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John Collins and Joe Harris
bring back the Sox with a ninth inning walk-off rally |
ON THIS DATE (August 11, 1923) ... In a great finish, the Red Sox won the final game of their series with the St. Louis Browns by a score of 4 to 3, turning around what appeared to be an unqualified defeat, into a glorious victory after two were out in the ninth-inning. It was one of the best games played at Fenway Park all season. John Collins was the man who came through in the pinch with a double to the scoreboard that tied up the game. Following a base on balls given purposely to George Burns, the next batter was hit by a pitch. Then a line drive by Joe Harris to right-center, which could've been good for a triple and three more runs, had they been needed, scored Collins with the walkoff winning run. From the moment the bat hit the ball, there was no question of anyone getting to it before it hit the ground. Both outfielders started toward it when they thought might come within reach, but quickly realized that it was of no use and turned around, heading for the clubhouse. Jack Quinn was engaged in a pitcher's battle for eight innings with the Red Sox having the edge on the Browns, 1 to 0 at the opening of the eighth-inning. Then Jack Tobin led off with a base hit and was sacrificed to second. He went to third on a ground ball and scored the tying run on a swinging bunt, which Baby Doll Jacobsen beat out. Now with the game tied the Browns had some luck in the ninth-inning. They put over two more runs and took what looked like a commanding lead. With two outs, Homer Ezzell singled on a ground ball up the middle that Pinky Pittenger partially blocked. When it got to Dick Reichle in center field it got away from him, allowing Ezzell to advance to second base. Dutch Schleibner next hit a ground ball to Howie Shanks, who caught Ezzell in a rundown between second and third. That allowed Schleibner to move up to second base. Elam Vangilder was able to bring him home with a single to right-field. Jack Tobin then next tripled to right, scoring Vangilder from first. It put the Browns up two runs, by a score of 3 to 1. Browns manager Jimmy Austin now brought in Dixie Davis to pitch the ninth-inning. The first batter was Norm McMillan and he flied out to Tobin. Ira Flagstead was sent in to pinch-hit for Quinn and was able to work a pass. Mike Menosky then came to bat in place of Pittenger and Davis could not get the ball over the plate. The count went to 3-0 when Austin pulled him out of the game and replaced him with Ray Kolp, who finished Menosky's at bat with ball four. Next was Collins and he slammed ball against the scoreboard in left, scoring Flagstead and Menosky to tie up the game. George Burns was next intentionally walked to bring up Reichle, who was hit by a pitch, filling up the bases. Then came Harris' screeching line drive and the game was over. The Red Sox scored their first run in the third inning on a single by Pittenger, a sacrifice by Al Devormer and a double by Burns. That run looked good until the eighth inning. In addition to some great plays in the field, Burns did some terrific hitting by banging two doubles up against the left-field wall and missing one for a home run by inches. |
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