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MICKEY HARRIS |
BOSTON RED SOX ...
THE
CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 3
A
SUBWAY SERIES DISAPPEARS ...
Mickey Harris dominates Washington
August 22, 1948
... Mickey Harris found his pitching eye at
Fenway Park and set back the Washington Senators by a score of 4 to
1, allowing the Red Sox to creep within one half game of the
league-leading Cleveland Indians. Bobby Doerr's home run in the third
inning, with Vern Stephens aboard, furnished Harris with the winning
margin. Mickey's sixth victory of the year was assured in the
eighth-inning when Dom DiMaggio pasted a two run single into
centerfield. It had been a month since Harris last pitched a
complete-game. But that month was one of the most successful for
Mickey all year. He has won five of his last seven starts and
hopefully his comeback will be instrumental in the pennant race.
Although the Red Sox were the recipients of the dozen free passes, they found it
tough to score. Forrest Thompson was on the mound for Washington and was
generous in putting men on base, but got tough with them. He was aided by four
doubleplays. It was his successor, Sid Hudson, who yielded the final pair of
Boston runs.
Thompson was greeted with a DiMaggio single and gave up three passes in the
opening inning, but the Red Sox didn't score, as Johnny Pesky lined into a
doubleplay after DiMaggio got on base. Three more walks were handed out in the
second, one to Billy Goodman. He was doubled up trying to go to second when
Birdie Tebbetts struck out.
With one gone in the third Thompson passed Vern Stephens. It was then that
Bobby Doerr knocked out a three and one serve high into left field screen for
his 23rd homer of the season.
The Senators get back into the game in the fourth when, with two outs Eddie
Stewart drove a high ball into left-center. DiMaggio made a long run after it
and a great effort in trying to grab it, but the ball bounced out of his glove
for a triple. Then Mark Christman topped a ball down the third-base line, and
Harris ran after it. Mickey picked up the ball and without looking, fired it
into the dirt toward first base. Christman was safe and the run scored, making
it 2 to 1. If Mickey had waited, he would've had a shutout, because Stewart was
standing right next to him waiting to see how he would play it. When he threw
the ball in the dirt, Stewart just walked across the plate. After that Harris
wasn't in too much trouble, giving up just one hit and two walks over the final
five innings.
Free passes to Doerr, Tebbetts and Harris loaded the bases with two out for
the Red Sox in the eighth. DiMaggio then singled to center, scoring two runners
and everybody breathed a bit easier.
Every member of the Red Sox drew at least one walk during the game. Of the
four Red Sox runs, three were scored by players who had drawn free passes. Bobby
Doerr's record errorless streak now stands at 62 games. He had a tough chance on
Al Kozar's grounder which ended the game.
The Red Sox have now won 10 of their last 12 games, with a 40-17 record at
home. Bobby Doerr broke his own personal home run record of 22 with the home run
he hit today. Ted Williams has gone hitless in the last two games and will
probably take batting practice at the ballpark tomorrow, with the Red Sox having
the day off. |
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