TEX HUGHSON

THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 2 ...
A POWERFUL RED SOX TEAM FAILS
IN THE WORLD SERIES ....
Tex Hughson gets his 17th win in Washington

September 4, 1946 ... Dom DiMaggio's sharp single to center in the seventh inning, provided the power as Tex Hughson hurled his 18th win of the year for a 4 to 2 Red Sox triumph over Washington at Griffith Stadium. As the Red Sox extended their latest winning streak through seven games, as the 1946 planning came closer to a mathematical conclusion. Only five Red Sox wins or five Yankee losses from here will accomplish the Fenway flag raising.

Making the first of his essential starts toward achieving the 20-game winners' circle, Hughson won his fourth in a row. He had but one bad inning, when the Senators collected half of their eight hits for their only runs of the game. This is his longest winning streak of the season.

Hughson aided his own cause by launching the lucky seventh inning drive, which brought the Red Sox their sixth straight night game. It was a line drive single to right with one gone, that started the rally. The win tonight brought the Red Sox their initial 1946 objective. It was to win their season's series from every club in the American League. Washington, with whom the Sox have played the fewest games than anybody in the league, were the last to fall.

Only Johnny Pesky made any headway in the four-way battle for the American League batting crown. He collected two singles in five at bats, while Mickey Vernon went one for four. As Pesky remained at a strong .336 mark, Vernon's average shrunk to .311

Following three scoreless innings of the battle between Hughson and Sid Hudson, the Sox broke the tie in the fourth. With two gone, Ted Williams walked. Rudy York and Bobby Doerr lashed out successive singles, scoring the Kid and putting Hughson one run out in front.

Washington scored two runs in the fifth to take the lead momentarily. Pesky beat out an infield hit start the sixth inning. He went to second on a wild pitch as Williams was walked again. Cecil Travis then fumbled Rudy York's ground ball to load the bases. Doerr hit a slow roller to short which forced York at second, as Johnny came across to tie the game.

In the seventh, Hughson singled to right with one out, and Johnny kept the rally going with a left field single. A passed ball enabled Tex to get the third base and Pesky to second. Dom DiMaggio promptly rifled a single to center to send in the winning runs.

For a while in the ninth-inning, it looked like Tex was going to have his troubles finishing the game. Jake Early doubled off the right-field fence to start the inning. As pinch-hitter George Binks rolled out sharply to York, the pinch runner Mike Guerra made it to third. Hughson walked Sherry Robertson who represented the tying run.

At this stage, manager Joe Cronin came out of the dugout to discuss the situation. He allowed Hughson to remain in and he got the side out without any scoring. Wally Moses helped him along with a fine running catch of Buddy Lewis' loft into short right field.