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BOSTON RED SOX
...
THE
CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 3
A
SUBWAY SERIES DISAPPEARS ...
Two rookies star for the Sox in an easy win
May 21, 1948 ... With
rookies, Matt Batts and Billy Goodman bashing home vital runs and Ted
Williams getting four hits and two walks in six plate appearances,
the Red Sox won their first game on the road trip by defeating the
Cleveland Indians 11 to 5. The victory ended a string of three losses
and also was the first time the Red Sox had beaten the Indians this
year. The longest hit of the Boston attack was a 400 foot home run
by Ted Williams that went into the upper right-field deck during the sixth
inning. It was hit off relief pitcher Steve Gromek when the Red Sox were already
well ahead. There was nobody on and it was Williams only run batted in of the
day. The hits of the rookies however, were more timely.
The Indians jumped out to a two run lead in the opening inning. Pitcher Joe
Dobson issued three walks and two of the base runners crossed the plate when Joe
Gordon lined a single to left. But in the second inning, thanks to Batts, the
Red Sox drove Indians starter, Bill Kennedy, from the mound and tied the score.
Bobby Doerr and Sam Mele opened up with singles and when right-field, Larry
Doby, let Mele's single go through, Doerr scored and Mele ran over to
third-base. Matt Batts, the rookie catcher, stepped up and banged a single to
left, to score Mele with the tying run. After Kennedy walked Jake Jones, manager
Lou Boudreau yanked him out and Alan Gettel came in to take his place.
In the third inning the Red Sox went out in front as Williams and Vern
Stephens both got on with base hits. Williams however was thrown out at third by
firstbaseman Eddie Robinson on Bobby Doerr's attempted sacrifice bunt. Mele
singled home one run and Batts was purposely passed, after which another run
came home when Jones flew out to centerfield.
Down 4 to 2, singles by Boudreau, Robinson and Keltner produce a Cleveland
run in the third. But Cleveland's visions of the victory were obliterated in the
fourth inning.
Dominic DiMaggio walked and Billy Goodman boomed a 380 foot triple to
right-center. Williams and Doerr then both walked and Batts virtually broke up
the game with a single up the middle that scored two more runs, making it 7 to
3. The rest of the runs, with the possible exception of Doby's two run homer in
the seventh had little meaning, as the Sox coasted to 11 to 5 win.
By walking three men in the first inning, Dobson ran the total base on balls,
issued by Boston pitchers, to 21 in nine innings. |
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