‘53 Brownies take 2 of 3 from ‘65 Sahx

Fenway Park was the scene of a couple of wild contests in which the '53 Browns had ninth inning comebacks to snatch a couple of wins away from the home standing Red Sox.

And just like the recently completed MLB ALDS series, the Red Sox won the game played in St. Louis, thus the road team won all three games in this series.

Game One in Boston - Browns 10, Red Sox 9

The Browns travelled from Toronto to Boston to start week 4, yet much of the first game in Boston was similar to the final game north of the border. The Browns coaxed 11 walks in this contest, whereas they had 12 in the final game against the Blue Jays, and came back late to win.

This one featured a lot of scoring, with both teams surrendering big leads. Jim Lonborg took the hill for Boston, facing fellow righty Duane Pillette. After a quiet first 1/3 of the game, which featured only one run, that plated by Lonborg himself who reached on an error and later scored on a Carl Yastrzemski double, the Browns bats came alive. They put three on the board in the fourth, and knocked Big Jim out of the box in the fifth with four more tallies. Light hitting shortstop Billy Hunter was in the middle of both rallies, singling in the 3rd and doubling in the fourth to drive in run in each frame. The 2 RBI tripled Hunter's season RBI total.

The sixth inning was Boston's turn to thrive, as they scored 5 of their own to cut the Browns lead from 7-1 to 7-6, Tony Conigliaro's 3-run homer was the big blow. Venerable Satchel Paige was the victim of most of the damage. Paige stayed around to get battered in the 8th inning as well, giving up three more runs to give the Red Sox a 9-7 lead going into the ninth.

Boston's other Monster, big Dick Radatz, came on in the ninth to finish off the Browns. But Radatz could not control his blazing fastball, as a single and two walks loaded the bases with one out. After Moose struck out Don Lenhardt, Billy Hunter was credited with yet another RBI, working Radatz for his third walk of the frame to force in a run. Pinch-hitter Roy Sievers then struck out, before Bobby Young singled to left center to plate the tying and lead runs. Jerry Stephenson replaced Radatz, and appropriately walked Johnny Groth before getting Vic Wertz to fly out to center fielder Jim Gosger to end the disaster.

Bobo Hollomon came on and pitched around a single and a walk of his own to preserve the win. Paige, despite giving up 6 runs in three innings, had the good fortune of getting credited with the win.

Game Two in Boston - Browns 8, Red Sox 7

In a case of deja vu all over again, once again the Red Sox squandered a two-run ninth inning lead, and once again Satchel Paige was the pitcher of record who benefited from the ninth inning 3 run rally.

Lou Kretlow took the mound for St. Louis, making his debut as a starter, facing talented Boston righty Earl Wilson. Kretlow was in trouble during his entire 3.1 inning stint, giving up 9 hits and four runs, all earned.

The Red Sox used 12 hits, at least one by each of the 8 starting position players, to build a 7-5 lead going in to the ninth. The top of the order, Felix Mantilla, Rico Petrocelli and Carl Yastrzemski, combined for 7 of those 12 hits.

With Radatz' problems from the yesterday's game, the Red Sox stuck with Jay Ritchie on the mound in the ninth. Ritchie had taken over for Wilson in the seventh. Once again the base on balls was a key to the Browns rally, as Don Lenhardt pinch hit to start the inning and walked. Bobby Young then hit a ball to Ritchie's right, but in his haste to get Young at first he threw low, pulling Lee Thomas off the bag and getting charged with an error in the process. Johnny Groth then effectively ended the Browns chance at a second straight comeback by grounding into a double play, Lenhardt moving to third. But another walk, this time to Vic Wertz kept the game going. Jerry Stephenson then replaced Ritchie, and Dick Kryhoski greeted him with a double to the alley in right center that plated the tying runs. Clint Courtney then finally got his first RBI of the season, singling in Kryhoski, who scored on a somewhat daring and aggressive wave of the runner by the Browns third base coach. Jim Dyck's fly out ended the inning, but for the second straight day the Browns put a 3-spot up in the ninth inning to erase a 2 run defict.

Marlin Stuart came on and coasted through the ninth, striking out the final two batters he faced to earn his first save of the season.

Game Three in St. Louis - Red Sox 5, Browns 2

In a fairly uneventful contest compared to the first two, Bill Monbouquette pitched 7.2 innings of clutch baseball to best Bob Cain and the Browns 5-2. Monbo allowed 11 hits, struck out only 1 while walking 2, but was tough when he had to be in keeping the Browns from lighting up the scoreboard.

Each team had a dozen hits, with Felix Mantilla, Carl Yastrzemski, Frank Malzone and Eddie Bressoud getting two knocks apiece for Boston. Johnny Groth lead the Browns with three hits, and had the game's only home run.

The battered Moose Radatz from game one came on in the eighth and got the final four outs, striking out three and walking only one this time, to earn his fifth save.

--submitted by Bike Mike--