The
NEVADA DUSTERS
The Story of a Major League Baseball Franchise
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1962 World Series
GAME FOUR
October 22, 1962
Horizon Field (Las Vegas, NV)
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Nevada pitcher Tony Cloninger, explained Ben Naylor, had issued more walks and given up more homeruns than anyone else on the starting rotation. He also had the highest ERA (3.57). But, added Nails, Cloninger also had the lowest BAA (.214). He gave up an occasional long ball but he didn't lose his composure, had a knack for pitching out of trouble, and didn't usually give up runs in bunches. "I wouldn't be surprised if they hit one or two out of the park today," said the Nevada skipper. Especially since the Yankees led both leagues with 210 homers for the season. "But solo homers don't worry me," concluded Naylor. His words proved prophetic. Cloninger and mound opponent Ralph Terry, who had blanked the Dusters in Game One, pitched scoreless ball until the 4th -- when the Duster offense exploded. Vic Power started it off with a triple, and Billy Williams singled him in. Then Hector Lopez drew a walk and Tom Tresh cranked a three-run shot to left center. Next up was Johnny Blanchard, whose solo blast made it 5-0. Elston Howard's solo homer to lead off the New York 5th was only the second hit allowed thusfar by Cloninger. In the bottom of the 5th, Lee Maye tripled down the right field line and was thrown out trying to stretch it into an inside-the-park home run. After the game, Naylor defended the effort. "We were up four runs. You have to keep pressing. Make them throw you out." As for Cloninger, he kept plugging along, striking out Roger Maris (0-for-4 on the day) and Mickey Mantle (also 0-for-4) in the 6th. In the bottom of the 9th Eddie Mathews hit a solo roundtripper to make it 5-2 with one out, but the Duster bullpen remained quiet; Nails had already decided Cloninger would finish the game. And he did, getting Mantle and Yogi Berra to ground out. The crowd of 35,700 on hand at Horizon Field were delirious. The underdog Dusters were up three games-to-one in the Series. Could they finish it tomorrow at home? Conn Hudson preached against overconfidence. "Sure, we have to win just one of the last three games. But winning that game will not be easy against a club of the quality of the Yankees."
 In Game Four, Tony Cloninger proved he was
another of the young phenoms in Nevada's
starting rotation.
New York Yankees at Nevada Dusters
October 22, 1962
TOP OF THE FIRST
Tony Cloninger takes the mound for the Dusters.
Bobby Richardson reached first on a fielding error by the third baseman. <--1>
Roger Maris grounded to short, forcing the runner at second. <--1>
Eddie Mathews grounded to short. <-2->
Mickey Mantle reached first on a fielding error by the shortstop. <3-1>
Bill Skowron struck out. <3-1>
0 runs, 0 hits, 2 errors, and 2 left on base.
In the middle of the first, the game is tied at 0.
BOTTOM OF THE FIRST
Ralph Terry takes the mound for the Yankees.
Vic Power grounded to short. <--->
Lee Maye struck out. <--->
Billy Williams grounded to short. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the first, the game is tied at 0.
TOP OF THE SECOND
Yogi Berra grounded to first. <--->
Elston Howard singled through the hole. <--1>
Tony Kubek grounded to the second baseman. <-2->
Ralph Terry flied out to center. <-2->
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 1 left on base.
In the middle of the second, the game is tied at 0.
BOTTOM OF THE SECOND
Hector Lopez walked. <--1>
Tom Tresh lined out to first. <--1>
Johnny Blanchard popped up to the shortstop. <--1>
Hector Lopez was caught stealing second. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the second, the game is tied at 0.
TOP OF THE THIRD
Bobby Richardson grounded to second. <--->
Roger Maris flied out to center. <--->
Eddie Mathews grounded to third. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the third, the game is tied at 0.
BOTTOM OF THE THIRD
Clete Boyer grounded to the second baseman. <--->
Ken Hubbs flied out to right. <--->
Tony Cloninger grounded to short. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the third, the game is tied at 0.
TOP OF THE FOURTH
Mickey Mantle grounded to short. <--->
Bill Skowron grounded to third. <--->
Yogi Berra grounded to short. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the fourth, the game is tied at 0.
BOTTOM OF THE FOURTH
Vic Power tripled over the center fielder. <3-->
Lee Maye popped up to short. <3-->
Billy Williams singled to center, scoring a run. <--1>
Hector Lopez walked. <-21>
Tom Tresh homered to left-center for three RBIs. <--->
Johnny Blanchard homered to deep left-center. <--->
Clete Boyer grounded to first base. <--->
Ken Hubbs grounded to the shortstop. <--->
5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the fourth, Nevada leads 5 to 0.
