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STAN MUSIAL |
BOSTON BRAVES
...
SPAHN & SAIN and PRAY FOR RAIN ...
Stan Musial
sets a NL record
and beats the Braves
September 22, 1948 ... With
the National League pennant staring them right to face, the Braves
dropped an 8 to 2 decision to the Cardinals at Braves Field. Warren
Spahn saw his four-game winning streak shattered, as he was driven
from the box after three innings, while Al Brazle never was in
trouble, breaking up the Tribe's eight game winning streak. The
same combination of at least two wins, or a victory and a defeat by the
Cardinals, will have to occur before the flag is clinched. But while everyone
was disappointed with the Braves performance, they had an opportunity to see
Stan Musial, the leading hitter in baseball, break a National League record and
tie one set by Ty Cobb in 1922.
Against the combination of five pitchers, Musial got five hits in five times
at bat. It was the fourth time that he has done so this season. One of them, his
38th home run off Red Barrett in the fourth inning, was lined into the bullpen
in right field with Red Schoendinst on base, to give them Cardinals a 7 to 1
lead. Musial also singled off Spahn in the first inning, doubled in the third,
singled out Bobby Hogue in the sixth and again in the eighth off Clyde Shoun.
Spahn got by the first inning fairly well, but was met by consecutive singles
from Nippy Jones and Terry Moore to open the second. Don Lang then dropped Spahn
with a line drive back to the box, although he recovered in time to pick up the
ball, and throw Moore out at second. Del Rice then singled to left to score
Jones with the first Cardinals run.
Musial doubled to left to start out the third, and Enos Slaughter scored him
with a single to right. When Tommy Holmes let the ball roll through his legs,
Slaughter moved over to third, where he scored on Jones' liner out to Mike
McCormick.
The Braves made it 3 to 1 in their half of the inning when Bobby Sturgeon,
batted for Spahn, and lined one down the right-field line. Musial made a
desperate lunge for the ball and completed a somersault in his attempt to catch
it. Sturgeon just reached third base after Musial righted himself and made the
throw to almost get him. Alvin Dark's grounder to Marty Marion at shortstop was
able to score Sturgeon.
In the fourth inning a double by Lang, a single by Brazle, a double by
Schoendinst and Musial's home run ended the game for red Barrett. Slaughter was
then walked and Jones hit a line drive that hit Slaughter in the face and
injured him. The Cardinals added their final run in the sixth on doubles by
Clint Conaster and Phil Masi. Slaughter was taken to the hospital where he was
admitted. It was determined that his nose was broken and surgically
repaired. |
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