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Gary Geiger and Frank
Malzone bring the Sox
back for a walk-off in the 9th inning
July 19, 1959
... Frank Malzone and Gary Geiger proved
themselves heroes in the first game of a doubleheader for the Red
Sox, but the Cleveland Indians rallied back to take the second game
and grab a 5-3 victory.
After Geiger came through with a three-run pinch-hit homer, Malzone
socked a double to drive in three more runs with two outs in the
ninth inning, cementing a 6 to 5 win for Leo Kiely.
It was a crazy afternoon, that saw Ted Williams re-injure his back
and had Jimmy Piersall chase a heckling fan in the grandstand. He
might have gotten him, had he not slipped on the railing, as the
startled fan retreated into the safety of the crowd.
The first game was a thriller, as the Sox were on the short end of a
5-3 score, starting the ninth inning. Pete Runnels opened with a
single against Jim Perry, the eventual loser. Marty Keough flied out,
before Vic Wertz hit a doubleplay ball to Vic Power, that would have
ended the game. Instead, Power's throw to second hit Runnels in the
head, and Pete was able to stagger over to third base.
Gene Stephens then hit another potential doubleplay grounder to
Power, who elected to try and cut down Runnels at the plate. But it
didn't work as Pete was able to scramble back to third base safely.
With the bases now loaded, Bobby Avila came in as a pinch-hitter and
was called out on strikes. So it was two down when Perry fired his
first pitch to Frank Malzone. Malzone blasted it high off the left
field wall and all three base runs scored, with Stephens flying in
all the way from first base with the game winner.
Geiger's pinch-hit homer into the bullpen, in the sixth inning,
brought the Sox back from a 4-0 deficit. Cleveland had scored three
runs off Bill Monbouquette, who started the game, on an error by Don
Buddin, a single by Gary Bell, followed by a sacrifice and singles by
Power and Tito Francona. A homer by Jim Baxes, off Mike Fornieles in
the seventh, inning, put them up 5 to 3.
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GENE STEPHENS SLIDES IN
WITH THE GAME WINNING RUN |
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