ON THIS DATE (May 30, 1931)
... A six run ninth inning by the Red Sox toppled the
World Champion Philadelphia Athletics in the second game of a holiday
doubleheader, 6 to 5 and enabled the Sox to split the day's honors.
Jack Russell went toe-to-toe with Lefty Grove in the first game and
made it through 11 innings in a scoreless tie. But Mule Haas' home
run in the 12th inning started a five run burst that decided the game
in Philadelphia's favor, 5-0.
In the second contest, Philly jumped out to a 5-0 lead by the fifth
inning that was good through eight innings. The Sox hadn't scored a
run through 12 innings of the first game and eight innings of the
second game.
Roy Mahaffey had allowed the Sox just four hits. But in the bottom of
the ninth, a base hit put a man on first. Tom Oliver tripled and
scored him with the first run. Oliver next scored on a groundball out
by Charlie Berry, for the second run. Otis Miller singled and
sprinted home when Hal Rhyne laced a double to right center. Eddie
Rommel replaced Mahaffey and walked Jack Rothrock. Bill Sweeney
followed with a base hit that scored Rhyne with the fourth run. Rube
Walberg now came in to pitch and uncorked a wild pitch that
advanced the runners. He walked Earl Webb to load the bases. That
brought up Urbane Pickering who hit a line drive off the wall.
Rothrock scored and was followed home by Sweeney, with the winning
run, 6-5.
The A's Al Simmons went hitless in the second game after having hit
safely in 27 straight contests.
