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ON THIS DATE (July 28, 1951) ... Clyde
Vollmer did it once again, by slamming a four-run homer in the 16th
inning to give the Red Sox a walk-off, 8 to 4 victory. Vollmer has
now won 13 games with his booming bat for the Sox, 12 in the month of
July.
The decision was
well deserved by Mickey McDermott who went all the way for the Sox to
get his sixth win. McDermott struck out 15 Indian hitters, walked
only one and hit another. He now leads the majors with 102
strikeouts. He struck out the complete Indians lineup with the
exception of Bobby Avila. He got Larry Doby and Jim Hegan three times
and Luke Easter and Sam Chapman twice.
Vollmer had singled home Billy Goodman in the 15th inning to pull the
Sox into a 3-3 tie. The Indians then went ahead in their half of the
16th inning on Ray Boone's double and a single by Doby, to go up 4 to
3.
With one out in the 16th inning, Bob Feller erased Dom DiMaggio on a
fly bal. Johnny Pesky walked and scampered all the way home
when Williams lofted a double into the left field corner to tie up
the game once again, 4 to 4. Vern Stephens drew three called balls
and then Feller was ordered to give Stephens an intentional walk.
After Doerr popped out, Goodman ran the count to three and two, and
then walked. After the first pitch was called a ball, Vollmer sent
Feller's next serve into the net in left. The homer was Vollmer's
18th of the season and his second grandslam of the year. It was the
third of his career.
The Sox had scored twice in the opening inning on singles by Pesky,
Williams and Doerr, and a walk to Stephens by Early Wynn.
The Indians were virtually helpless against McDermott until the
seventh inning. Then Luke Easter crashed a ball over DiMaggio's head
into the center field triangle for a triple. He scored on Al Rosen's
fly ball. Birdie Tebbetts delivered the tying Cleveland run with a
pinch hit single that brought home Bob Kennedy, who had doubled off
the center field wall.
The two teams remained deadlocked until the 15th inning when Kennedy
put the Indians ahead for the first time, 3-2, with his third double
of the game, followed by a line single over the outstretched glove of
Bobby Doerr, by Stuffy Stirnweiss.
The Sox got the run back quickly in their half of the 15th. Feller
was called in to protect the lead, but gave up a double to right
center by Goodman. He sped home on Vollmer's slash up the middle.
With the score tied again, Boone opened up the Indians' 16th inning
with a line drive right inside third base. The ball bounded off the
third base stands away from Williams, Stephens and Pesky. Boone
pulled up easily at second base. Doby dumped a single to right that
gave the Indians the lead.
Then came the Sox winning half of the 16th inning. Feller was charged
with the loss. He was the fourth Cleveland pitcher, having followed
Wynn, Steve Gromek and Lou Brissie. |
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