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Frank Malzone's walk-off
single in the 12th inning,
earns the Sox a split with the Indians
May 4, 1958
... There was never a more satisfying pitching duel,
than the one that took place at Fenway when young Frank Baumann
bested the veteran Hoyt Wilhem, in a 12 inning battle that Baumann
won, to give his Sox a split of a doubleheader.
One bad pitch by the young fire-baller cost him a shutout. A
well-stroked homer by the Indians' Preston Ward, forced him to pitch
three extra innings and get the 2 to 1 win.
Baumann had a chance to win the game himself in the ninth inning.
With the game knotted at 1-1, he opened the inning with a double to
left-center and was bunted to third by Don Buddin. Pete Runnels then
hit a dribbler between the mound and third base. Baumann started home
and then went back.
Into the 12th inning the game went and Gene Stephens legged out a
drag bunt to lead off. Billy Consolo forced him at second and went to
second on a wild pitch from Indians' reliever Steve Ridzik, while
Jackie Jensen watched at the plate. Jensen was then given an
intentional pass, and Frank Malzone lined a single, bringing Consolo
home with the game winning run, 2-1.
In the first game, Tom Brewer went the distance, leading 1-0 going
into the eighth inning. But Minnie Minoso started the eighth with a
base hit and scored the tying run when Rocky Colavito doubled off the
wall and moved to third on a ground out. Then the Indians tried to
squeeze in the go-ahead run. Russ Nixon missed on an attempt to bunt
and Sammy White tagged out the charging Colavito at the plate.
The Sox made a bid to win in the ninth inning. Malzone singled off
relief pitcher, Mike Garcia, who then hit White with a pitch.
In came Ridzik, who walked Jimmy Piersall and Jensen was the called
on to pinch hit for Brewer but was called out on strikes, to end the
threat. The Indians went on to win in the ninth, 2 to 1, on a single
and a double by Bobby Avila.
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BILLY CONSOLO SLIDES HOME WITH
THE WINNING RUN |
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