Cleveland, Not Boston: Part 1

This all was in the Cardinals half of the eighth inning. The Red Sox, of course, rallied in the ninth inning only to fall short. Rudy York and Bobby Doerr led off with singles to put runners on first and second. Pinky Higgins forced Doerr at second, moving York to third with only one out. Boston is still waiting for York to score.

Back to the two games at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees won both to finish one game ahead of Boston. As is their wont, the Red Sox led the first of the two games 4-0 at the end of the third inning and as usually happens, the Yankees won 5-4 when Johnny Lindell hit an eighth inning home run. Joe Page, who worked 6 2/3 innings in relief of starter Allie Reynolds because Stengel, who managed the Yankees to seven World Championships, went to his grave never knowing that there was such a thing as a ?closer,? was the winning pitcher.

The next day Vic Raschi nursed a 1-0 lead, provided when Phil Rizzuto led off the first with a line drive down the left field line that went for a triple and scored when Tommy Henrich grounded out to Bobby Doerr at second, into the eighth inning. Boston manager Joe McCarthy pinch hit for starter Ellis Kinder in Boston?s half of the eighth and brought in twenty five game winner Mel Parnell to face the Yankees in the bottom of the eighth. It didn?t work.

Henrich hit a home run and then, with the bases loaded, Jerry Coleman cleared them with a looping fly to right that eluded Al Zarilla. It was 5-0 Yankees but the Red Sox don?t just lose. They lose so it hurts.

With one out in the top of the ninth, Ted Williams drew a walk, went to second on a wild pitch, and stopped at third when Vern Stephens singled. Bobby Doerr hit a long drive to center for a two run triple that an ailing DiMaggio couldn?t reach.

Al Zarilla flied out to Cliff Mapes, who was playing center field but the Red Sox are the Red Sox. Billy Goodman singled home Doerr to make the score 5-3 to bring the tying run to the plate in the person of Birdie Tebbetts, who had only five home runs. Tebbetts fouled out to first baseman Tommy

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