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BOB
FELLER & JOHNNY SAIN |
BOSTON BRAVES
...
SPAHN & SAIN and PRAY FOR RAIN ...
WORLD SERIES, GAME #1
Johnny Sain shuts out the Indians
October 6, 1948
... Johnny Sain pitched the Braves to a 1 to 0
victory over the Cleveland Indians in the first game of the World Series,
before the 40,135 customers at Braves Field. The man showed that he was a
much more resourceful pitcher been his counterpart Bob Feller, thanks to
an eighth-inning single by Tommy Holmes. The took a close decision by
second base Umpire Bill Stewart, however, to help Sain along in the shutout and
win his first World Series game. The Indians set a trap with Phil Masi on second
base. He came close to ringing up the only player who would score the only
Braves run in the game.
Seven times this season Feller and Boudreau have worked a pickoff play that
had erased a runner on second base. To them it seemed like it had worked for and
eighth time. But National League umpire, Stewart, didn't see it that way. In his
judgment, Boudreau's tag was too high on Masi and too late.
For seven innings Sain and Feller had matched each other and were tossing a
shutout. It seeing that this game might go into overtime, so brilliant were the
ace right-handers, each of whom was tops in their respective league.
Bill Salkeld was the first Braves hitter in the last of the eighth and he
looked at a called strike. The next four Feller throws were off the mark and
Salkeld went down to first base. Billy Southworth was coaching on third base and
called time. He ordered in Phil Masi to pinch run for Salkeld at first. He then
flashed a sacrifice bunt sign to Mike McCormick, who laid down a perfect bunt on
the first pitch. As Feller threw McCormick out at first, Masi scooted down to
second.
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MASI SCORES |
The Indians were looking for a doubleplay so they gave Eddie Stanky an
intentional pass. Southworth countered by putting the faster Sibbi Sisti in to
pinch run for Stanky. Up to the plate came Johnny Sain, a good hitting pitcher.
Then the Indians decided they would try and catch Masi napping at second.
Boudreau slipped up behind him at the same time Feller fired the ball to second
base. It almost worked, and in fact Boudreau believed he had gotten him. But
Feller's throw was belt high and Masi got back to the bag with his fingers tips.
Boudreau swooped down on Phil and the glove brushed off his shoulder. The umpire
called Masi safe.
So, at the plate, Sain then lined out to Walt Judnich, in right field, on the
next pitch. That brought Holmes to the plate and he looked at the first pitch
for a ball. The next one he fouled into the third base grandstand. On the next
pitch, he drove a low line drive to the right of Ken Keltner at third. It was
going safely into left field and Masi took off like a shot. Southworth waved him
around third and with his cap in his hand, he scored the one and only run of the
game which turned out to be the game-winner.
Sain yielded only four hits and they were all singles. Five times the Indians
had a man on second and twice they tried to steal bases and were thrown out.
Sain was cool, tough, and delivered in the clutch. He felt that one run would be
all that he needed. Never was it better than when it happened in the
eighth-inning.
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