[jksander]

SEPTEMBER 30, 1954
WORLD SERIES, GAME TWO
Cleveland Guardians (1-0) at Chicago Cubs (0-1)

1:05 PM -- Wrigley Field ... Attendance: 38,449
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 56 Degrees, Wind blowing in from center, 9 miles per hour

CHICAGO STARTER: Robert Diehl (16-5, 2.47 ERA, 219.0 IP, 105 K’s, 1.08 WHIP)
CLEVELAND STARTER: Mike Garcia (19-11, 2.80 ERA, 279.2 IP, 151 K’s, 1.15 WHIP)

Diehl got us going with three quick outs in the top of the first, but we left two stranded in the bottom of the inning as the score stayed knotted at zero. Cavarretta committed a fielding error, allowing Ray Boone aboard in the top of the second, and Cleveland went up 1-0 off an RBI line drive single by Mike Garcia. Avilla drove in a second run, and our defenses crumbled; Al Rosen missed an easy grab at third and a third run scored as a result, all three runs having come with two outs. Diehl gave up a fourth run an RBI single by Lary Doby, and then we mercifully ended the inning trailing 4-0 as we watched our World Series hopes begin to crumble. Roger Maris hit a hard shot out into left field in the bottom of the sixth, a double that drove in a run and put two in scoring position. But Ernie Banks flew out to short, and Al Rosen flew out to center, ending the inning with us still in a 4-1 hole. Vern Fear came in for the top of the seventh, and it did not go as planned. A walk by Mike Garcia and then a perfect bunt by Avila, and then suddenly a pair of hits and we’re down 5-1 with just one out thanks to a fielder’s choice. Fear got us the last two outs, but the damage was done.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Vern Fear got off a hit into right, reaching base safely, and then Al Kaline beat out an infield throw, giving us a man in scoring position with Cavarretta coming up to hit. But he batted out to short, ending the inning with two more stranded. Fear got us three outs in the top of the eighth, and we were able to get a run back in the bottom of the eighth on an Al Rosen RBI single that drove in Mays from third, but it was on two outs, and we couldn’t sustain a rally. Elston Howard batted out to second and we were running out of chances. Harry Dorish got us three outs to get into the bottom of the ninth trailing by three. Ray Sievers hit a towering homer over the center field Ivy to make it 5-3, and then Al Kaline hit a solo blast over into right field, pullig us to within a run, down 5-4 with one out! Cavarretta took a walk to first on balls, but Willie Mays batted out to the shortstop, bringing up Roger Maris, two outs, one on, all the marbles on the line. He struck out, swinging, and the Cleveland Guardians beat us by one. We head to Ohio day after tomorrow trailing two games to none and things are feeling bleak here on the north side.

Diehl lasted six innings, giving up four UNEARNED runs on seven pitches, striking out five but exiting with his confidence shot. Fear lasted two innings with just two hits, a strikeout and a walk, surrendering a run, while Dorish got through his inning perfect in nine pitches. We even outhit the Guardians 12-9, but left so many damned runners stranded I just can’t figure it out! Sievers and Kaline kept it close with their homers, but really the game was never close. Kaline hit four times to score twice and bat in a run, and Mays and Maris each had a pair of hits. But we’re not gelling as a lineup, and as a result the Guardians are running all over us.

We cannot afford to go down 3-0, so it is very likely we’ll be pitching Hy Cohen as our starter when we get to Cleveland.