Twins Flashback: Newly Relocated Twins Shut Out Yankees in First Ever Game (4/11/1961)

[Matthew Lenz]

The Minnesota Twins, fresh off their relocation from Washington, shut out the New York Yankees with 25-year-old right hander Pedro Ramos going the distance and striking out five and allowing just five baserunners.Download attachment: Screen Shot 2020-04-09 at 10.17.21 PM.png

Starting Lineups

Download attachment: Screen Shot 2020-04-09 at 10.28.00 PM.png

Game Recap

Home Runs: Bob Allison (1), Reno Bertoia (1)

Multi-Hit Games: Versalles (2-for-5, 2B, R, 2 SB), Allison (2-for-5, HR, R, RBI)

 

Top 3 WPA: Ramos (0.464), Allison (0.151), Bertoia (0.054)

Bottom 3 WPA: Lemon (-0.106), Green (-0.077), Versalles (-0.055)

 

The first six innings of this game was a pitchers duel between Ramos and Ford as there were a total of only eight baserunners for both teams. The Twins started the seventh inning with Bob Allison ripping a home run deep down the left field line, the first of the season and 46th of his young career, followed by a Battey double and Bertoia walk. With hitters eight and nine due up, Yankees manager Ralph Houk trusted the 1961 Cy Young Award Winner-to-be to finish the job he started...and boy, did he regret that. After a sacrifice bunt by Gardner, the Twins starting pitcher hit a two-run single that increased the lead to 3-0 and marked the end of the day for Ford.

 

Yankees righty reliever Ralph Terry came in to the game and threw a shaky 1.2 innings that saw him give up three hits and a walk, including a two-run bomba from Reno Bertoia. As Ramos continued to cruise the Twins entered the ninth up 5-0 and ready to face 1960 All-Star Jim Coates. After a Versalles lead-off single to left and steals of second and third, Twins first baseman Harmon Killebrew padded the lead with a sacrifice fly. Having only faced 28 batters, Twins manager Cookie Lavagetto, sent Ramos out in the bottom of the ninth where Ramos set the 2-3-4 hitters 1-2-3 earning his first win and complete game of the season and 68th and 50th, respectively, of his career. Likely a refreshing start to the season after finishing the last three seasons as the AL leaders in losses, but little did he know at the time he would accomplish the same feat in 1961, finishing 11-20.

 

Anyone on here remember seeing this game? Listening to it on the radio? Reading about it in the paper?

 

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[theBOMisthebomb]

I wish I could remember, except for the fact I was -11 years old at the time! I'm assuming the game wasn't televised?!

[USNMCPO]

Wow, looking at the two lineups, what a difference. NYY lineup is full of HOF players at or near their prime.

[SkyBlueWaters]

Is the photo, left to right, Allison, Ramos, and Bertoia?