Updated 11 October 1998

vs. 

The Cleveland Spiders defeated the Siouxland Explorers, 4 games to 2, in the 1969 Classic. The Spiders Ray Washburn brought glory to the Spiders by tossing a perfect, no-hit, no-run game against the mighty Explorers. Congratulations to the Spiders!

Cleveland Spiders World Series Batting and Pitching Statistics

Siouxland Explorers World Series Batting and Pitching Statistics

Game 1 - McDowell v McLain

Two of the premier pitching performances of the year were turned in by these two starters and they didn't disappoint. Each pitcher took turns sending disgruntled batters back to the dugout until the Spiders broke through in the sixth. Mike Hershberger tripled and scored on Maury Wills' single and the first blood had been drawn. In keeping with the earlier trends, Maury Wills was injured in the next inning and will probably miss games 2, 3 and 4. McLain was inspired. He struck out 15 explorers in 8 2/3 innings. He did however surrender the tying run in the eighth when Lou Johnson lined an rbi single into right field to score pinch runner Marty Pattin. The bullpens took over where the starters left off and continued the dominating pitching. In the eleventh, Danny Cater led off with a single and advanced to second on Hershberger's sacrifice (which turns out to be a lost art in game 2!!!). Odom comes in to run for Cater and Jimenez is intentionally walked to set the stage for Jerry Grote. Jerry Does not disappoint and lifts a single into the outfield allowing Odom to score the winning run and end a very exciting game.

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Game 2 - Koosman v Washburn

Cleveland gets out quickly with an rbi FC by Tony Perez but the inning is quickly halted and Siouxland contains the rally at 1-0. In the third, Pete Rose launches his first championship series home run to tie the game at a run apiece. Tony Perez doesn't much care for that score and hits his own homer with a runner aboard and Cleveland moved back in fron 3-1. Keeping in the Reds tradition, Johnny Bench clubbed his own home run and the big red machine was rolling and Cleveland's lead was 3-2. Washburn started to lose it in the sixth surrendering an rbi double to Bench and an rbi single to Parker with Bench just beating the throw to the plate and Siouxland had their first lead of the series at 4-3. In the bottom half, the Spiders struck back. Danny Cater's double scored Millan to tie it then Cater score the go ahead run on a Hershberger single. The Spider offense continued to shine in the seventh when they loaded the bases with two out and Tony Perez came through with a two run single and staked the Cleveland squad to a 7-4 lead. Joe Hoerner came on to pitch a perfect eighth and ninth to seal the victory and a 2-0 series lead. The series resumes tomorrow in Siouxland with Blue Moon Odom facing Bahnsen.

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Game 3 -- The World Series has come to Iowa! Amid all the fanfare, it appears the Cleveland Spiders' bats went to Sioux City and the team went to Sioux Falls, and it took a couple days to get the two united.

Down 2 games to none, the Explorers sent Stan Bahnsen to the hill, and he was outstanding, scattering 8 hits. Only a grooved fastball to Willie Horton in the 9th prevented a shutout, as the X's took the game 2-1. The X's took the lead in the second against Spider starter, Blue Moon Odom, when Johnny Bench walked and Paul Popovich came through with a 2-out double to score J.B. Odom was solid, however, allowing only 4 hits, but in the 8th Rich Reese doubled and Lou Johnson tripled off Arachnid ace reliver, Joe Hoerner, to give the X's the insurance run they needed. Bahnsen gave the X's bullpen a rest, and brought the Siouxlanders back into the series.

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Game 4, both Game 1 starters, the Irishmen -- McLain and McDowell -- returned. McLain was greeted rudely, as Rose led off with a walk, and was tripled home by Clemente. McLain settled down, striking out 6 X's in 6 innings, before giving way to a series of relivers. McLain was rested in hopes of a Game 7 start, if necessary. The Spider relievers were outstanding, but Sam McDowell was even better, shutting out the Spiders on 3 singles and 3 walks and 11 K's over 8 2/3 innings. John Hiller came on to record the final out for the X's to preserve the 1-0 victory, and even the series at 2 games apiece.

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Game 5 -- The Cleveland bats finally arrived at Lewis and Clark Park for Game 5, as Spider Don Drysdale faced off against Game 2 starter, Jerry Koosman.

The X's got on the board first with a Johnny Bench solo shot in the 2nd, but Drysdale allowed only 3 other baserunners over the first 7 innings. In the 5th, the Spiders took the lead on 2 unearned runs after Johnny Bench dropped a foul pop up. The game stayed that way until the 8th, when with 2 outs, Drysdale batted for himself, and blooped a single to right. Wills (back in the lineup after his injury) followed with a single off Koosman's leg. Matty Alou singled in pinch-runner Blue Moon Odom, and Tony Perez singled in Wills, to make it 4-1, Cleveland.

