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BILLY HITCHCOCK |
BOSTON RED
SOX ...
THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 3
A
SUBWAY SERIES DISAPPEARS ...
Billy Hitchcock helps Mel Parnell beat the Tigers
August 31, 1948
... Billy Hitchcock proved to be an ideal
replacement for Bobby Doerr, when 33,310 chilly spectators watched
the Red Sox trample the Detroit Tigers, 8 to 4. Hitchcock belted home
three runs and scored the fourth, to help Mel Parnell win his fourth
consecutive victory, as the Red Sox maintained their lead in the
American League. Art Houtteman was the victim of the latest Red Sox
success. He stayed around only for five innings, as a porous Tiger defense
enabled the Red Sox to pile up an early 4 to 1 lead. Parnell hurled brilliant
baseball for five innings, but he tired over the last four, getting clipped for
six hits and three runs. But Mel had enough left in the tank to come through in
the clutch and pick up his 11th win.
Ted Williams doubled to left-center with two outs in the first, and Vern
Stephens sent a twisting ground ball down the first base line that shot past
firstbaseman, George Vico, into right field for a double, giving the Red Sox a 1
to 0 lead. A walk to Billy Goodman started a three-run second inning after the
Tigers had tied it up in the top half. Birdie Tebbetts followed by belting a
long drive to centerfield that Hoot Evers dropped, for a two base error.
Hitchcock then put his team ahead, when he clipped a fastball into left-center
for a double that scored Goodman and Tebbetts. Hitchcock himself scored when
Jimmy Outlaw made an error on a long fly to right by Dom DiMaggio.
In the sixth inning with two outs the Tigers picked up another run and the
Red Sox countered in their half of the inning when Spence walked and Goodman
beat out a bunt. Tebbetts sacrificed them over and Hitchcock bounced a single
off Johnny Lipon's outstretched glove, that brought Spence home.
Again in the seventh inning, the Tigers got another run and again the Red Sox
came back in their half of the inning. Al Benton walked Johnny Pesky and Ted
Grey came in to relieve him. Grey didn't help by walking Ted Williams, but
managed to retire the next two men. Then he lost it as while he was striking out
Spence, Pesky and Williams worked a double steal with Johnny scoring. Grey next
threw a wild pitch, that sent Williams over to third. Ted scored when Tebbetts
bounced a single that hit Vico in the face, at first. That put the Sox up 7-3.
DiMaggio opened the Sox eighth with a single and took third on a single by
Williams. He scored when Vern Stephens rolled out. Mel Parnell had flutters in
the top of the ninth when with one gone, Jimmy Outlaw got a base hit. He walked
Dick Wakefield and Pat Mullin singled in Outlaw for a run making it 8 to 4.
Parnell is now won four straight over the Tigers since coming to the Sox a
year ago. He has beat the Tigers three in a row this year. It was the Sox 12th
win in 17 games against Detroit.
Bobby Doerr didn't dress for the game and is going to Philadelphia with the
club tomorrow. He has a torn muscle in his left thigh. |
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