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JEFF HEATH |
BOSTON BRAVES
...
SPAHN & SAIN and PRAY FOR RAIN ...
The Braves
come back to beat the Cubs
August 28, 1948 ... Jeff
Heath hit an inside-the-park home run with two outs, and a pair of
runners on base, in the ninth-inning to lift the Braves to a 5 to 4
victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field before 17,590 fans. The drive
went to dead center off relief pitcher Emil Kush with Hal Jeffcoat
chasing after it. But just as Jeffcoat made a tremendous leap for the
ball, he bounced off the wall and was knocked unconscious. Tommy
Holmes, who had a single to start the inning, came across the plate followed by
Earl Torgeson, who had walked. Jeffcoat was still sprawled flat on his back when
Peanuts Lowrey ran over from left-field to throw the ball into the infield. Jeff
Heath kept chugging along and slid across the plate while ahead of shortstop,
Roy Smalley's throw. As soon as the play was over, Heath and the players on both
teams worked their way out to centerfield were Jeffcoat appeared to be badly
hurt. But after a few minutes he lifted himself up and trotted off the field.
There was still some anxiety in the ninth when Eddie Waitkus walked as a
pinch-hitter and then Al Lyons, the fourth pitcher used by manager Southworth,
was taken out and replaced by Clyde Shoun. Shoun disposed of Phil Cavaretta when
he popped out to Torgeson on a failed bunt attempt. A pitch later, Andy Pafko
grounded into a doubleplay and the game was over. The Braves finally succeeded
in defeating the Cubs after three straight losses.
The Cubs had jumped out to a lead on four straight singles and a sacrifice
fly to account for three runs in the second inning. The Braves scored their
first run in the third inning. Sibbi Sisti was walked and moved to second on
Tommy Holmes' infield hit. Alvin Dark hit a short pop up behind second base and
it fell safely for a base hit. Sisti was off with the crack of the bat and
headed for home, as Jeffcoat threw to the plate. He was out by a full eight
feet, but controversial umpire. Bill Stewart, called him safe. Catcher Bob
Scheffing and manager Charlie Grimm had plenty to say to the umpire, but Stewart
kept brushing off the plate and ignoring them.
The Braves tossed away a great chance of chasing starter Russ Meyer in the
fifth inning. Bob Elliott, whose bat has been silent the past few games, left
three men stranded with only one out, as Pafko inverted his ground ball into a
doubleplay.
Jeff Heath, who had two singles to go along with his game saving drive,
opened the sixth inning with a single to right. Clint Conaster struck out and
then Bill Salkeld sliced a single to left, sending Heath the third. After Sibbi
Sisti walked to load the bases, Frank McCormick came up to pinch-hit for the
pitcher and flied to left, scoring Heath with the second Braves run.
The Cubs got that run back in the eighth-inning on Scheffing's double to
left-center and Smalley's single over Al dark's head into left. That gave them a
4 to 2 lead going into the ninth.
But Tommy Holmes got his third single of the day to start the rally. Kush
walked Torgeson after Dark had popped out and Elliott looked at a third strike.
After that Heath took the ball into deep center field for the inside-the-park
job.
Charlie Grimm celebrated his 50th birthday and in the next copy of the
Saturday Evening Post, the cover will have a picture of Charlie and a few of his
players as well as the club bat boy in a drawing by Norman Rockwell. |
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