Stopped by Bob Gibson and Jerry Reuss, the Cubs lost a pair of 2-1 decisions to the Cardinals in a twi-night doubleheader and dropped into third place in the East division race, 2½ games behind the Pirates and one-half game behind the Mets. Gibson, pitching the opener, reached his career high in victories with 23. The Cardinals scored their runs off Fergie Jenkins with the aid of an error in the second inning. Luis Melendez opened with a single and raced to third on a single by Ted Simmons. On the peg to third, Simmons tried for second and when Ron Santo threw wildly, Melendez scored. Simmons moved to third on the error and counted on a two-out single by Julian Javier. The Cubs, held to two hits by Gibson, scored in the fourth on a triple by Glenn Beckert and a sacrifice fly by Billy Williams.

In the nightcap, Dal Maxvill batted in both Cardinal runs, one with a forceout in the second inning and the other with a single in the seventh. The Cubs threatened to pull the game out of the fire in the ninth when Beckert singled, Williams doubled and Beckert scored on a wild pitch. However, Reuss was equal to the the occasion. Williams was forced to hold third when Santo grounded out, Jim Hickman then struck out and Tommy Davis flied out to end the game. [The Sporting News]



St. Louis Cardinals 2, Chicago Cubs 1 (Game 1)
Game Played on Wednesday, September 23, 1970 (Night game) at Busch Stadium II
Cubs         0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  2  4
Cardinals    0  2  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   2  7  0


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Kessinger ss          3   0   0   0     1   0   .268      Brock lf              3   0   1   0     1   1   .304
Beckert 2b            4   1   1   0     0   0   .298      Javier 2b             4   0   2   1     0   1   .254
Williams lf           2   0   0   1     1   0   .326      Hague 1b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .272
Santo 3b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .267      Torre 3b              4   0   1   0     0   2   .325
Hickman 1b            4   0   0   0     0   1   .324      Cardenal cf           4   0   1   0     0   2   .293
Pepitone cf           3   0   1   0     0   0   .262      Melendez rf           4   1   1   0     0   1   .389
Callison rf           3   0   0   0     0   0   .265      Simmons c             3   1   1   0     1   1   .241
Hundley c             3   0   0   0     0   3   .246      Maxvill ss            4   0   0   0     0   2   .201
Jenkins p             3   0   0   0     0   3   .114      Gibson p              3   0   0   0     0   1   .311

Totals               28   1   2   1     3   7             Totals               33   2   7   1     2  12

Time of Game: 2:11
Left on Base: Cubs 4, Cardinals 9
DP: Cubs 0, Cardinals 0
Errors: Kessinger, Santo 2, Jenkins
Doubles: Javier (16), Cardenal (32)
Triples: Beckert (6)
Stolen Bases: Beckert (4), Javier (6), Brock (49), Melendez (2)
Caught Stealing: Brock (15)
Sacrifice Flies: Williams (4)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Jenkins L(20-16)        8     7   2   2   2  12   0  35   3.48
Totals                  8     7   2   2   2  12   0  35

Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Gibson W(23-6)          9     2   1   1   3   7   0  32   3.05
Totals                  9     2   1   1   3   7   0  32

Umpires: HP - Frank Dezelan, 1B - Tony Venzon, 2B - Frank Secory, 3B - Bill Williams


CUBS 1ST: Kessinger grounded out (pitcher to first); Beckert
popped to first in foul territory; Williams grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 1ST: Brock singled to left; Brock was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); Javier doubled to right; Hague
reached on an error by Jenkins [Javier stayed at second, Hague
to first]; Torre forced Hague (third to second) [Javier to
third]; Cardenal forced Torre (third to second); 0 R, 2 H, 1 E,
2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Cardinals 0.

CUBS 2ND: Santo flied out to center; Hickman grounded out
(shortstop to first); Pepitone grounded out (pitcher to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Melendez singled to right; Simmons singled to
right [Melendez scored (error by Santo) (no RBI), Simmons to
third]; Maxvill struck out; Gibson grounded out (shortstop to
first); Brock walked; Javier singled to right [Simmons scored,
Brock to third]; Javier stole second; Hague struck out; 2 R, 3
H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Cardinals 2.

CUBS 3RD: Callison flied out to right; Hundley struck out;
Jenkins was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs
0, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 3RD: Torre struck out; Cardenal doubled to right;
Melendez struck out; Simmons struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Cubs 0, Cardinals 2.

CUBS 4TH: Kessinger grounded out (first unassisted); Beckert
tripled to center; Williams hit a sacrifice fly to left [Beckert
scored]; Santo walked; Hickman popped to first in foul
territory; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 4TH: Maxvill struck out; Gibson flied out to left;
Brock struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.

CUBS 5TH: Pepitone grounded out (second to first); Callison
popped to second; Hundley struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 5TH: Javier struck out; Hague grounded out (pitcher to
first); Torre singled to shortstop; Cardenal struck out; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.

CUBS 6TH: Jenkins struck out; Kessinger walked; Beckert forced
Kessinger (shortstop to second); Beckert stole second; Williams
walked; Santo grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 6TH: Melendez popped to catcher in foul territory;
Simmons lined to second; Maxvill popped to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.

CUBS 7TH: Hickman struck out; Pepitone singled to right;
Callison popped to first in foul territory; Hundley was called
out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 7TH: Gibson struck out; Brock reached on an error by
Kessinger [Brock to first]; Brock stole second; Javier grounded
out (shortstop to first); Hague flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.

CUBS 8TH: Jenkins struck out; Kessinger flied out to left;
Beckert flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1,
Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 8TH: Torre was called out on strikes; Cardenal struck
out (catcher to first); Melendez reached on an error by Santo
[Melendez to first]; Melendez stole second; Simmons was walked
intentionally; Maxvill grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H,
1 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.

CUBS 9TH: Williams flied out to right; Santo flied out to right;
Hickman grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cubs 1, Cardinals 2.