[Nick Soulis]

Series #228



Bridges’ Shutouts Lift Tigers Past Indians
Detroit 1942 rides dominant pitching to a 4–1 series win over Cleveland



Game 1
At Briggs Stadium
1925 Cleveland Indians 0
1942 Detroit tigers 4
WP: T. Bridges (1-0) LP: G. Buckeye (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Tommy Bridges (9 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 125 P)
1942 Tigers Lead Series 1-0

Tommy Bridges dominated Game 1 at Briggs Stadium, tossing a complete-game three-hit shutout as the 1942 Detroit Tigers blanked the 1925 Cleveland Indians, 4–0, to seize a 1–0 lead in Series #228. Detroit broke through in the fifth inning with four runs, highlighted by clutch two-out RBIs from Johnny Bloodworth and Doc Cramer, while Garland Buckeye pitched well but was undone by shaky defense behind him. Cleveland never solved Bridges, as Tris Speaker and company were held quiet all afternoon, setting the tone for a Tigers series-opening victory.

Game 2
At Briggs Stadium
1925 Cleveland Indians 0
1942 Detroit tigers 1
WP: V. Trucks (1-0) LP: G. Uhle (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Virgil Trucks (9 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 125 P)
1942 Tigers Lead Series 2-0

Game 2 of Series #228 at Briggs Stadium mirrored the opener in one important way: Detroit’s pitching simply would not budge. Rookie right-hander Virgil Trucks authored a masterful complete-game shutout, scattering four Cleveland hits and never allowing the Indians a moment of momentum. Mixing his trademark fastball with enough breaking stuff to keep hitters guessing, Trucks recorded 15 fly-ball outs and three strikeouts on his way to silencing Tris Speaker’s club.
For Cleveland, veteran George Uhle nearly matched him pitch for pitch, allowing just a single run across eight gritty innings. That lone blemish came in the sixth when pinch-hitter Don Ross laced a double into the gap to score what proved to be the game’s only run. Detroit’s lineup left 11 men on base, but with Trucks in command, they only needed one tally.
The Tigers now hold a commanding 2–0 lead in the best-of-seven, having shut out the Indians in back-to-back games at home. Cleveland heads back to League Park knowing they must not only solve Detroit’s pitching but also regain confidence at the plate, having yet to score a run in 18 innings of play. The series resumes Sunday, with the Indians desperate to find life before it slips away completely.

Game 3
At League Park
1942 Detroit tigers 3
1925 Cleveland Indians 2 (12 inn)
WP: H. Newhouser (1-0) LP: B. Karr (0-1) S: D. Trout (1)
HR: None
POG: Al Benton (9 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 131 P)
1942 Tigers Lead Series 3-0



he Detroit Tigers of 1942 are one step away from a sweep. Behind the grit of starter Al Benton and a clutch double from pinch-hitter Don Parsons in the 12th inning, Detroit edged the Cleveland Indians of 1925, 3–2, at League Park on Sunday afternoon to seize a commanding 3–0 lead in Series #228.
The Indians, desperate for a spark after being shut out in the first two games, finally broke through in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs and two on, catcher Glenn Myatt doubled into the right-center alley, driving in Tris Speaker and George Burns to put Cleveland ahead, 2–0. For the first time in the series, League Park roared with optimism.
That joy proved short-lived. Benton, a steady right-hander, settled down immediately, scattering four hits over nine innings and keeping the Tigers close. Detroit scratched across two runs to even the score, including a two-out RBI from slugger Rudy York.
From there, it was a marathon of missed chances. Detroit left a staggering 20 runners on base, while Cleveland’s offense went silent. Speaker, Joe Sewell, and Charlie Jamieson combined to go 0-for-12. Three costly errors by the Indians only deepened the frustration.
Finally, in the 12th inning, Detroit broke through. Parsons, summoned off the bench, lined a double to left off reliever Benn Karr. York’s ground ball brought him home, and the Tigers held on behind Dizzy Trout, who pitched a scoreless frame for the save.
Cleveland starter Jake Miller gave his team everything, throwing 145 pitches in 7.2 innings. But without offensive support, the Indians’ fate was sealed.
Benton earned Player of the Game honors for his nine-inning effort. “I just kept pounding the strike zone and trusted my defense,” Benton said afterward. “We had chances all day, and I knew eventually somebody would come through.”
With the win, the Tigers now lead the best-of-seven series, 3–0. One more victory will send them into the next round. The Indians, meanwhile, face elimination Monday in Game 4 at League Park.

