JOHNNY LAZOR

THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 2 ...
A POWERFUL RED SOX TEAM FAILS
IN THE WORLD SERIES ...
Ted Williams belts a 12th inning HR to win the game

May 22, 1946 ... A big home run by Ted Williams and great emergency pitching by Tex Hughson climaxed another uphill struggle for the rampaging Boston Hot Sox. They opened their two-game Cleveland series with a 7 to 4 while inning victory at League Park. Ted's two run blast that sailed over the right center field fence in the 12th, gave Hughson's first save of the season, and credited a sixth win for undefeated Dave Ferriss.

Earlier in the game Johnny Lazor, starting his first game of the year, singled home Boston's first two runs and his first homer of the year in the ninth, sent the game into extra innings. Neither starter Mickey Harris nor his rival Mel Harder survived the marathon. Harris was removed for a pinch-hitter in the seventh and Harder was taken out in the 11th when he stopped Rip Russell's liner with his pitching hand.

The Sox spotted the Indians three runs to give them a 3-0 lead going into the seventh inning. Harder, now in his 19th big-league season, looked like a sure thing after six scoreless innings during which the Sox made only two harmless singles. Bobby Doerr, who broke out of his slump with four hits, started the Boston comeback in the seventh. He lined a single to center and reached third when Rudy York doubled down the right-field line. Lazor lined a single to center that brought the two Boston runners across to make it 3 to 2.

In the ninth inning, Harder still with the one run lead, pitched two balls to Lazor and then grooved one which Johnny pulled high over the right field fence near the foul line for his first homer of the year. That one sent the game into extra innings.

Clem Dreisewerd pitched three scoreless innings during regulation. He pitched another in the 10th and the Sox got him a run in the 11th. Bobby Doerr started the rally with a triple to right-center. Harder refused to gamble on Lazor and intentionally passed him. Russell then lined a drive off Harder's bare hand for his single, that brought Doerr home but knocked Harder out of the game.

In the Indians half of the 11th inning they tied the game again. Then came the 12th and Johnny Pesky launched the winning rally with a single off relief pitcher Pete Center. Center threw two balls high and tight to the next batter, Ted Williams. Williams was raving mad as he stepped closer to the plate and took a tighter grip on the bat. Center's next pitch was propelled a good 400 feet off the roof of a house in back of the high fence in right-center to give the Sox a two run lead. But the inning was by no means over. Bobby Doerr continued with a double for his fourth hit and Lazor's single scored Doerr with another run.

In the bottom of the 12th the Indians refused to die. Lou Boudreau opened the inning with a single. After the next batter walked, manager Cronin brought in Tex Hughson. Hughson got three immediate outs on two weakly hit ground balls and a strikeout to end the game.

This was the Red Sox third straight extra inning win this year. They dropped one extra inning game to Washington earlier in the season. Dreisewerd pitched his 14th straight scoreless relief inning. Ted Williams' home run was his eighth, tying him with Joe DiMaggio for the league lead. Until today, Bobby Doerr and only made three hits during the whole trip. He got four tonight.

Only Hal Wagner, Ernie Andres and Frankie Pytlak have signed up for the train ride back to Boston tomorrow night. The rest of the players will fly and will arrive at Logan Airport between 9:30 and 10 o'clock at night.