MINNESOTA 2, WASHINGTON 1 IN WASHINGTON

Date:  Sunday, September 26.

Batting stars:  Zoilo Versalles was 1-for-3 with a triple, scoring once and driving in one.  Frank Quilici was 1-for-3 with a double and a run.

Pitching star:  Jim Kaat struck out ten in a complete game, giving up an unearned run on eight hits and no walks.

Opposition stars:  Pete Richert pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts.  Frank Howard was 3-for-4.  Ken McMullen was 1-for-4 with a run.

The game:  The Senators scored in the third on two singles and an error.  It stayed 1-0 until the sixth, when Versalles led off with a triple and scored on a passed ball.  The Twins took the lead in the eighth when Quilici led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Versalles.  Washington did not advance a man past first base after the third inning.

Of note:  Joe Nossek was 0-for-3 with a walk.  Tony Oliva was 1-for-4.  Harmon Killebrew was 0-for-3 with a walk.

Record:  The Twins win the pennant!  The Twins win the pennant!  The Twins win the pennant!  The win made the Twins 99-58.  Baltimore defeated California 2-1, but was 7.5 games back with a record of 90-64.

Notes:  Oliva's average remained .321...Nossek replaced Jimmie Hall in center field...Killebrew was 3-for-18 with a double since coming back.  He drew five walks in that span...I think of Frank Howard as a low-average slugger, but it's not true.  His lifetime average was .273, which is better than it sounds when you remember most of his career came in the 1960s.  He never hit .300, but he hit over .280 five times and over .290 three times.  His high was .296, which he hit in 1961, 1962, and 196.