Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Three-man pitching rotations will be used for starting pitchers. Injuries are in-game only during this single elimination event.
The Boston Red Sox outlasted the Philadelphia A’s 11-8 in a slugfest to reach the championship game of the 1938 Tournament.
With the win, the Red Sox will entertain the Cincinnati Reds in Fenway Park for the title.
Boston got things underway early with four unearned runs in the bottom of the first against A’s starter Lynn Nelson.
Pinky Higgins smacked a RBI double before Ben Chapman drove in two more runs with a two-bagger. Bobby Doerr capped the outburst with a run-scoring single.
The A’s eventually tied the affair at 4-4 as they scored two runs in the both the second and third innings off Boston starter Jack Wilson.
Wayne Ambler had a two-run single in the second. Bob Johnson knocked in a run on a ground out, while Chapman added a RBI single to tie it.
The Red Sox took control of the contest in the fourth as they sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six times.
Joe Vosmik broke the tie with a two-run single. Jimmie Foxx picked up a RBI with a single before Joe Cronin added another tally with a double. A triple by Higgins produced the last two runs and it was 10-4.
Both teams scored a run in the seventh. Dario Lodigiani had a RBI double for the A’s, while Gene Desautels drove in a unearned run off Nels Potter on a fielder’s choice.
Philadelphia scored three runs in the top of the ninth as Wilson was hoping for a complete game.
Johnson and Chapman ended Wilson’s effort with back-to-back RBI doubles. Archie McKain was called from the bullpen and he was greated by a run-scoring single by Lodigiani, who finished with a game-high four hits.
Wilson (1-0) did earn the victory as he left the game with one out in the ninth after allowing 11 hits with seven walks and two strikeouts.
McKain was able to pick up the save as he would record two outs despite giving up a pair of hits.
Nelson (0-1) was tagged with the loss as he was sent to the showers with two outs in the fourth. He gave up 10 runs with six earned on 10 hits, while hitting a batter and fanning two.
Jim Reninger, Potter and Dave Smith finished up on the mound for the A’s.
1938 Tournament
Championship Game
(4) Cincinnati Reds at (2) Boston Red Sox
Semifinals
(4) Cincinnati Reds 4, (7) St. Louis Browns 2
(2) Boston Red Sox 11, (8) Philadelphia A’s 8
Second Round Results
(4) Cincinnati Reds 5, (1) New York Yankees 4
(7) St. Louis Browns 5, (6) St. Louis Cardinals 4 (10 innings)
(8) Philadelphia A’s 8, (4) Detroit Tigers 7 (10 innings)
(2) Boston Red Sox 8, (6) Chicago White Sox 0
First Round Results
(1) New York Yankees 4, (8) Philadelphia Phillies 2 (22 innings)
(4) Cincinnati Reds 3, (5) Washington Senators 1
(6) St. Louis Cardinals 4, (3) Cleveland Indians 3 (10 innings)
(7) St. Louis Browns 10, (2) Pittsburgh Pirates 0
(8) Philadelphia A’s 3, (1) Chicago Cubs 0
(4) Detroit Tigers 5, (5) Boston Bees 1
(6) Chicago White Sox 6, (3) New York Giants 0
(2) Boston Red Sox 6, (7) Brooklyn Dodgers 3