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JIMMIE FOXX'S MVP SEASON
... August 19, 1938 ... Bobby Doerr hit a sizzling line drive to left field, scoring Jimmie Foxx from second base, with two outs in the last half of the 10th inning, crowning a courageous comeback by which the Red Sox nosed out Washington, 4 to 3, before a 9800 gathering of Ladies Day fans at Fenway Park. Aided by Washington's Al Simmons, Doerr wrote a fitting finish to a stirring battle that saw Fritz Ostermueller turn the tables on Monty Weaver in a great pitching duel. Simmons made a breathtaking bid to rob Doerr of the winning hit. Foxx, who earlier had started the Sox come back with his 33rd home run, opened the Red Sox 10th by getting a free pass. Joe Cronin promptly sacrificed Doerr over to second and Mike Higgins drew an intentional walk. After Ben Chapman popped out, up came Doerr. He picked on the second pitch and slammed a curving line drive toward the left-field wall, not far from the foul line. Simmons gave chase and he and the ball arrived at almost the same time. With a desperate last second lunge, he jumped against the barrier and grabbed desperately to catch the ball. He managed to get his hand on it as he was coming down, but could not grab it firmly enough. He juggled it at least three times, before it fell out of his grasp and ended the game. It was the first time all day that the Red Sox got ahead. The first four men to face Ostermueller reached safely. George Case opened the game with a walk and Buddy Lewis was hit by a pitched ball. Simmons also walked and Bonura took a pitch back through the box to give Washington a 2 to 0 lead. After that, with the help of excellent support, Ostermueller was almost invincible. The other Washington run that boosted their lead to 3 to 0, followed a mental lapse by Mike Higgins at third-base. With two outs after a Simmons double and an intentional walk to Bonura, Higgins was not able to take an easy ground ball and make the throw to first in time. Ossie Bluege then singled and Simmons scored. Jimmie Foxx got the Sox come-back underway in the fifth inning, when he lifted his 33rd home run across Lansdowne Street. Joe Vosmik was on base and the two runs brought Jimmy's RBI total up to 118. The Sox tied the game in the sixth when Ben Chapman led off with a single, was sacrificed to second and scored on a single to center by Gene Desautels. For the rest of the game, both sides had men on base, but nobody could cash in until the Red Sox heroics in the bottom of the 10th inning. |
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