Chicago Cubs (1-1) @ Washington Senators (1-1)
CHC: King Cole (0-0) v WAS: Lou Brissie (0-0)
Brissie pitched the Sens to their clinching victory on the last day of the regular season, so he knows what’s required here. But he’ll have his work cut out for him here against fellow 20-game winner Cole.
Almost from the off, this one looks to be a complete fizzer. I say almost because the Cubs actually score first, taking a 1-0 lead in the opening inning on a Johnstone single. From there, however, the home team completely dominates proceedings, blowing the game wide open with 4 in the 2nd on three hits and two more errors by the hapless Chicago defence including another one by Lavagetto, who I’m sure will have nightmares about this series for years to come. They go further ahead in the 3rd on an Arcia double, add another in the 4th, and when a solo shot by Gonzalez in the 5th makes it 7-1, this (non-)contest looks over.
But, as the Cubs showed plenty of times throughout the year, you write them off at your own peril, and they come storming back in the 8th to bring the game to life.
Lavagetto triples to lead it off and scores on a Larker single, but when the Sens record two outs that run seems as if it will be nothing but a bit of window-dressing. Even when Snyder walks to keep the inning alive the home side must feel like they have it in the bag. That’s when the wheels come off. Gross singles, scoring Larker to make it a squeamish 7-3. A wild pitch with Woodward at the plate adds another, and when he singles the Cubs have men at the points. Nevertheless, Washington manager Jim Manning sticks with Brissie, who rewards his skipper by giving up a 2-run triple to Dunwoody. Even when Brissie hits pinch-hitter Pepe Mangual to put the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first, Manning refuses to go to the pen. This time Brissie gets the job done by getting Lavagetto to fly out, ending the inning with it now just one run the difference.
Brissie returns for the 9th and the question begs as to how little faith Manning has in his relief corps. That question goes from beg to scream when Brissie gives up a two-out double to Tresh and then walks Snyder, once again putting the go-ahead run on base. But in the end Brissie hangs on, as Otto Kreuger flies out to CF and the Sens get home 7-6. Rudy Law’s 3-hit / 2 ribbie performance earns him the PoG.
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