June 5, 1963 - The Chicago Cubs swept a double-header from the San Francisco Giants today, 9-5 and 5-4, to pull within a game of the National League lead. Five home runs — two of them by Ernie Banks — and strong relief pitching by Don Elston to preserve Dick Ellsworth’s eighth victory were highlights of the opener. Ellsworth (pictured), boosting his record to 8-3, made it 6 victories in his last 7 decisions with the aid of a blistering attack against Giant hurlers Jack Fisher and Gaylord Perry. The winning run in the finale came in the seventh when Lou Brock (pictured) stretched a grounder to center into a two-base hit, advanced on Ken Hubbs’s single, and scored on Billy Williams’s pop fly to short right. Banks drove in three runs with his ninth and tenth homers. Brock and Billy Williams also homered. The Cubs, ninth in the league last year and losers of 103 games, are playing their finest baseball since 1945, the last season they won a pennant. They’ve won 10 of their last 12 games. The Giants, on the other hand, have lost six out of nine games on their current road trip. After today’s doubleheader, Giant manager Alvin Dark said he is making inquiries about an opening in the center field scoreboard in Wrigley Field. There have been charges in the past that signals were being stolen by spies in the scoreboard. Dark, who used to play for the Cubs, ought to know something about that. Tomorrow’s pitching matchup pits Chicago’s Larry Jackson against Giant ace Juan Marichal.
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