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Message #: 16112
A preview of how things are going to be in 1944 and beyond, as the dice & splits hammered away at the Cubbie pitchers (our hitters and -- especially -- baserunners were hardly exempt either), as we came one microscopic-probability event away from losing a series to a 7th place team. The Cubs conclude that most rare of seasons, one in which we played up to our actual talent level, and now advance to the World Series against the Tigers where we will lose to Hal Newhouser twice and, if necessary, 3 times.... Game 1: The home plate umpire squeezed rookie starter Prince Oana and reliever Frank Papish to the tune of *ELEVEN* free passes (Oana has no hits on his card; what else could HAL do?). Each time the Cubs came back to tie the contest, the Cardinals immediately untied it, and the death blow came in a 3-run 8th which was keyed by a timely and critical blown-x by the Cubs' D. Final score: 6-3. ================================================================================= Game 2: Our 2-0 lead after half an inning was erased immediately, as HAL laser-beamed in on the hits in Claude Passeau's 4 column. But after the opening frame, numerous hits and free passes for both teams resulted in nothing but LOB (12 apiece), though the Cubs did manage to take the lead in the 6th via a pair of triples (1 scored, 1 LOBbed). Ace closer Sal Maglie was called upon to close it out in the 9th, but with St. Louis down to their final out Maglie choked up the tying hits, just his 4th blown save of the season. Maglie was yanked and replaced by Perfect Paul Erickson, who lived up to his nickname with 5 IP of 1-hit scoreless relief and earned his 8th win while lowering his ERA to 1.65. Finally in the 15th inning, Marty Marion, who hit 1 home run in MLB in 1945 but was still waiting for it to happen in Pre-Smiley, got a HR 1, fb(B) 2-20 with 2 runners on base -- and got the HR!!! -- on what will surely be our last good split card of the 1940's. Final score: 6-3 in 15. ================================================================================= Game 3: Jess Flores notched win #17 against just 3 losses and, though hardly known for his hitting prowess, helped himself at the plate with 2 hits and 2 RBI, both of which led the CHN batters today. Cubs win, 8-1. Flores worked just 5 innings before turning things over to a very hittable bullpen (4 IP, 7 hits) and SLN stranded 12 runners for the 3rd straight day. Ray Prim was particularly hittable as he has been all season long; with the card he has, his stats should be twice as good as Erickson's. Slumping Phil Cavarretta won't hit .400 this season or even .390, but he had 5 hits in games 2 & 3, with 2 triples and a home run among them. ================================================================================= Game 4: The traditional season-ending bench-emptier, with the Cubs sleepwalking through the occasion and losing by the count of 4-1. We got behind immediately and stayed there, doing little with SLN starter Harry Brecheen aside from amassing a high LOB total, while the Cards stopped doing that. CHN starter Tiny Bonham faced 7 batters, 4 of them got hits, 2 scored, he took the loss. In a rare performance, the 6 CHN pitchers combined to walk nobody. Utility infielder Eddie Joost was on base 4 time in 5 plate appearances, drawing a walk and collecting 3 of our measly 7 hits today. SLN third baseman Whitey Kurowski beat the entire Cubs offense by himself, walloping Bonham and reliever Frank Papish for a pair of solo gophers. Alan |
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