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DOM DiMAGGIO SCORES |
THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 4
FALLING SHORT AT THE END AGAIN
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Dom DiMaggio scores a walk-off run
August 2, 1949 ... Dom
DiMaggio hit in his 29th consecutive game with a single to open the
ninth-inning, that started a rally to break a 3 to 3 tie against Ned
Garver and the St. Louis Browns. It all started in the second
inning after Billy Goodman had singled and Al Zarilla was retired on a ground
ball out. Matt Batts lined a fastball into left-field, which seemed to hit about
a foot from the top of the fence and bounced half way back into the infield. But
umpire, Ed Hurley, who raced out to watch the flight to the ball, called it a
home run.
Then in the third inning the Browns came back to score twice off starter,
Chuck Stobbs and had their rally end in a scene of confusion. Garver walked with
one out and Bob Dillinger grounded to Billy Goodman at first, who fired down to
Vern Stephens for the force and the relay beat Dillinger. Umpire Bll McKinley
called Dillinger out, but as he did, Goodman dropped the ball. Dillinger didn't
see that and started a walk over to was third-base position. Stobbs, saw the
ball lying on the ground, picked it up and tossed it over to Goodman. Dillinger
was called out again for the second time.
In the fourth, the Browns tied the score on singles by Paul Lehner and Roy
Sievers. Lehrner scored on Whitey Platt's base hit and Sievers scored on a
sacrifice fly ball to left by Sherm Lollar. Lollar got thrown out by Ted
Williams who caught the ball at the wall and threw him out, trying to get back
to first.
With the score tied at 2 to 2, the Browns went ahead in the top of the fifth
on a walk and a double by Dillinger. The Sox countered that run with one in
their half of the inning, on a single by Pesky, a double by Williams and a
ground ball out by Doerr, that allowed Pesky to score the tying run.
The game went along calmly until the top of the ninth, when Stobbs walked
Platt after striking out Sievers. He then walked Lollar, but got the next two
batters out to end the threat.
But in the Red Sox half of the ninth, DiMaggio smashed a hard grounder to
Dillinger which got through his glove and rolled behind him. Then Dillinger
uncorked a wild throw trying to get Dom out, even though he had no chance. Pesky
came up next and popped up a bunt to the right of the mound. Garver jumped on it
and after diving on his face, couldn't throw the ball and lay flat on the ground
with the ball in his hand. With runners on first and third, rather than take a
chance, St. Louis manager Zach Taylor decided to intentionally walk Ted
Williams, load the bases, and take a chance on Vern Stephens, who had struck out
twice.
Garver threw two wide curveballs and the next pitch was inside in high.
Stephens pulled the way from the pitch, but his bat struck the ball and it
rolled toward first base. Paul Lehner, the firstbaseman, grabbed the ball and
looked toward second, but he finally realized there was a force at the plate and
changed his mind. But it was too late and DiMaggio scored the walkoff run, 4 to
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