Game 4
At League Park
1942 Detroit tigers 2
1925 Cleveland Indians 3 ( 11inn)
WP: B. Speece (1-0) LP: D. Trout (0-1)
HR: C. Jamieson (1)
POG: Hal White (8 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB,1 K, 129 P)
1942 Tigers Lead Series 3-2

The 1925 Cleveland Indians, backed into a corner and staring down elimination, fought their way to an extra-inning triumph Monday at League Park, edging the 1942 Detroit Tigers, 3–2, in 11 innings. With the win, Cleveland staved off the brooms and trimmed Detroit’s series lead to 3–1 in the best-of-seven.
The hero was an unlikely one: utility infielder Rube Lutzke. Thrust into the game as a late substitute, Lutzke delivered the biggest swing of the series for Cleveland, a walk-off single against Tigers reliever Dizzy Trout that plated pinch-hitter Pat McNulty with the winning run.
“I just wanted to put the ball in play,” Lutzke said afterward, grinning as teammates mobbed him. “The fans have been waiting for something to cheer, and I’m glad I could give it to them.”
Cleveland’s breakthrough came after a tense pitcher’s duel. James Edwards, the veteran right-hander, battled through seven innings, allowing two runs while stranding runners in key moments. Relievers Johnny Shaute and By Speece held the Tigers scoreless over the final four frames, setting the stage for Lutzke’s heroics.
The Indians had struck first in the third inning when Charlie Jamieson blasted a solo home run — Cleveland’s first long ball of the series. Catcher Glenn Myatt later added a two-out RBI, giving Cleveland just enough offense to survive.
Detroit, meanwhile, missed chances to finish the job. Outfielder Nate Harris tripled home a run in the sixth to tie the game, and center fielder Doc Cramer added a two-out RBI single, but the Tigers stranded 10 runners in total.
Rookie right-hander Hal White deserved a better fate. He pitched eight strong innings, surrendering only two runs and showing the poise of a seasoned veteran. But in the end, Trout could not hold the tie.
For Cleveland, the win brings hope. The series still tilts heavily in Detroit’s favor, but the sting of three straight losses has been eased, if only for a day.

Game 5
At League Park
1942 Detroit tigers 4
1925 Cleveland Indians 0
WP: T. Bridges (2-0) LP: G. Buckeye (0-2)
HR: None
POG: Tommy Bridges (9 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 117 P)

Baseball is a game of moments. Some stretch for days, others are gone in an instant. For the 1942 Tigers, their moment is now.
Tommy Bridges, the right-hander with the quiet demeanor and the unshakable presence, bookended this series with shutouts. Nine innings on the opening day, nine more to finish it. In between, Detroit’s staff smothered Cleveland like a heavy blanket over a fading fire.
The Indians of 1925 had their chance. They had history, they had legends, they had the ghosts of League Park in their corner. But they could not find a way past Detroit’s pitching, nor match the consistency of their bats. When it mattered most, their stars — Speaker, Sewell, Jamieson — went silent.
And so it fell to Detroit. Doc Cramer with his bat. Rudy York with his grit. Bridges with his arm. Together, they turned a series into a statement.
There is a beauty in this Tigers club. They were not built on flash, nor blessed with overwhelming power. They are patient, methodical, precise. They pitch, they defend, they deliver timely hits. It is baseball stripped to its purest form.
In another time, America was at war when these Tigers played. They represented resilience. Tonight, in this Field of Dreams, they remind us again what resilience looks like.
Cleveland leaves empty-handed, but not without dignity. Detroit moves forward, a team bound by belief and execution. Their October continues, carried on the shoulders of a man named Bridges.

1942 Detroit Tigers Win Series 4 Games To 1

Series MVP:

(2-0. 2 CG, 18 Scoreless innings, 2 BB, 5 K, .146 OBA, 0.61 WHIP)