TOP OF THE FIFTH
Elston Howard homered into the center field bleachers. <--->
Tony Kubek flied out to center. <--->
Steve Bilko pinch hit for Ralph Terry. <--->
Steve Bilko lined out to right. <--->
Bobby Richardson popped up to the shortstop. <--->
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the fifth, New York trails 5 to 1.
BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH
Bud Daley came in to pitch for the Yankees. <--->
Tony Cloninger struck out. <--->
Vic Power popped up foul down the third base line. <--->
Lee Maye tripled down the right field line. <3-->
Lee Maye went for an extra base and was thrown out at home. <--->
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the fifth, Nevada leads 5 to 1.
TOP OF THE SIXTH
Roger Maris struck out. <--->
Eddie Mathews walked. <--1>
Eddie Mathews was caught stealing second. <--->
Mickey Mantle struck out. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the sixth, New York trails 5 to 1.
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH
Billy Williams struck out. <--->
Hector Lopez grounded to short. <--->
Tom Tresh walked. <--1>
Johnny Blanchard walked. <-21>
Clete Boyer walked. <321>
Ken Hubbs flied out to right field. <321>
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 3 left on base.
At the end of the sixth, Nevada leads 5 to 1.
TOP OF THE SEVENTH
Bill Skowron grounded to second. <--->
Yogi Berra grounded to third. <--->
Elston Howard popped up to short. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the seventh, New York trails 5 to 1.
BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH
Tony Cloninger struck out. <--->
Vic Power flied out to center. <--->
Lee Maye popped up foul down the first base line. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the seventh, Nevada leads 5 to 1.
TOP OF THE EIGHTH
Tony Kubek grounded to the third baseman. <--->
Roy McMillan pinch hit for Bud Daley. <--->
Roy McMillan grounded to second. <--->
Bobby Richardson grounded to first base. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the eighth, New York trails 5 to 1.
BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH
Luis Arroyo came in to pitch for the Yankees. <--->
Billy Williams grounded to second. <--->
Hector Lopez grounded to second. <--->
Tom Tresh lined out to first. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the eighth, Nevada leads 5 to 1.
TOP OF THE NINTH
Roger Maris grounded to second. <--->
Eddie Mathews homered over the center field fence. <--->
Mickey Mantle grounded to the second baseman. <--->
Bill Skowron singled to left. <--1>
Yogi Berra grounded to short. <--1>
DUSTERS WIN: 5-2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + R H E
Yankees (NYY) 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 4 0
Dusters (NEV) 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 x 5 5 0
NEW YORK ab h bb r hr bi k sb avg
B. Richardson (2B) 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269
R. Maris (RF) 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .303
E. Mathews (3B) 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 .277
M. Mantle (CF) 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .316
B. Skowron (1B) 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .301
Y. Berra (LF) 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .288
E. Howard (C) 3 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 .297
T. Kubek (SS) 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267
R. Terry (P) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .172
S. Bilko (PH) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .246
B. Daley (P) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
R. McMillan (PH) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263
L. Arroyo (P) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
TOTALS 32 4 1 2 2 2 3 0
HR: E. Howard, E. Mathews
NEW YORK ip h bb hr r er k pit ERA
R. Terry 4.0 4 2 2 5 5 1 58 2.97
B. Daley 3.0 1 3 0 0 0 3 45 6.47
L. Arroyo 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 3.39
TOTALS 8.0 5 5 2 5 5 4 111
NEVADA ab h bb r hr bi k sb avg
V. Power (1B) 4 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .298
L. Maye (CF) 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .300
B. Williams (RF) 4 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 .314
H. Lopez (LF) 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 .320
T. Tresh (SS) 3 1 1 1 1 3 0 0 .219
J. Blanchard (C) 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 .234
C. Boyer (3B) 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .274
K. Hubbs (2B) 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .232
T. Cloninger (P) 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 .121
TOTALS 27 5 5 5 2 5 4 0
3B: V. Power, L. Maye
HR: J. Blanchard, T. Tresh
NEVADA ip h bb hr r er k pit ERA
T. Cloninger 9.0 4 1 2 2 2 3 121 3.57
TOTALS 9.0 4 1 2 2 2 3 121
WP: T. Cloninger
LP: R. Terry
Temperature: 46F
Wind: Calm
Attendance: 35,700
Time: 2:39
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