Things looked bleak for Siouxland, until Pete Rose led off the 9th with a single, and Lou Johnson followed with a smash that got past Matty Alou in right field. Rose scored easily, but Lou Johnson ran through the stop sign (actually, everyone in the stadium was shouting for him to stop) and was thrown out at the plate. Clemente followed with a single, bringing up Billy Williams as the tying run with one out. The Spiders brought in ace Joe Hoerner to gain the platoon advantage, but Billy Williams doesn't know anything about platoons, and took Hoerner's first pitch into the rightfield seats to tie the game. Hoerner settled down and got out of the inning to send the game to extra frames. Although the X's got a handful of baserunners, they couldn't score in the 10th or 11th, while the Siouxland relievers didn't even allow a baserunner to the Spiders in the 10th and 11th. The 12th, however, was a different story. Danny Cater led off for Cleveland with a walk off Marty Pattin. Felix Millan followed with a successful sacrifice (no small feat in this series!) Rick Monday was able to advance pinch runner, and former Explorer, Jay Johnstone to third with 2 outs. The X's chose to pitch to Jerry Grote, and Marty Pattin threw a fastball back to the screen, allowing Johnstone to score with what would prove to be the winning run. Grote grounded out, and the X's got a runner on with 2 outs in the 12th on Ron Swoboda's single, but Mel Stottlemyre got the save by inducing Pete Rose to ground out. Diego Segui notched the win for Cleveland.

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Game 6 -- Ray Washburn climbed the mound in Game Six of the championship series for the Cleveland Spiders looking to end the series early and not rely on McLain in game 7. Pat Jarvis looked to keep Siouxland alive and hope for a winner-take-all final game.

Siouxland goes in order. Cleveland starts hitting Jarvis, but cannot get the key hit with runners in scoring position and Jarvis works out of a first inning jam.

In the second and third Siouxland goes in order. Pitching in the third, Jarvis calls for the trainer. Unable to continue he is removed from the game and Dick Selma is called on to keep the Spiders in check.

Fourth inning, Siouxland goes in order. Tony Perez breaks the scoreless tie with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth.

Fifth inning, Siouxland goes in order. Fans stop heading to the restrooms and concession stands hoping to witness history. The Spiders jump on Selma in the bottom half with Washburn and Wills on board. Tony Perez steps up and launches his second home run of the game and third of the series for a 4-0 lead. With Washburn's antics so far, could it be enough.

Sixth inning, Siouxland goes in order. Jim Ray comes on to relieve Selma and gets the Spiders without any trouble.

Seventh inning, Rose, Holman, Clemente, 1-2-3. Crowd starts to buzz. The Cleveland at bats are secondary to the fans at this point.

Eighth inning, Williams, Bench, Swoboda, 1-2-3. 24 up, 24 down. Washburn is a lonely man on the bench in the bottom half as the Spiders go quietly.

The ninth inning brings a parade of pinch hitters. Wes Parker, strike out.

Lou Johnson, fly ball to Alou in right. One batter for baseball immortality (at least TCBA immortality).

Merv Rettenmund looks at strike one. The crowd is nuts. Next pitch, fouled off. One pitch...got him looking.

PERFECT GAME! A perfect game by Ray Washburn gives Cleveland it's first World Series championship. 27 batters faced, 8 strikeouts, no walks, no errors.

Following the game, Ray spoke with the media... "Skipper said we had to play perfect to beat these guys. I guess I took him literally!"

Shifflett spoke after the game. "We want to congratulate Jeff and his Explorers for an outstanding season and equally outstanding series. We consider ourselves very lucky to have won this series. A couple of hits dropping here or there early in the series and you're over there presenting the first championship in Iowa. What can you say about Ray's performance? And Tony, showed us what champions are made of. "

Bob Costas in the locker room, "Craig, I'd like to have you present the MVP trophy. Two players will share the award. It seems that they put an exclamation point on this season today. Your MVP's for the series are Tony Perez and who else, Ray Washburn. Ray is overcome at this moment. Let's get a few words from Tony."

"My heart, my soul, and my love have always been with the city of Cleveland. And no matter what happens next season, my heart, my soul and my love will always be with the city of Cleveland."

"Thanks Tony..."

Over in the other clubhouse, the mood was solemn. John Miller has a few moments with Explorers' Owner, Jeff Sajdak, General Manager, Fred Clarke and Field Manager, Meriwether Lewis. Miller -- "That sure was a tough one to lose, but your team played tough all series."

Sajdak, "Yes, the boys played hard, but the competition was just too tough. You've got to give that guy, Washburn a ton of credit. He was incredible tonight."

Lewis, "Yeah, when Ray came to the plate in the later innings, I wanted to try to brush him back, rattle him a bit, but I just couldn't push the button. [Maybe that's because there is no "brush back button" in the game.] But Ray hung in there. We give them a lot of credit. They're a tremendous ballclub."

Clarke, "We've got a long off-season to put this behind us. It was a heartbreaker, but we'll be back."

Sajdak, "Congratulations once again to the Cleveland Spiders. They're a championship team and a championship organization, from the owner on down."

And so the Cleveland Spiders write their names in the history books in dramatic fashion, winning the series, 4 games to 2 on a perfect game by Ray Washburn. Congratulations to both teams for an exciting series!

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