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PHIL MASI |
BOSTON BRAVES
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SPAHN & SAIN and PRAY FOR RAIN ...
The Braves
smash the Cubs two times
May 23, 1948 ... The
Braves walloped the Chicago Cubs, 8 to 5 and 12 to 4, in a delightful
day for a doubleheader, under warm sunny skies for the first time
this year. The double victory put the Tribe into third place, tied
with the Pirates. Clyde Shoun threw a near-perfect six innings,
walking one man and received credit for the victory in the opening game. Phil
Masi emerged from a prolonged batting slump to knock out six hits and knocked in
his many runs during the course of the afternoon.
In the second game, Vern Bickford pitched his second complete contest in as
many major league starts. He had the pleasure of coasting along with a huge
lead, especially after the Braves had recorded and eight runs in the third
inning, for their largest single scoring session of the season.
What made this day memorable is the fact that the Braves smashed around the
Cubs like they haven't done to anyone yet this year. The Cubs opened with a
lefty pitcher in each affair. As soon as the Braves chased off the starting
left-handers, manager Billy Southworth inserted Jeff Heath into the lineup in
each game. During the day Heath knocked in five runs for his biggest RBI day of
the year.
In the opener, the Cubs chased Bill Voiselle when they scored one run in the
first inning. Eddie Stanky lost a pop up in the sun and Hal Jeffcoat knocked the
runner in with a base hit. The Braves tied it up in the second inning on a
double by Jim Russell. Bob Sheffield's double and starting pitcher, Cliff
Chambers' single, put the Cubs ahead in the second inning. Bobby Hogue came in
to relieve Voiselle in the third and retired the last two batters after the Cubs
had gathered three more runs in what appeared to be a commanding 5 to 1
advantage.
But the Braves fought back in their half of the inning and chased Chambers
out of the game. The Braves had the bases loaded on a walk to Stanky, Russell's
single and a pass to Bob Elliott. Russ Meyers was brought in to pitch and Jeff
Heath was brought in to pinch-hit for Clint Conaster. He stroked a long double
right-center to clear the bases and put the Braves within a run.
Shoun came in to pitch the fourth inning after Hogue had been pinch-hit for.
He faced 19 men in the six innings he pitched and did not allow a hit or run.
The Braves iced the game with a four-run splurge in the fourth inning. Stanky
singled, Elliott walked and Heath knocked in Stanky with a base hit. Another
walk, an outfield fly and Masi's double off the left-field fence, completed the
rally, giving the Braves an 8 to 5 win.
Bickford got off to a slow start in the second game by giving up three
singles and a hit batsman. But out of all this, the Cubs could only score one
run. The Braves got that run back in the second inning on singles by Masi, Tommy
Holmes and Stanky.
Then the third inning saw the Braves erupt for eight runs as pitchers Bob
McCall and Hank Borowy were belted around by the Braves hitters. They knocked
out five hits in the inning with Frank McCormick batting twice and coming
through with two hits, as the Braves sent 13 men to the plate. One of the big
blows of the rally was made by Bickford himself, a double to right which brought
in two of the eight runs.
Breezing along with a 9 to 1 lead, Bickford found himself hit in the seventh
inning for two runs on three doubles. The Cubs final score in the eighth-inning
was a result of the game's lone home run, a blast off the scoreboard in left, by
Bob Scheffing. But the Braves picked up those three runs with Phil Masi knocking
in the final pair in the eighth-inning with his sixth hit of the day.
The Braves bashed out 26 hits during the afternoon and they are tops in the
league defensively, playing two more errorless games against the Cubs. |
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