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Jimmy Foxx's ninth inning
walk-off homer
wins the game for Lefty Grove
June 6, 1940
... Jimmie Foxx came to bat with two men on
and two outs in the ninth-inning and produced his 14th home run of
the season, giving the Red Sox a 3 to 1 final against the St. Louis
Browns. Lefty Grove, for the first time this season, pitched a full
nine innings and held the Browns to six hits, which he kept scattered throughout
five innings. Their solitary run came in the seventh inning when with the count
two and two and two men out, Grove tried to shoot a fast one by Chet Laabs, who
connected for a home run over the left-field wall. Harland Clift followed with a
triple but Lefty struck out Johnny Bernardino to end the inning.
It looked like the one run would be enough to win the game as St. Louis
pitcher Emil Bildilli was a puzzle to Red Sox batters, especially with men on
base. He held the Sox to eight hits in eight innings.
Then in the ninth, Jim Bagby was sent in to pinch-hit for Lefty Grove and was
thrown out at first. Dom DiMaggio doubled off the left-field wall and went to
third after Doc Cramer's fly ball had been caught in deep right field. Ted
Williams was walked and up came Jimmie Foxx. He took two pitches and then sent
the next one sailing high over the left-field wall, bringing home DiMaggio and
Williams for a 3 to 1 win.
Joe Cronin had to use a makeshift lineup. Lou Finney was out sick, Bobby
Doerr was laid up with a pulled tendon and Jim Tabor or was out with a split
finger. |
