Tuesday, December 30, 2014

World Series: Did You Know?

All four of New York's wins in the 1958 Fall Classic came from pitchers who at one point pitched in the St. Louis Browns' organization. Somewhere, these guys came to the right team, eh?

The Yankees, though, trailed the World Series two games to none against the Milwaukee Braves. Game three was in New York and Casey Stengel, the Yankee manager, went with Don Larsen.

Larsen was 7-12 with the St. Louis Browns in 1953, then went with the team as they moved to Baltimore in 1954. His record that year? 3-21.

But when he came to New York, he won. 9-2 in 1955, then 11-5 in '56. Oh, yeah! The perfect game in the Fall Classic that year! How could I forget? 11-5 in '57 and 10-4 in '58. But here, Don was needed to stop the bleeding. A perfect game was not required.

But pitch a shutout, he did. Only it was a combined shutout!

Bob Rush didn't exactly pitch too badly, either for the Braves. He left after six with a fine three-hitter. But he gave up two runs and reliever Don McMahon gave up another two. Larsen protected the lead through seven innings. Ryne Duren continued the shutout in the last two. The Yankees won, 4-0.

After losing game four to Warren Spahn, the Yankees were in a hole. Three games to one. But Bob Turley, who'd lost game two, was back in form for this one. Oh, I forgot to tell you that Turley was a teammate of Larsen's back in 1953 with the Browns. He went only 2-6 that season. But after coming to New York, he was a 20 game winner in this very year of '58!

And he was on his way to a shutout of his own in game five. But unlike Larsen's combined one, Turley needed no help. The Yankees scored seven runs for him and Bob stopped the Braves attack on a five-hitter.

So behind three games to two, this thing headed back to Milwaukee. In game six, it was a pitcher's duel after five innings. Ryne Duren came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth with the score tied at two. Ryne kept the Braves off the scoresheet through nine. In the top of the tenth, New York scored twice off Spahn to make it 4-2. But Milwaukee got one back in the bottom of the frame, and then had runners on first and third with two down. Turley came in to get the last out and the save. Duren, who picked up the win (His first ever in the Fall Classic) didn't ever throw a pitch for St. Louis, but made i to the bigs in 1954 when they moved to Baltimore. But he was drafted by the Browns, and pitched for five of their minor league teams. Ryne had just sent this thing to game seven!

Larsen started it for New York, but it was Turley who came in to pitch with one out in the third. Turley did his job, protecting a 2-1 lead for the third, fourth and fifth inning. In the bottom of the sixth, however, Milwaukee tied it on a home run by Del Crandall.

Lew Burdette was pitching a gem for the Braves from the get-go while all this was happening. The Yankees finally broke it open in the top of the eighth. A double, two singles and a home run put New York up by four. Turley set 'em down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame.

Still ahead, 6-2 going after 8 1/2, Bob trotted out to put this thing away. Bottom of the ninth. But Eddie Mathews walked. Crandall flew out to Hank Bauer in left. Mickey Mantle put the squeeze on a Johnny Logan flyball. Joe Adcock batted for Don McMahon, who had relieved Burdette. Adcock singled for the Braves' second hit off Turley. But when Red Schoendienst flied out to Mantle to end it, it was Turley 2-1, Larsen, 1-0, Duren 1-1 for New York in the 1958 Fall Classic!


References


Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Fonseca, Lew, director. World Series Of 1958. Major League Baseball Productions, 1958. DVD.

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Informationhttp://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 30 Dec. 2014.

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