|
ON THIS DATE (June 18, 1947) ... Johnny Pesky sent fans home with sweet dreams of another American League pennant. At five minutes after 1 AM this morning, he poked out his fifth hit of the night/morning to
score Eddie Pellagrini with the run that enabled the Red Sox to score a tense 15 inning triumph over the St. Louis Browns, 6 to 5. The Red Sox staged four comebacks to keep their current winning streak alive. Pesky's hit extended it through eight games.
Birdie Tebbetts opened the winning rally with a single to left. Pellagrini ran for him and took second on Glenn Russell's sacrifice. After Don Gutteridge grounded out, Pesky came through with the lifesaver. Again could not have gone any further because of the American League curfew. It was
the longest night game in Boston of all time. The victory put the Red Sox one half game behind the league-leading New York Yankees.
During the night, Ted Williams smashed out three hits, but it was Pesky's best performance of his big-league career. He has had 12 hits in his last four games and added 31 points to his batting average.
The Red Sox jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Pesky reached on an error that Vern Stephens bobbled. He scored when Ted Williams scorched a line drive down the right-field foul line that rolled around the corner.
The Browns went out in front and
in the bottom of the eighth, Bobby Doerr tied up the score with a single to center that scored
Wally Moses to make it 2 to 2.
Billy Hitchcock led off the 13th inning for the Browns and smacked a home run to put them out in front 3-2. But the Red Sox came back in their half of the inning when Doerr lashed a ball to right-center field that was good for a
triple. Dave Ferriss was sent up as a pinch-hitter and singled home Doerr with the tying run.
The game moved into the 14th inning and the Browns again when out in front 4 to 2. The Sox came back
once again to tie it up. The
game moved into the 15th inning
and it would have to be the last
inning, as the teams were at the
curfew. The curfew was not
needed. It was
Johnny-on-the-spot Pesky
dramatically bringing the
curtain down, 5 to 4, in one of
the most exciting games of the
season. |
