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BOSTON BRAVES
...
SPAHN & SAIN and PRAY FOR RAIN ...
The Braves
can't put it together again
August 3, 1948 ... The
Braves lost their second game to the Cincinnati Reds, 5 to 4, before
19,599 fans at Braves Field. With much of their power on the mend,
and the remaining hitters capable of scoring only six runs in nine
games, the Reds still had enough to drive Johnny Sain from the mound
after three innings. The Reds combined for seven hits and four runs
before Nelson Potter was brought in. He forced the Reds to relax considerably
for the rest of the game, although he slightly weakened in the eighth-inning,
giving the Reds one more run.
A combination of Cincinnati pitchers, Herm Wehmeier and Randy Gumbert held
the Braves to only five hits. The most forceful was a high fly ball over the
right-field fence by Bill Salkeld, in the fourth inning, scoring Mike McCormick
ahead of him. Outside of that home run, and doubles by Alvin Dark and Earl
Torgeson in the first inning, Wehmeier pitched a fine game through eight
innings.
Down 5-3, Tommy Holmes started the eighth-inning with a ground ball back to
the mound that was Wehmeier deflected over the shortstop Virgil Stallcup. He
couldn't handle the crazy bounce and made a desperate stab for it without
success. Dark then singled out to left field and Holmes moved over to second
base and was replaced by Sibbi Sisti as a pinch runner. At that point manager
Johnny Neun brought in Gumbert to pitch. Torgeson made the obvious move of
sacrificing the men along, but the best of Bob Elliott could do, was hit a slow
ground ball that allowed Sisti to score and kept Dark at second base. Jeff Heath
ended the threat by grounding out to Stallcup.
Cincinnati jumped out to a quick two run lead in the first inning and except
for a fine catch by Mike McCormick over his head, it could've been worse. Clyde
Corbitt followed the great catch with a single to left, but was forced at second
by Johnny Wyrostek. Then Danny Litwhiler singled to left and was soon crossing
the plate on a triple by Ted Kluszewski on a ball that bounced off the
centerfield screen.
Up 2 to 1, Cincinnati aided by a base on balls, two singles and a double
drove Sain out of the game and scored two more runs in the third. Then Potter
came in and did a fine job.
The left ankle of Clint Conaster was still badly swollen and it will be a few
more days before he will be able to come back in the lineup. |
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