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BOBBY DOERR |
THE BEST OFFENSIVE SEASON IN SOX HISTORY
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Bobby Doerr hits a 10th inning walk-off HR
August 18, 1950 ... Bobby
Doerr's line drive that just made it over the left field wall in the
10th inning, gave the Red Sox a 7 to 6 triumph over the Washington
Nationals before 21,546 screaming fans.
Doerr's game winner came on a 1-1 pitch from Elmer Singleton. It
cleared the wall not more than a foot from going foul. Singleton had
pitched six scoreless innings before Doerr sent the fans home
cheering.
Just one guy separated Joe Dobson from a soft win. It was Sherry
Robertson, who smashed two home runs and a triple that sent the game
into extra innings.
The Sox had smashed Washington starter, Al Sima, into submission in
the third inning to present Dobson with a five-run lead. In the first
they scored a run on consecutive singles by DiMaggio and Pesky and an
infield out. Washington then tied the game up in the second inning on
Robertson's triple and Michaels' double. A combination of five
singles, a pass and an error gave the Sox a 6-1 lead in the third
inning.
Dobson sailed along until the sixth inning which Gil Coan opened by
beating out a bunt. Irv Noren singled to center and Robertson homered
into the Sox bullpen for three runs. Then with one down in the eighth
inning, Doerr booted a ground ball hit by Noren. Robertson slammed
another ball into the bullpen and the game was tied.
The game came close to being a disastrous defeat. Singleton dug
himself out of a seemingly impossible jam in the ninth inning when
the Sox loaded the bases with nobody out, but failed to score.
Dobson opened the ninth with a single to right. Dom DiMaggio laid
down a bunt which Noren fielded nicely, but failed to get Dom at
first. The throw went onto right field as Dobson raced over to third
and DiMaggio to second. Maury McDermott went in to run for Dobson
before the Nats gave Johnny Pesky an intentional pass to load the
bases. That brought up Billy Goodman. He had reached on three
straight base hits, but drilled this one down to Cass Michaels at
second, who threw to the plate to force McDermott. Vern Stephens next
hit a short fly to center for the second out. DiMaggio broke for home
but Coan fired a strike to home to end the threat. |
