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BILLY GOODMAN SLIDES INTO THIRD |
BOSTON RED SOX ...
THE
CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 3
A
SUBWAY SERIES DISAPPEARS ...
Bobby Doerr's almost perfect day
leads the Sox into third place
July 21, 1948
... The surging Red Sox fashioned another late
inning rally, to pull out a hectic 10 to 9 verdict over the battling
Chicago White Sox before a gathering of 29,850 at Fenway Park. Coming
on top of their afternoon victory, in which Joe Dobson won his 12th
game, the Sox racked up their fifth and sixth straight wins, equaling
their previous high of the year. But it was the late contest which
had the fans talking to themselves as they left the park, about a pennant. They
had good reason because after the thrilling ninth inning, three run comeback,
they pulled a victory out of defeat. Trailing 9 to 6, entering the last of the
eighth, kept the Red Sox fans in their seats by picking up one after Billy
Goodman's opening single, a double by Matt Batts and Dom DiMaggio's ground out
to Luke Appling.
Now down two runs in the ninth and against the relief pitching of fireballing
Glen Moulder, Stan Spence ignited the rally with a single to right. 43-year-old
veteran, Earl Caldwell then came into pitch for the White Sox and he hit Bobby
Doerr in the back with a hard fastball. After Doerr took first, Sam Mele stroked
a double inside the right-field foul line close to the stands. Secondbaseman
Cass Michaels took the relay and started the throw to the plate, but seeing
Doerr holding third, attempted to check his throw and the ball slipped out of
his hand. The ball rolled by first base into foul territory, allowing Doerr to
come in with the tying run and Mele to move over to third. Gordon was then
walked, to load the bases and Matt Batts lifted a fly out to right, that gave
Mele enough time to tag up and slide across the plate with the winning run.
Tex Hughson, who had come in to pitch the ninth-inning, in relief of Earl
Johnson, set the White Sox down in order, to pick up the win. Dave Ferriss was
knocked out for the eighth time in nine starts, as he failed to last two
innings, giving up four runs on six hits. Mike Palm gave up the fifth run of the
second inning and the White Sox picked up one more in the third.
In the bottom of the third the Red Sox went to work, as Stephens led off with
a walk and Doerr connected for his fifth straight hit, a wicked double off the
centerfield wall that missed by inches from becoming a home run. It scored three
of his teammates and Mele came up next to slap his second round tripper of the
year into the left field screen, that scored Doerr and had him and put the Red
Sox only one behind, 6 to 5.
Earl Johnson then came in and took over the pitching in the fourth inning and
held down the White Sox as his teammates tie the game up in their half. The
White Sox moved ahead in the fifth on three singles and moved ahead in the
seventh to put themselves out in front by three runs. Then came the eighth and
ninth innings and the Red Sox rallies.
Joe Dobson chalked up his 12th victory of the year in the afternoon, and his
first over the White Sox. He is now defeated every club in the American League
at least once. Dobson was working on a shutout until he faltered with two down
in the eighth, granting successive singles and a walk to load the bases. He then
walked Pat Seerey to force in the White Sox only run of the game.
Bobby Doerr enjoyed his first perfect game of the year, with two singles, a
double and a triple, but strangely enough did not bad in a run as he was the
first man at bat in four innings. Doerr's double and Billy Goodman single gave
the Red Sox a one to nothing lead in the second inning. Doerr's triple off the
centerfield wall an infield out marked up the second run in the fourth. Dobson,
who was a good hitting pitcher, doubled to left-center to open the eighth, and
came around on DiMaggio's infield hit and Johnny Pesky's sacrifice fly to right. |
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