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ON THIS DATE (May 7, 1946) ... Leon Culberson kept the Red Sox hot streak going with a 14th inning walk-off grand slam home run at Fenway Park.
Utilityman Culberson came to bat in the last of the 14th with the score tied 6-6, resulting from two Red Sox comebacks. With the bases loaded and no outs, Culberson plastered the first pitch offered by Tex Shirley into the left field netting above the wall. The blast gave the Sox their 12th consecutive win.
The blazing bats Ted Williams and Rudy York The Sox in the contest, while it was Clem Dreisewerd, less than a month out of the Navy, who battled surely down through the twilight to preserve the win.
Entering the contest in the seventh inning, with the score tied at 6 to 6, Dreisewerd matched goose eggs which Shirley in a tense relief pitching duel. On the brink of disaster on several occasions, they each choked off several threats until it seemed that darkness would engulf Fenway Park
and ended all in a tie.
Opening the 14th inning was Rudy York. He had belted three singles to take the numerical lead among Sox hitters. Shirley was careful any past Rudy on a 3-1 pitch. The Browns were looking for a bunt, but manager Joe Cronin across them up when he ordered Don DiMaggio take it away. DiMaggio
belted a single to right. As Joe Grace fumbled the ball, York put on added steam and pulled into third, as Dominic advanced to second. At this stage, the Browns purposely walked Hal Wagner to fill the bases and therefore set up potential doubleplay. Andy Gilbert, a fleet outfielder, was
inserted to run for your. Replacing Eddie Pellagrini earlier in the game, Culberson strode to the plate. He lost no time in settling the issue. |
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