 |
|
JOHNNY PESKY |
BOSTON RED SOX ...
THE
CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 3
A
SUBWAY SERIES DISAPPEARS ...
Tex Hughson gets beaten in the 11th inning
August 8, 1948
... The cellar dwelling Chicago White Sox may
have been considered easy pickings by the Red Sox before they came
here to Chicago to start the series, but the pale Sox knocked the
American League hopefuls another game away from first place, by
edging Boston, 2 to 1 in 11 innings of the nightcap in today's
doubleheader at Comiskey Park. The Red Sox had won the opener by a
score of 8 to 1. The doubleheader split gave the Red Sox three losses
in the four-game series and dropped them to 2 1/2 games behind the
league-leading Indians, in fourth place. After Mel Parnell and
chalked up his seasons eighth victory, the White Sox Joe Haynes and Glen Moulder
held the Red Sox in check during the second contest, until Luke Appling, who two
times had failed to drive in a run with a man on base, came through in the 11th
inning with a fly to center, that allowed the winning run the score. Moulder was
credited with a victory, his third, while Tex Hughson, who had replaced Ellis
Kinder in the 11th inning, was charged with his first loss.
Parnell coasted to an easy victory in the opener, as the Red Sox bats
exploded for 13 hits off starting pitcher Randy Gumpert and two successors.
Johnny Pesky had three singles to lead the attack, but more decisive blows were
struck by Wally Moses, who was filling in for Ted Williams, with a single and
double that drove in three runs.
The Red Sox gave Parnell lead in the opening inning when Dom DiMaggio beat
out a bunt and went to second on Pesky's fly ball right, third on an infield out
and scoring on a passed ball while Vern Stephens was at bat.
Singles by Pesky and Stan Spence, a fielder's choice and a double by Moses
down the right-field line accounted for two more runs in the third. Matt Batts,
catching the first game, made it 4 to 0 in the next inning when he led off with
his first home run of the year, a smash that landed high up in the left-field
lower deck. Then, four runs in the seventh sewed it up for the Red Sox.
The White Sox drew first blood in the second game, when with two out in the
fourth inning ,Dave Philley singled to right and stole second. He scored on Cass
Michaels' line drive to left-field. A 352 four home run by the red-hot Wally
Moses, that landed in the lower stands close to the right-field foul line, tied
up the score in the sixth inning.
Haynes was only in trouble in only one inning during his nine innings
pitched. That came in the fifth when Boston loaded the bases with two outs on a
fielder's choice, a walk and an infield hit by DiMaggio. But Stephens left them
all stranded when the best he could do was hit a fly ball.
Great defensive support Kinder out of trouble in the early innings and he
pitched himself out of jams in the seventh and eighth.
Haynes left for a pinch-hitter in the ninth and right-hander Moulder replaced
him, permitting Pesky a double in the 10th and then pitching himself out of hot
water in the 11th. The Sox had filled the bases on singles by Bobby Doerr and
Billy Goodman, with a walk to Ted Williams, who batted for Tebbetts. Batts came
up to pinch hit for Kinder and ended the threat by hitting into an inning ending
double play with the bases loaded.
Hughson came in to pitch for Boston in the 11th and with one out was touched
for a single by Frank Baker. Tony Lupien moved them over to third on another hit
before Appling flied out to DiMaggio in short center. Baker bluffed toward home
and DiMaggio took the bait, making a throw that went to the left of the plate
allowing the White Sox thirdbaseman to easily beat it home with the winning run.
Until DiMaggio had beaten out a bunt to open the first game, he was 0 for 11,
with only one hit in 28 at-bats. Billy Goodman, also in a slump, had gone
without a hit in 18 times at bat until he singled in the second game. Pesky's
three hits in the opening game boasted his season's total of 100. Bobby Doerr
extended his errorless string to 49 games with today's doubleheader. That made
only one miscue in his last 70 games, handling 276 chances. |
.jpg)
