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 St. Louis Browns continue to be a surprise team in the 1938 Tournament.
The Browns outlasted their city rival St. Louis Cardinals with a 5-4 win in 10 innings to advance to the semifinals to face the Cincinnati Reds on the road.
With two outs in the top of the 10th, Red Kress was walked by Cardinals starter Bill McGee before Billy Sullivan smacked a triple to score what turned out to be the game-winning run.
Russ Van Atta (1-0) tossed the final two innings for the Browns to pick up the victory. Van Atta gave up a hit in the bottom of the 10th, but he was able to close the door on the Cardinals.
McGee (0-1) worked all 10 frames for the Cardinals allowing 18 hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
A two-run homer by Joe Medwick gave the Cardinals an early advantage, before the Browns were able to score in the fifth.
George McQuinn led off with a triple and came home on a single by Buster Mills. The Browns tied the game in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by McQuinn.
However, the Cardinals quickly answered in the bottom of the sixth. Medwick singled with two outs and scored on a triple by Johnny Mize. Mize later scored on an error by McQuinn and the Cardinals led 4-2.
The Browns scored twice in the eighth inning to tie it at 4-4.
Pinch-hitter Joe Grace opened the inning with a single. Mel Almada tripled as Grace trotted home. McQuinn singled to plate Almada and the stage was set for an extra inning.
Browns starter Lefty Mills tossed seven innings as he surrendered four runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Ed Cole threw a prefect bottom of the eighth after the Browns tied the affair.
1938 Tournament
Semifinals
(7) St. Louis Browns at (4) Cincinnati Reds
Second Round Results and Pairings
(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 at (4) Detroit Tigers
(6) Chicago White Sox at (2) Boston Red Sox
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