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BOSTON RED
SOX ...
THE
CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 3
A
SUBWAY SERIES DISAPPEARS ...
The Red Sox lose
one in the sun
April 22, 1948 ... The
Philadelphia Athletics came from behind to tie the score and then
capture a ninth-inning decision over the Red Sox, before 14,241 fans
at Fenway Park, by a score of 5 to 3, as rightfielder Sam Mele lost a
fly ball in the sun with two outs in the ninth-inning, that allowed
the final pair of Athletics' runners to score. The game was knotted
at three each with Bob Savage and Mel Parnell in relief for the
starting tandem of Joe Coleman for Philly and Dave Ferriss the Red
Sox. After disposing of Buddy Rosar and Pete Suder, Parnell threw a
fastball down the middle to Savage, who hit the ball to centerfield. Eddie Joost
then doubled to the left-field corner, as Savage just made the far turn before
Ted Williams relayed the ball in. Barney McCoskey, hitless in four trips, then
drove what appeared to be a sure fly ball out to right-field. When Mele turned
his back in the final second, the ball bounded away for two bases and the two
runs scored.
The Sox made a good attempt with two outs in the ninth, when Wally Moses
doubled to the base of the centerfield fence, but he died there as Dom DiMaggio
hit a pop up to Ferris Fain for the final out.
Bobby Doerr had singled over second base to open the fourth inning and pulled
in to third on Mele's double inside the right-field line. After Birdie Tebbetts
struck out, Dave Ferriss hit a high Hopper down to Fain, that allow Doerr to
score and put the Red Sox ahead 2 to 1.
In the seventh inning for Athletics, Vern Stephens took Sam Chapman's routine
grounder, and with all the time the world, threw the ball into the Red Sox
dugout. Connie Mack next sent in pinch-hitter Elmer Valo to the plate, to bat
for Coleman, but called him back and then sent in George Binks instead. The
strategy paid off as Binks doubled just inside the right-field line to score
Rosar, with Suder reaching third. Joost came up next and spanked a ground single
to left of Johnny Pesky's outstretched glove to score Suder and give Philly a 3
to 2 lead. At that point Mel Parnell came in to relieve Ferriss and got out of
the inning.
The Sox tied up the game in their half of the seventh inning, when with one
out, DiMaggio sent a sharp grounder at Fain, who let it get through him.
DiMaggio then stole second base and scored when catcher, Buddy Rosar's throw went
wildly into center field. Pesky hit a line fly ball out to McCoskey in left,
that allowed DiMaggio to tag up and score the tying run.
Dave Ferriss showed good stuff, giving up only six hits in 6 1/3 innings and
permitting but only three flyballs. The Red Sox are learning the hard way that
is the little things that can win or lose ballgames. It was the first "Ladies
Day" at the ballpark and 895 of the gals came out to cheer on the Red Sox. |
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