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Jackie Jensen's 13th inning
home run
gives the Sox a win over Kansas City
May 14, 1955
... Jackie Jensen wrecked a magnificent rescue
performance by Kansas City pitcher, Johnny Sain, when he walloped a
tremendous two-run, 13th inning homer for a 3 to 1 Sox victory. The
walk-off blast was Jensen's second homer of the game.
Sain had shut down the Sox in the ninth inning, making his first
appearance for the A's. He bailed out Art Ditmar from a nobody out,
bases-loaded jam with a clutch performance, setting down ten batters
in succession before Harry Agganis got to him. Harry tapped a slow
bouncer into left field for a base hit to open the 13th inning.
Jensen followed with a drive over the net that landed on Lansdowne
St. for the game winner.
It was a great game in chilly weather. The Sox scored their first run
on another homer by Jensen in the fourth inning off Ditmar, to grab
the lead. The A's bounced back in the fifth to tie up the game on
consecutive singles by Joe DeMaestri, Billy Shantz and Ditmar.
Leo Kiely pitched one of his best games recently, but had to be saved
in the ninth inning by Tommy Hurd.
In the 10th inning it looked like the Sox were going to walk away
with a win. Jimmy Piersall opened the inning with a liner off the
wall that put him on second base. Then a wild pitch moved him over to
third. Intentional walks to Grady Hatton and Billy Goodman loaded the
bases. It was at that point that Sain was brought into the game. Sain
forced Gene Stephens to pop up, struck out Agganis, and got Jensen to
ground to short. As he came off the mound he got a standing ovation
from his old Braves fans. In the 11th and 12th innings, Sain set down
the Sox in order.
Sain had a chance to win the game in the 11th inning. Sox pitcher,
Russ Kemmerer, walked Jim Finigan with one out. Hector Lopez reached
on a scratch single off the third base bag and a wild pitch put the
runners on second and third. That brought up DeMaestri, who was
three-for-three in the game. Instead of putting him on first, manager
Mike Higgins ordered Kemmerer to pitch to him. He popped out to Billy
Klaus for the second out. Joe Astroth then lofted a fly to Jensen in
right to end the threat.
Kemmerer ran into trouble again in the 13th. With one out, Bill
Wilson doubled off the wall. This time Higgins ordered Finigan to be
given a free pass. Lopez flied out to deep left and Wilson scampered
over to third. There he was stranded when DeMaestri flied out to
Jensen. |
