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Jimmy Piersall's double in
the ninth inning
clinches a Red Sox win
May 1, 1958
... The Sox were frustrated for most of the
game because of their weak clutch hitting. But they came up with a
pair of runs in the ninth inning for a 7 to 6 decision over the
Kansas City Athletics.
A leadoff double into the right field corner by Gene Stephens, then a
single to right over the glove of Vic Power at first base by Marty
Keough, tied the score. Jimmy Piersall, who had tripled in the second
inning, then slammed a drive high off the wall in left-center, to
score Keough and provide the Sox with enough clutch hitting for the
walk-off triumph.
Prior to the winning rally, the Sox had left 11 runners on base. The
left the bases loaded in three innings.
The Sox scored their first run in the second on Piersall's triple and
starter Mike Fornieles' single to right. They added three more runs
in the fourth on singles by Malzone, Sammy White and Fornieles,
followed by a triple from Don Buddin.
Homers by Hal Smith and Bob Cerv accounted for five of Kansas City's
runs. Smith belted a three-run homer in the second inning and Cerv
connected for his seventh homer, with one on in the sixth. A double
by relief pitcher, Ray Herbert, and a single by Hector Lopez in the
seventh, gave the A's their sixth run.
The Sox picked up a run in their half of the seventh, but left the
bases loaded and it appeared they were all done. Tom Gorman came in
to pitch for the Athletics in the eighth with a 6-5 lead and retired
the Sox in order, before running into trouble in the ninth inning.
Ike Delock, last of the Sox pitchers, was the winner after working
scoreless eight and ninth innings. |
