Cocoa Astros 4 Orlando Twins 3 Game Three August 13, 1972
1975 TCMA Iowa Oaks Unnumbered
This must have been a great game. Cocoa came up with four runs in the seventh inning here to ensure that the tripleheader would be remembered in evey possible positive light. The Twins had broken their fourteen-inning scoreless drought (and eight-inning hitless streak) when Mike Poepping singled home Ed Palat in the first. Two more came across in the fifth when Joe Jacobsen doubled in the fifth. Wise singled, and McLaren (no doubt disappointed he didn't get to catch Cuen's no-hitter) walked. Pinch-hitter Jordan made an out and Luis Rodriguez singled, scoring Wise. Clark Ullom then went to a three and oh count on Neil Rasmussen and Orlando manager Early Wynn gave Ullom the hook. Reliever Ed Sabold couldn't throw three straight strikes, and the bases were loaded for John McRae, whose bid for a grand slam to right fell just short, but sent McLaren home. Art Gardner, batting for Francisco Lopez, who'd relieved starter Paul Siebert the previous inning, who hit a liner to center, scoring Rodriguez, and, just as importantly, getting Rasmussen to third. First-game hero Alberto Leaver came up, and some kind of play must've been on. Safety or suicide, Leaver's bunt to second left John Phelps unable to make a play, and the Cocoa squad had swept the first tripleheader in Florida State League history.