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BOSTON RED SOX ...
THE
CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 3
A
SUBWAY SERIES DISAPPEARS ...
The Sox can't hold back the Yankees
July 1, 1948 ... The
Red Sox dropped the deciding game of the three-game series to the
Yankees by a 10 to 7 score, falling 5 1/2 games behind them at Yankee
Stadium. Mickey Harris, who had not pitched for eight days, was given
the starting assignment. He was knocked out in the first inning as
Yankees drove across seven runs. Home runs by Vern Stephens, Bobby
Doerr and Johnny Pesky proved to be no help, as the Yankees added runs against
Denny Galehouse and later Earl Johnson. Yankee rookie, Frank Hiller, making his
second start, staggered through 8 2/3 innings against the assault of the Red
Sox, but was saved by Joe Page who got Pesky out to win the game. Ted Williams
was held in check going without a base hit after hitting in 16 straight games.
Mickey Harris did manage to get Phil Rizzuto out in the first inning before
the trouble started. The Yankees had three runs in with two outs and Bill
Johnson on second when Gus Niarhos hit one down the third-base line. Pesky,
apparently thinking there were two men on, outraced Johnson to third and stepped
on the bag, then made a late throw to first. Both runners were safe on what was
ruled the fielder's choice. Harris then walked Snuffy Stirnweiss to load the
bases and Hiller helped himself with a double. Denny Galehouse came in for
Harris and a Phil Rizzuto single brought in the seventh Yankee run and an
insurmountable lead.
Bobby Doerr's ninth home run into the curved left-field seats in the second,
was the first hit off Hiller. Pesky knocked out his second homer the year into
the right-field stands with Galehouse aboard in the sixth. Vern Stephens notched
his 15th home run well into the left-field seats with both Pesky and Williams
aboard.
Joe DiMaggio clouted a Galehouse fastball off the 415 foot wire fence in
front of the deep left-centerfield stands. Had the ball gone over the wire
protection he would've been the third major leaguer to do it. Hank Greenberg and
Jimmie Foxx were the only ones to clear that fence in the past. |
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