|
JIMMY PIERSALL (FEAR STRIKES OUT) ...
Clyde Vollmer
is the hero in the Sox home opener
April 18, 1952 ... Clyde
Vollmer came thru in the clutch once again, as he helped the Red Sox
break a five year jinx, when he smashed a run scoring single to left,
that beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 5-4, in the 10th inning, in the
Fenway Park opener. Scoring on the walk-off hit was Faye
Throneberry, who had walked and moved to second on Billy Goodman's
single.
Down 4 to 1 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Lou Boudreau sent
Johnny Pesky, Billy
Goodman and Vollmer in as pinch hitters. Against Bob Hooper, Pesky
walked, Goodman struck out and Vollmer got a base hit. Pesky scored
on a base hit by Dom DiMaggio and Vollmer scored on Jimmy Piersall's
double off the wall that made the score 4-3. Harry Byrd came in for
the A's and after intentionally walking Don Lenhardt to load the
bases. A soft grounder by Vern Stephens scored DiMaggio to tie the
game.
Until that rally, the Athletics held a comfortable lead, on a two run
single and a home run, all by Billy Hitchcock.
Bill Wight, the fourth Sox pitcher got the win after coming in for
Ellis Kinder. He retired the A's easily in the 10th inning. Ray
Scarborough had started for the Sox and was replaced by Ike Delock in
the fifth inning. |
