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April 19, 1951 - Cubs blank Reds 3-0 in Home Opener

It was the Cubbies second victory in their first three games of the year. Wayne Terwilliger and Andy Pafko supplied the needed offensive to back the strong pitching of Paul Minner, who handcuffed the Reds on a complete game, 7-hit, 3-to-0 shutout.

Minner was in trouble in the first inning when he had the bases filled with Redlegs, but there were two outs at the time and the big 6-foot, 5-inch, 195-pounder blew one of his fastballs past John Pramesa to end the inning.

'Twig' lined two singles, scored the Cubs first run in the first inning and his second hit of the game sparked the team's two-run eight-inning. Pafko also went 2-for-4 with a pair of key-RBIs.

The Cubs managed only six hits off Cincy starter Willard Ramsdell, who's dangling knuckleball kept the Cub hitters off-stride. The Cubs got just one hit from the 2nd-thru-7th innings off Ramsdell until Terwilliger singled to open the last of the eight with the Chicagoans up 1-0. Frank Baumholtz sacrificed Terwilliger to second, Hank Sauer walked and 'Handy Andy' Pafko rifled a single to center scoring Twerwilliger and Hal Jeffcoat, who was sent in as a pinch-runner for Sauer by manager Frankie Frisch. The Cubs won 3-0.

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April 22, 1951 - Cubs Win 10-5

Andy Pafko's heroics drove across 5 runs on a pair of long home runs and Cubs' leadoff hitter Wayne Terwilliger set-the-table for offensive fireworks in today's 10-5 victory over the St Louis Cardinals.

The Cubs were down 2-to-0 when 'Twig' opened the top of the fourth with a walk from second-year pitcher Cloyd Boyer. Terwilliger, who could ran from first-to-third on a single as well as anybody in this era, was off and running when teammate Phil Cavarretta slapped a single to right-center. With Terwilliger on third base, Boyer, who seemed bothered by his big lead off the bag, uncorked a wild pitch - Terwilliger raced home for the Cubs first run. Pafko lofted his first homer of the game, scoring Cavarretta and tied the score at 2-all.

The Reds took the lead again and were up 4-3 after five innings when 'Handy Andy' blasted his second homer of the game with two teammates onboard, propelling the Cubs to a 6-3 lead. The Cubs hung on to win 10-5.

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April 27, 1951 - Cubs Beaten 3-0

Wayne Terwilliger's 2-for-4 game, including a double to left-center, is wasted as Cardinals' starter Gerry Staley baffled the Cubs' hitters with a complete game, 6-hit shutout. Pafko singled in a 1-for-3 day in Wrigley.

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April 28, 1951 - Cubs Whip Cards 8-2, Pafko Homers

The Cubs jumped off to an early 3-0 lead in Wrigley when Frankie Baumholtz walked and the next two pitches were rocketed onto Waveland Avenue by outfielders Hank Sauer and Andy Pafko. It was Sauer's first homer of the year, and Pafko's fourth. Pafko later singled and collected his 11th RBI - in just the team's 9th game of the 1951 season.

Terwilliger, a quality second baseman, halted two Cardinal rallies with two defensive gems. With a runner on first, he dove towards second, and while on his knees fired a throw to Cubs' shortstop Roy Smalley, who relayed a perfect throw to first baseman Phil Cavarretta for an inning-ending double play.

When the Cards scored 2 runs in the sixth, making it Cubs 5 Cards 2, with two Redbirds on base, Terwilliger stopped more runs from scoring by leaping high and catching a line drive off the bat of Steve Bilko for the third out.

The Chicago Cubs moved up their record to 5 wins 4 losses for the young 1951 season.