June 29. Gm# 66 Fenway Park New York 13 Boston 10
SOX 4 HR’S ; TRIPLE PLAY, NOT ENOUGH AS N.Y. SCORES RECORD 12 RUNS IN 1 INN.
Mel Parnell left yesterday’s game at the end of the sixth inning, confident that a 9-1 lead would insure his 11th win.
After all, Johnny Pesky(3), Bobby Doerr(13), Vern Stephens(16) and Billy Goodman(1) had all hit home runs in support of Parnell.
The defense behind him had even turned a triple play, only the second one ever pulled off in Stratball. That rare event came in the top of the sixth. With none out, Billy Johnson on second and Gene Woodling on first, Cliff Mapes lined a ball to Bobby Doerr, for out number one. The Boston second sacker, moved a couple steps toward second and touched the bag, thereby retiring Johnson, who had started toward third on the hit ball.
Doerr then flipped the ball to shortstop, Stephens, who saw that Woodling was halfway between first and second and was scrambling back to first. Stephens tossed to Billy Goodman at first, to complete the triple play.
It is sad then, that Boston’s bullpen, specifically, Earl Johnson, Frank Quinn(6-4) and Chuck Stobbs imploded, allowing the Yankees to score a record dozen runs in the top of the seventh.
Here, batter by batter, is how the nightmare inning unfolded. Johnson, on in relief of Parnell, retired pinch hitter, Johnny Mize, on a groundout for the first out. But then, Jerry Coleman, Phil Rizzuto and Tommy Henrich all singled, loading the bases. Joe DiMaggio drew a walk, scoring Coleman and collecting his first rbi since returning from the disabled list.
Yogi Berra grounded out to first, but Rizzuto was able to score. Billy Johnson smashed a three run homer. Earl Johnson hit the showers and suddenly, it was 9-6 Boston.
Frank Quinn, who was tagged with the loss, came in and gave up a single to Woodling, then walked Mapes and pinch hitter, Charlie Keller, loading the bases again. Coleman singled, plating Woodling, then Rizzuto hit a three run triple.
Chuck Stobbs replaced Quinn, hoping to add his name to the Hall of Shame. He did so, by walking Henrich and giving up a three run bomb, the second of the inning, this time to Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio, who looks to have gotten his timing back.
Singles by Berra and Johnson followed, before mercifully, Woodling struck out to end the agony.
The Yankees were two batters short of batting around TWICE in one inning.
Jack Kramer, the fifth Boston pitcher of the day, finished up, and incredibly, didn’t allow a run!
The lesson here is that, while the Red Sox have had a fine season and are happy to be in first place, the New York Yankees are an incredibly dangerous team, one that no lead is safe against.
Boston’s bullpen is clearly the team’s weakest link and if the Red Sox falter, blame will likely fall on their shoulders.
The rubber game of the series is tomorrow, with Ellis Kinder to face Vic Rashi.
Other American League scores: St. Louis 1 Chicago 0; Detroit 4, 7 Cleveland 0, 8; Philadelphia 7 Washington 4.
Standing of the Clubs:
Boston/66/45/21/.682
New York/67/42/25/.627
Philadelphia/68/40/28/.588
Detroit/69/37/32/.536
Cleveland/64/32/32/.500
Washington/65/30/35/.462
Chicago/69/25/44/.362
St. Louis/66/17/49/.258
Stratastic Baseball Replays 
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