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The defending champs keep rolling along. By beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-6 on the last day of the season on the strength of five home runs, the Dodgers captured their second consecutive National League pennant as players and fans alike celebrate. They edged out the Milwaukee Braves by one game and ensured a rematch with the New York Yankees in the World Series and a chance to defend their 1955 title.
Brooklyn jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on a Duke Snider first inning home run that scored Jim Gilliam and Pee Wee Reese. Later Snider would hit another home run, Sandy Amoros would blast two himself, and Jackie Robinson would add another, all solo shots. The Dodgers power display came against four different Pirates pitchers.
On the mound the Dodger ace Don Newcombe would improve his record to 27-7, even so he didn’t have one of his better days giving up six earned runs in seven innings on 11 hits. Reliever Don Bessent would come in the eighth inning to hold down the fort and get the save, his ninth on the season.
On the Pittsburgh side Roberto Clemente had two hits and two RBIs and Bill Virdon knocked in three runs himself, all coming on a bases-clearing double in the seventh inning that cut into Brooklyn’s five-run lead and making it a 7-5 ball game.
The Dodgers glory run in Brooklyn would unfortunately end in the World Series as the Yankees would get their revenge for 1955, winning the series in seven games.
