[Nick Soulis]

Series #253



BROOMS AT BRAVES FIELD
BROOKLYN’S BOYS OF SUMMER SWEEP



FIELD OF DREAMS — PLAY-IN SERIES #253
Game: #1
Ebbets Field
Brooklyn 1953 Dodgers 13
Boston 1923 Braves 3
Winning Pitcher: Carl Erskine (Brooklyn 1953)
Losing Pitcher: Rube Marquard (Boston 1923)
Saves: None
Home Runs:
Roy Campanella (Brooklyn) — 2
Billy Southworth (Boston) — 1
Hank Gowdy (Boston) — 1
Player of the Game: Roy Campanella (2 HR, 6 RBI)
1953 Brooklyn 1953 leads 1–0

Game 1 of Play-In Series #253 settled quickly into Brooklyn’s hands as the **1953 Brooklyn Dodgers** overwhelmed the visiting **1923 Boston Braves** 13–3 at Ebbets Field. Boston showed early life with first- and second-inning home runs, briefly puncturing the mismatch narrative, but Brooklyn’s patience steadily tightened the game. Roy Campanella turned the afternoon into a statement, launching two home runs—including a decisive sixth-inning grand slam—to drive in six and break the contest open. Carl Erskine absorbed early pressure and went the distance, allowing Brooklyn’s depth and discipline to take control inning by inning. By the end, the Dodgers had transformed a competitive start into a commanding opener, taking a 1–0 series lead and reinforcing why structure, over time, can be just as devastating as power.

PLAY-IN SERIES #253
Game: #2
Ebbets Field
Brooklyn 1953 Dodgers 13
Boston 1923 Braves 3
Winning Pitcher: Johnny Podres (Brooklyn 1953)
Losing Pitcher: Johnny Cooney (Boston 1923)
Saves: None
Home Runs: Duke Snider (Brooklyn) — 2
Roy Campanella (Brooklyn) — 1
Gil Hodges (Brooklyn) — 1
Billy Southworth (Boston) — 1
Player of the Game: Gil Hodges (4-for-5, HR, 4 R, 3 RBI)
1953 Brooklyn Dodgers leads 2–0

Game 2 of Play-In Series #253 reinforced Brooklyn’s authority as the 1953 Dodgers rolled past the 1923 Boston Braves 13–3 at Ebbets Field, seizing a commanding 2–0 series lead. Brooklyn struck immediately with four first-inning runs and never allowed the game to breathe, turning early pressure into sustained control. Gil Hodges delivered a relentless performance at the heart of the order, collecting four hits, scoring four times, and driving in three, while Duke Snider and Roy Campanella supplied the thunder that blew the game open, including Campanella’s three-run homer in the fourth that erased any remaining suspense. Behind them, Johnny Podres worked steadily through seven innings, absorbing traffic without surrendering momentum. By the end, the Dodgers had once again transformed a competitive matchup on paper into a lopsided reality on the field, sending the series to Boston with Brooklyn firmly in command.

PLAY-IN SERIES #253
Game 3
Braves Field
Brooklyn 1953 Dodgers 10,
Boston 1923 Braves 9
Winning Pitcher: Bill Milliken (Brooklyn 1953)
Losing Pitcher: Larry Benton (Boston 1923)
Save: Jim Hughes (Brooklyn 1953)
Home Runs:
Duke Snider (Brooklyn) — 1
Carl Furillo (Brooklyn) — 2
Roy Powell (Boston) — 1
Billy Southworth (Boston) — 1
Player of the Game: Billy Southworth (3-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB)
1953 Brooklyn Dodgers leads 3–0

Game 3 at Braves Field delivered the first true test of the series, as the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers survived a furious late rally to edge the 1923 Boston Braves 10–9 and move within one win of a sweep. Brooklyn appeared to seize control with a five-run third inning and timely power from Duke Snider and Carl Furillo, but Boston refused to fade in front of its home crowd. Billy Southworth authored a defiant performance, reaching base five times and driving in four, igniting a dramatic five-run seventh inning that briefly threatened to flip the series’ tone. Still, Brooklyn answered pressure the way favorites must, leaning on timely hits from Roy Campanella and steady late relief from Jim Hughes to close the door. The Braves finally found their voice, but the Dodgers left Boston with the only thing that matters—another win and a commanding 3–0 series lead.

FIELD OF DREAMS — PLAY-IN SERIES #253
Game: #4
Braves Field
Final Score: Brooklyn 1953 Dodgers 5,
Boston 1923 Braves 2
Winning Pitcher: Russ Meyer (Brooklyn 1953)
Losing Pitcher: Tom McNamara (Boston 1923)
Save: Jim Hughes (Brooklyn 1953)
Home Runs: None
Player of the Game: Russ Meyer (8.1 IP, 2 R, 6 K)

Game 4 at Braves Field closed Play-In Series #253 with a measured, professional finish as the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers completed a four-game sweep by defeating the 1923 Boston Braves 5–2. Unlike the earlier blowouts, this clincher unfolded patiently, with Brooklyn applying steady pressure rather than overwhelming force. Gil Hodges again anchored the offense, driving in key runs while the Dodgers chipped away across the middle innings to build a lead Boston could never quite threaten. On the mound, Russ Meyer delivered the defining performance of the afternoon, working deep into the game with calm efficiency and denying the Braves any sustained rally before handing the final outs to Jim Hughes. Boston showed late life with two ninth-inning runs, but the outcome was already sealed. The sweep was completed not with spectacle, but with control—Brooklyn advancing by proving it could finish a series as cleanly as it began one.


1953 Brooklyn Dodgers Win Series 4 Games To 0

Series MVP:

(10/16, 10 R, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 2B, 1.062 SLG, 1.762 OPS)