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THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 4
FALLING SHORT AT THE END AGAIN
...
The Sox move into 2nd place
sweeping a doubleheader
May 30, 1949 ... The
Red Sox pushed the Philadelphia Athletics out of second place by
sweeping a doubleheader, 10 to 2 and 4 to 3, before 36,133 fans. Ted
Williams substituted quality for quantity when his only hit of the
day was a game winning home run into the Red Sox bullpen, with Johnny
Pesky aboard in the eighth-inning of the second game. It gave Mel
Parnell his seventh win and sent everyone home happily. Joe Dobson
had a little trouble in the opener, scattering 10 hits and coasting home behind
an 11 hit Red Sox attack, that was good for 18 total bases. Al Zarilla, who is
become the favorite of the right-field bleacher fans, knocked in six runs with
two singles and a grand slam homer. Billy Goodman seemed like he was on base all
day, walking twice and chipping in with three hits, driving in a run and playing
spectacularly in the field.
Phil Marchildon started the first game for the Athletics and started off by
hitting Dom DiMaggio with a pitch. He then walked Johnny Pesky on four straight
balls. He himself, then walked to the shower and was replaced by Bobby Shantz.
A walk to Bobby Doerr to start off the second inning was followed by singles
from Goodman and Zarilla that scored two runs. Dobson gave one of those runs
back in the top of the third when Eddie Joost lined a double to right-center and
scored on a single from Wally Moses.
The Red Sox got that run back however with a walk to Williams to start off
the third inning. He scored on a hit by Goodman, putting the Sox up 3 to 1. The
Athletics countered with a single by Sam Chapman and a walk to Buddy Rosar in
the fourth, followed by a line drive to left by Pete Suder that scored Chapman.
In the bottom of the fifth a double by Vern Stephens was followed by walks to
Doerr and Goodman to load the bases. Zarilla made it 4 to 2, scoring Stephens
with a fly ball right-field.
The Sox broke it open for six runs in the sixth inning. DiMaggio singled and
reached third on Pesky's ground rule double, that a fan reached out and touched
in the right-field corner. Williams was intentionally walked and Stephens'
single scored Dom and Pesky. Doerr forced Stephens after Goodman was hit by a
pitch. So with the bases loaded, little Zarilla uncorked his grand slam homer
into the right-field seats, and the Sox were home, 10 to 2.
It was a very strange game indeed, as neither pitcher recorded any
strikeouts. It was Dobson's third win against three losses.
Carl Scheib pitched in the nightcap for the Athletics and was on top 3 to 2,
until Ted unloaded his 12th game-winning, home run high and far over the Red Sox
bullpen in the eighth-inning.
The Athletics scored first in the third inning. With two outs, Wally Moses
beat out an infield hit when Parnell failed to tag first after taking Goodman's
throw. Moses went to second on a walk to Ferris Fain and then scored on Sam
Chapman's single to left.
Philly enjoyed a one run lead until the bottom of the fifth. The eagle eyed
Billy Goodman, down two strikes, waited out four balls to draw a walk at the
start of the inning. Zarilla and Goodman went to second. Goodman was forced out
at third on a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher by Matt Batts. Parnell struck
out but DiMaggio lined a single to center to score Zarilla with the tying run.
Goodman again got to Scheib, opening up the seventh, when his windblown fly
ball landed a few yards in front of Don White in left field. After an out, Batts
lined a hard single to right that sent Goodman to third. He scored when Parnell
helped his own cause and lined a single to right on a three and two pitch. That
put the Sox ahead, 2 to 1.
The A's, however, didn't quit and went ahead in their half of the eighth.
Parnell walked leadoff batter, Eddie Joost. Moses doubled to right-center and
scored Joost to tie up the game. He scored the go-ahead run on Chapman's single
up the middle.
In the Red Sox half of the inning, Scheib walked Pesky before Williams
homered him in. Parnell closed the door with two easy fly balls and a ground
ball to to secure the 4 to 3 victory.
Parnell has now completed eight of his games in his nine starts. He also has
hit safely in eight ballgames. |
