Game 1

Bob Thoenen vs. Rafael Riddle

At Chicago, October 4^th, 1956

Milwaukee	2	Boxscore
Chicago	1

Win	Rafael Riddle
Loss	Bob Thoenen
Save	Tony Cloninger

Riddle got the best of Thoenen in a game where both were outstanding. Chicago managed just three hits in the game, the only one to do damage off the bat of Tony Jimenez in the first, scoring Bill Davis to put Chicago up 1-0. In the third, Bobby Geary doubled home a pair for Milwaukee, putting them on top 2-1. From there, the game was in the hands of Riddle, who faced only a mild 5^th inning jam before finally turning it over to Cloninger in the 9^th, who set the side down in order.

Game 2

Ken Rice vs. Bob Buhl

At Chicago, October 5^th, 1956

Milwaukee leads 1 game to 0

Milwaukee	1	Boxscore
Chicago	3

Win	Ken Rice
Loss	Bob Buhl
Save	Cy Falkenberg

Bob Buhl—the Dale Murphy League’s undisputed ace—had lost just four times during all of the regular season, so it didn’t seem likely that he’d be out-dueled by Ken Rice, a consistent—but not superstar—starting pitcher. And yet that was exactly what happened in Game 2.

The Brewskies put two on with none out in the first, but after Billy Sloan grounded into a double play, Pete Fizer’s RBI single was all Milwaukee could manage. After that, the Brewskies didn’t put a serious threat together until the ninth.

Buhl was solid, but gave up a game-tying solo shot to Icebox Perry in the third, and then a two-run blast to Enrique Fenner in the sixth, putting Chicago ahead.

In the ninth, against Chicago reliever Bill Husta, Pete Fizer walked with one out, and then Brian Buchanan doubled. That brought Bobby Geary to the plate as the potential winning run with one out. But Chicago went to Cy Falkenberg, who struck out Geary and got Al Lopez on a comebacker to end the game and tie the series at one.

Game 3

Warren Rand vs. Ken Jorgens

At Milwaukee, October 7^th, 1956

Series tied at 1

Chicago	3	Boxscore
Milwaukee	4

Win	Herb Scott
Loss	Ken Jorgens
Save	Tony Cloninger

After Rand drilled Cubs catcher Moe Loaiza in the first, Tony Jimenez picked up his teammate, going deep to put Chicago ahead. The Cubs then loaded the bases for Junior Ortiz, who brought home a third run with a sacrifice fly.

Jorgens was solid until the sixth, when Milwaukee put together a four run rally to take the lead. Buchannan, Lopez, Pelty, and Herb Scott (a reliever) contributed RBI hits. Chicago opened the seventh looking to rally, putting runners at first and second with nobody out. But after failing to score, they didn’t get another baserunner until the ninth—and even that one was erased on a game-ending double play.

Game 4

Harry Curry vs. Gene Rohn

At Milwaukee, October 8^th, 1956

Milwaukee leads 2 games to 1

Chicago	2	Boxscore
Milwaukee	3

Win	Harry Curry
Loss	Gene Rohn
Save	Tony Cloninger

After Jake Autry singled home Moe Loaiza in the first, Junior Ortiz led off the second with a home run, putting Chicago up 2-0. But in the fourth, Milwaukee rallied. A walk, an error, and a single loaded the bases for Fizer, who brought home a run with a sac fly. After Buchannan made the second out, Geary and Lopez singled home a run each to put Milwaukee up 3-2.

The Cubs had battered Curry for seven hits in the first four innings, but as in Game 3, the bats fell silent after they fell behind. They got just three hits the rest of the way, two in the seventh, when they stranded a pair of runners. In all, Curry allowed 10 hits over eight innings in the win, while Cloninger picked up his third save of the series.

Game 5

Rafael Riddle vs. Bob Thoenen

At Milwaukee, October 9^th, 1956

Milwaukee leads 3 games to 1

Chicago	5	Boxscore
Milwaukee	2

Win	Bob Thoenen
Loss	Rafael Riddle
Save	Bill Husta

With their backs to the wall, Chicago got the first lead, on an RBI double by Moe Loaiza in the first. In the second Keith Pelty evened it with an RBI single. In the fifth, the Cubs loaded the bases with two out for Steve Jensen, who was then hit by a pitch, forcing in Chicago’s second run. In the sixth, Milwaukee answered with a two-out RBI single from Brain Buchannan, tying the score at two.

Finally, the Cubs got some breathing room in the eighth. After two walks and an error loaded the bases, Bill Davis got a one-out RBI single. After Loaiza flew out to center, Tony Jimenez drove a clutch two-out, two run double to make it 5-2 Chicago. The Cubs bullpen survived a jam in the eighth before turning the ball over to Husta, who got the save and kept the Cubs alive another day.

Game 6

Ken Rice vs. Bob Buhl

At Chicago, October 11^th, 1956

Milwaukee leads 3 games to 2

Milwaukee	2	Boxscore
Chicago	1

Win	Bob Buhl
Loss	Ken Rice
Save	Tony Cloninger

Ken Rice put Cubs fans on the edge on the edge of their seats early, allowing a double to Glen Meacham to open the game. Johnny Logan followed it with an RBI triple, scoring Meacham, but somehow managed to strand him there against the heart of Milwaukee’s order. In the bottom of the first, Bill Davis reached on a fielding error and reached third on a one-out Jimenez single. But Jimenez was gunned down trying to steal second, and then Jake Autry grounded out to end the threat.

In the third, Meacham tripled and scored on a Sloan single, making it 2-0. Chicago didn’t score until the third, when a walk, a passed ball, and a clutch two-out single by Moe Loaiza brought home Icebox Perry to make it 2-1 Milwaukee. After that, however, Buhl became nearly unhittable. He allowed just two hits over the next five innings, neither of consequence. Cloninger worked the ninth and set the Cubs down in order, earning a save in all four of Milwaukee’s NLCS wins. The Brewskies moved on to face Baltimore in the World Series.