NIGHT BASEBALL & JACKIE ROBINSON ...
Ted Williams' two home runs tie it
up in the 9th and win it in the 11th

May 6, 1947 ... Ted Williams hit a pair of home runs and led the Red Sox to a thrilling 6 to 5, 11 inning victory over the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park. He blasted a game-tying homer in the ninth-inning, then won the game with his three-run shot in the 11th.

It came down to the first of the ninth. Browns pitcher Jack Kramer had a 3 to 2 lead. There was no one out. Williams was coming to bat and Kramer decided to pitch to him. Ted drove one 400 feet into right center that caromed off a steel girder and although it bounded back onto the playing field, it was a home run that tied the game at three each.

Then came the 11th inning. The Browns missed a chance to win it in the 10th, when Earl Johnson tossed a great 3-2 pitch past Johnny Berardino for a called third strike with the bases loaded, and two out.

Fred Sanford was the St. Louis pitcher in the 11th inning because Kramer was watching from the bench, retiring in favor of a pinch-hitter. Eddie Pellagrini greeted Sanford with a double to right-center. Sanford walked Johnny Pesky bringing Williams back up again. He tried to fire one past Ted, but the Kid unloaded on it. He cleared the 10 foot high screen at the back of the right-field pavilion, crossed Grand Street and landed on the sidewalk, for Ted's second straight home run, a three shot smash, giving the Red Sox all the runs they needed.

Johnson just made it in the Browns 11th. He walked Bob Dillinger, then retired Paul Lehner and Vern Stephens on outfield flies. However, he wasn't so successful with Geoff Heath. Heath smashed a fastball that also cleared the pavilion in right-field and brought the Brownies within a run of the Red Sox lead, 6 to 5. But Johnson bore down and fanned Jerry White to end the game.

The Browns had broke the ice in the first inning. Red Sox starter, Mel Parnell retired the first two men. He then walked Vern Stephens and Heath. Jerry Witte lined a triple into right center that gave the Browns a 2 to 0 lead. The Sox duplicated the pair in the second inning, on one hit. Dom DiMaggio walked and came all the way home on Bobby Doerr's double to right field. Bobby took third on a fly ball and scored when Parnell hit a slow roller down to second base.

In the seventh the Browns broke the 2 to 2 deadlock. With the bases loaded, Harry Dorish relieved Parnell. Stephens hit a deep fly to Williams that sent the Browns ahead 3 to 2. After that Ted took charge of the rest of he game himself.

Today's pair of home runs raised Williams' total to five. He had gone without a homer through 11 straight games. All of Ted's home runs thus far this yea, have been on the road. The win was the Red Sox third straight one here and they now possess a 4-3 road record.