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ELLIS KINDER |
BOSTON RED SOX
...
THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 3
A
SUBWAY SERIES DISAPPEARS ...
Hitchcock knocks in the game winner for Ellis Kinder
September 4, 1948 ... The
Red Sox clung to their one half game advantage with a 5 to 3 triumph
over the A's in Philadelphia. Billy Hitchcock, standing in for Bobby
Doerr, and Ellis Kinder shared the game honors. Hitchcock drove in
two runs and scored two as Kinder notched his seventh win with some
stellar clutch pitching. He was clipped for 11 hits but kept them
well scattered outside of the sixth inning. The game was tied at
two all entering the eighth. Billy Goodman singled to left and moved to second
as Birdie Tebbetts was tossed out. With two outs and first base unoccupied,
Connie Mack decided to pitch to Billy Hitchcock. Billy hit a low curve off the
end of the bat and it fell into short center for a single that brought home
Goodman. Pitcher Phil Marchildon, wanted Mack to put Hitchcock on first was
furious. He walked Kinder and DiMaggio pasted a single into right that scored
Hitchcock, with what proved to be the winning run. A third run scored, before
the inning ended, on a fumble by Pete Suder on Johnny Pesky's grounder that
filled the bases. Marchildon unloaded a wild pitch and that brought home Kinder
with the third Boston run of the inning.
Both clubs had plenty of scoring opportunities during the first seven innings
as Marchildon was hit easily and walked eight, but the runs came hard. The Sox
picked up a run in the third when Ted Williams got a double on a long line drive
to left-center that popped out of the glove and Sam Chapman. With two outs, Stan
Spence tripled down the right-field line to score the run.
In the fourth Hitchcock sent a screaming line drive into the upper deck of
the left-field stands to the Sox up 2 to 0. Kinder guarded the two run advantage
until the sixth. Ferris Fain started the Philly come-back with a home run over
the right-field fence. Heinie Majeski scratched out a single into short right
and went to third on Chapman's single, scoring on Al Rosar's fly ball out to
Williams.
The Athletics picked up their final run in the eighth on a line drive that
Elmer Valo hit to left. Williams tried for the shoestring catch but the ball
bounced all the way to the bullpen for a triple. Valo scored when Suder was
tossed out by Vern Stephens.
Kinder's win was his third straight over the A's this year. He was ragged in
spots, but when the occasion demanded, he pitched well. When Ted Williams was
given an intentional walk in the eighth-inning, it was his 100th of the season.
On May 31st, the A's were in first place and the Sox in seventh, 11 1/2 games
back. Since then, the Sox have won 66 and lost only 26 and now they have a seven
one half game advantage on the Athletics.
For the first time since he was injured, Bobby Doerr put on his uniform and
went through a light workout before the game. Stan Spence pulled a muscle in his
right leg during the game and it is doubtful that he will be able to start for a
couple of games.
Yogi Berra came through twice with a bases-loaded, driving in four runs as
the Yankees notch their seventh straight win, 9 to 7 over the Senators, to
remain a half game behind the Red Sox. St. Louis Browns pitcher Ned Garver won
his own game with a 10th inning single to give the Browns a 4 to 3 verdict over
the Indians. Cleveland remains three games behind the Red Sox. |
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