiet afternoon at Candlestick Park turned into a frenzy in the seventh inning Sunday as the San Francisco Giants erupted for six runs, capped by Eddie Bressoud’s two‑out, three‑run inside‑the‑park home run, to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6–5 before a crowd of 33,065.
The victory pulled the Giants into a tie for first place with the Pirates, who had controlled the game for six innings behind the sharp pitching of Harvey Haddix.
Pirates Build 5–0 Lead
Pittsburgh took advantage of early miscues to build a substantial lead. A wild pitch by Jack Sanford scored a run in the first, and two more crossed in the fourth when Willie McCovey misplayed Smoky Burgess’ grounder. In the fifth, singles by Roberto Clemente and Burgess brought home two additional runs, pushing the margin to 5–0.
Sanford struggled with control, throwing two wild pitches, and the Giants’ defense faltered behind him. Billy O’Dell relieved in the fifth but could not prevent the Pirates from extending their lead.
Haddix in Full Command — Until the Seventh
Haddix allowed a first‑inning single to Willie Mays, then retired 15 straight Giants, six by strikeout. But the seventh inning unraveled quickly.
Don Blasingame, hitless in his previous 12 at‑bats, opened with a single. Jim Davenport followed with a sharp drive off Haddix’s glove. Mays forced Davenport, and McCovey fouled out, leaving runners on the corners with two out.
Giants Begin Their Comeback
Orlando Cepeda ignited the rally with a booming double to right‑center, scoring Blasingame and Mays. Haddix then walked pinch‑hitter Felipe Alou on four pitches. Joe Amalfitano, batting for O’Dell, singled over the mound, bringing home Cepeda and cutting the deficit to 5–3.
That ended Haddix’s afternoon. Left‑hander Fred Green entered to face Bressoud.
Bressoud Delivers the Decisive Blow
On Green’s fourth pitch, Bressoud drove a long shot into the gap in left‑center, the ball rolling to the 397‑foot sign as Bob Skinner and Bill Virdon scrambled after it. Third‑base coach Salty Parker waved Bressoud home when Virdon fielded the ball off‑balance, and the shortstop slid across the plate standing for a three‑run inside‑the‑park homer, giving San Francisco a 6–5 lead.
Byerly Finishes Strong
Veteran reliever Bud Byerly, 39, worked the final three innings, allowing only a two‑out single to Clemente in the seventh. He retired the last seven Pirates in order to earn his first win of the season.
Tempers Flare
The Pirates’ frustrations boiled over. Manager Danny Murtaugh was ejected after disputing a called third strike on Amalfitano in the seventh. In the ninth, Dick Stuart was thrown out for arguing a strike call and made a slow, theatrical walk across the field before departing.
Notes
- Bressoud had asked for extra batting‑cage time before the game, saying he was “tired of getting the collar every day.”
- The Giants sent nine men to the plate in the seventh, turning a game dominated by Pittsburgh into a dramatic comeback.
- The Pirates’ loss snapped their hold on first place, at least temporarily.
Courtesy of The San Francisco Chronicle May 8, 1960 via Newspapers.com