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"THERE GOES THE GREATEST HITTER
The Sox rally and Ted leads
them in a July 28, 1957 ... Ted Williams had a perfect day at the plate, going four for four, and carried the Red Sox to a 9 to 8 uphill decision over the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park. It was one of the year's best comebacks, as the Indians had a 6 to 1 lead going into the seventh inning behind their ace, Early Wynn. Williams came up in the seventh and eighth inning, when he obviously could hurt the Indians but wasn't walked. He rapped out a vital double and then a big single to keep two, four-run rallys alive for the Red Sox. The fans had enough to talk about seeing Williams slug his 29th home run into the bleachers above the Red Sox bullpen in the first inning. They had given up on the game when Wynn had been given a 6 to 1 lead after six innings. Vic Wertz had two home runs and knocked in five runs for the Indians. Rocky Colavito also hit two home runs and knocked in three runners. The Indians carried that five-run lead going into the seventh inning. Pinch-hitter Mickey Vernon drew a walk to start things going in the seventh. Jimmy Piersall also drew a pass and Frank Malzone blooped a single into right-center to fill the bases. Wynn stayed in to pitch to Ted, who hit his first pitch down the right-field line for a double, which scored Vernon and Piersall, while Malzone scooted over to third-base. Cal McLish was now brought in and a sacrifice fly by Jackie Jensen brought Malzone home from third base. A two out single by Billy Consolo next scored Ted. That put the Sox only one run behind, 6 to 5. Rudy Minarcin replaced Frank Sullivan in the eighth inning and walked Gene Woodling. Vic Wertz banged a home run into the Red Sox bullpen to put Cleveland up by three runs. Now down 8 to 5, the Sox continued to battle back. With one out, the Sox teed off on McLish. Piersall scraped the left-field fence for a double and scored on a sizzling single by Malzone. With Ted Williams up, left-hander Don Mossi was brought in to pitch. They decided not to walk Ted and he delivered a line drive single to right, on which Malzone breezed over to third. Rocky Colavito attempted a fancy pickup of the ball but bobbled it for an error that let Ted move over to second base. Jackie Jensen rolled a ball down to Bobby Avila and was retired at first, but Malzone scored. Had Williams been held at first and not gone to second, it would've been an easy doubleplay to end the inning. But he had picked up the extra base on the bobbled ball and was now on third base, representing the tying run. Dick Gernert was next inserted to swing for Minarcin and hit the first pitch off the flagpole for a double, that scored Ted and the game was tied, 8 to 8. There were two strikes on Ted Lepcio when he lined a curveball into centerfield that scored Gernert with the go-ahead run. George Susce pitched a perfect ninth and the Sox had staged a terrific 9 to 8 come from behind victory. |
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