[tavo2311]

RESULTS: ROUND 2 - REGION 2:

2) 1911 Philadelphia A’s vs. 10) 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers

Carl Erskine and Jack Coombs square off in game 1 in Philly. This one was a back and forth affair, with Brooklyn striking first for a 5-0 lead by the 3rd. Carl Furillo’s grand slam being the big hit. But the game swung in the bottom of the 3rd and 4th with three runs in each for Philly. Frank “Home Run” Baker getting in on the action with the 3-run shot. With the 6-5 lead still intact in the top of the 6th Duke Snider took Cy Morgan, the starter who was on in relief after Coomb’s poor outing, out of the park for an 8-6 lead. Preacher Roe, the Brooklyn starter on in relief of their own shelled pitcher, went 5.1 relief shutout innings for the win, giving up 1 hit and no walks. What a gem he threw, but what will it do to the rotation for the rest of the series?

Game 2’s starters fared much better, on both sides, but Eddie Plank was the real star. Going eight innings with only 99 pitches, Plank gave up 4 hits and 2 runs, all coming after the A’s build a 6-0 lead already. Six different Philly hitters drove in a run in this one.

Though the tied series shifts to Brooklyn for game 3, the edge might really be swinging to Philadelphia as the depth of their rotation (1,050 innings from their top four SPs) should start to show the difference in quality vs. Brooklyn top to bottom. Chief Bender vs. Billy Loes was the matchup here, underscoring the previous point. Philly right fielder Danny Murphy had himself a day with two, 2-run HRs, leading to a 7-2 win for the A’s.

Game 4 had a return of the two #1 SPs on short rest, though not really short given their abbreviated outings previously. Both pitched much better this time, and the game was close throughout. Eventually Pee Wee Reese would drive in two in the 8th to extend the lead to 6-3, and Jim Hughes would close it out. The series is now tied at 2-2.

Game 5 was a classic, one of the games of the tourney thus far. Cy Morgan and Preacher Roe each had no hitters through the first three innings. The A’s had a big 4th helped along by Stuffy McInnis’ three run triple. Cy Morgan would continue to cruise and the Dodgers would get only one back for a 3-1 game going to the 9th. That’s when McInnis struck again and extended the lead to 5-1. On in relief for Philly was Boardwalk Brown, who spectacularly imploded! Jackie Robinson and Don Thompson each had RBIs for a 5-4 game when Jim Gilliam hit a walk off grand slam! The Dodgers with the most unlikely bottom of the 9th comeback and a 3-2 series lead.

Russ Meyer got the nod for Brooklyn, but would have a tough job ahead trying to close the series vs. Eddie Plank in hostile grounds. Both starters pitched gems, with only lone runs pushed across in the top 4th and bottom 7th. The game went to the 9th tied still when Carl Furillo’s and Jim Gilliam’s back to back run scoring doubles off Boardwalk Brown (tough series) opened a 3-1 lead. Jim Hughes came on for his second save of the series and got the A’s 1-2-3 to end it. Another big upset as a #2 seed falls. Plank pitched great, but the A’s managed a measly 3 hits in the game, and Boardwalk Brown ends the tourney with a 23.63 ERA.

Right fielder Carl Furillo took the MVP award home hitting .304 with 2 HRs and 9 RBIs.