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BOSTON RED SOX
...
THE
CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 3
A
SUBWAY SERIES DISAPPEARS ...
Mickey Harris handcuffs the Yankees
April 23, 1948 ... Mickey
Harris put the Red Sox in the win column today as he hurled a five
hitter at the New York Yankees before 44,609 home opening fans at the
Stadium. In making manager Joe McCarthy's Yankee Stadium debut as a
rival manager, Harris shutout the Yankees by a score 4 to 0. While
Ted Williams, with his first home run of the year, and a pair of singles paced
the offense, followed by Bobby Doerr and Birdie Tebbetts, it was a clutch
pitching of Harris that made the afternoon. He walked four and struck out one,
weathered a pair of dangerous innings in the fourth and fifth, then permitted
but one hit in the last four frames. He was aided by the fine defensive
performance in centerfield by Dominic DiMaggio, while his big brother Joe,
received his 1947 most valuable player award before the start of the game.
Dominic threw down eight fly balls, taking an almost certain get away from Phil
Rizzuto and one from Bill Johnson.
The Yankee pitching was nothing in comparison to Harris' exhibition as
Yankees starter Frank Shea, who went five innings was in constant trouble. He
was relieved by Joe Page, who walked three batters in two innings and was no
better than Page. Red Embree was the only one who set the Sox down, but it was
too late. Shea got into hot water by walking Harris to open the third inning.
Dom DiMaggio wore him down by fouling off numerous pitches and finally was
rewarded with a walk. Then Ted singled to right center and Harris was on the
verge of pulling up at third-base. But Joe DiMaggio fumbled the ball, allowing
Harris to scamper home with the first Red Sox run.
Bobby Doerr started the fourth inning with a single to left, went to second
on Sam Mele's roller, and later scored on Tebbetts base hit, to give the Red Sox
their second run. The game was practically put on ice in the next inning.
Williams walloped the ball over the head of the leaping Tommy Henrich into the
right-field stands at the 340 foot mark. Henrich all but dismembered himself by
jumping and half falling into the stands trying to reach the drive.
Stan Spence singled to right and a Yankee fan reached out to touch the ball
in fair territory to make it an automatic ground rule double. Then Vern Stephens
drilled a hot grounder that broke through Billy Johnson and Spence stopped at
third. With this set up, Bobby Doerr flied out to Joe DiMaggio in fairly short
right field and the entire stadium waited with bated breath to see if his
questionable arm would make a good throw. DiMaggio's throw went weakly to the
pitcher's mound and was taken on a cut-off to keep Stephens from going the
second. Doerr scored on play but the crowd murmured about the weak throw made by
Joe D.
The Sox did no further scoring but the Yankees didn't do any either. Harris
first applied the brakes in the fourth when he flirted with danger by walking
Johnny Lindell. Joe D. drilled a single to left and the runners moved up as Vern
Stephens was throwing out Souchock at the plate. Harris intentionally passed
Johnson the load the bases and Stephens came up with Phil Rizzuto's hot ground
ball to start an inning ending double play.
In the fifth inning, Gus Niarhos was passed and with two outs Henrich
singled. Johnny Lindell walked to fill the bases and up came Joe DiMaggio in a
position to tie up the game. Joe sent a low liner, which nearly got by Johnny
Pesky, but the Sox third baseman nailed the ball to end the threat. |
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