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.
Somehow the game finally ended.
It took 22 innings, but Red Rolfe smacked a two-run homer to give the New York Yankees and 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Philles in the opening round of the 1938 Tournament.
After making a costly error that allowed a run to score in the seventh inning, Rolfe was also hitless in nine trips to the plate as the bottom of the 22nd frame began.
Ed Heusser was Philadelphia’s seventh hurler as entered his second inning of work on the mound.
Frankie Crosetti walked and then Rolfe drilled his walk-off blast to give New York the win.
The Yankees advance to the second round and they will entertain the winner of the contest between the Washington Senators at the Cincinnati Reds.
Philadelphia scored the first run of the affair in the seventh inning as the Phillies loaded the bases against New York starter Red Ruffing.
Bill Atwood hit a grounder to Rolfe and the New York third baseman’s miscue allowed Chuck Klein to race home to give the Phillies a 1-0 advantage.
In the ninth, the Phillies would add another tally on a RBI single by Atwood as Ruffing’s day came to an end. Ruffing gave up seven hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.
New York was able to answer with two runs to tie the contest in its half of the ninth against Phillies starter Hugh Mulcahy.
Joe Gordon led off with a double and then scored on a single by pinch-hitter Myril Hoag to cut New York’s deficit in half.
Pete Sivess was called from the Philadelphia bullpen by new manager Hans Lobert and he gave up a double to Crosetti to put runners at second and third.
Sivess retired Rolfe on a ground ball to first, but Tommy Henrich hit a sacrifice fly and the game was tied at 2-2.
From that point, neither team mounted a serious scoring threat as both teams countered with pitchers who kept their respective teams in the contest.
New York manager Joe McCarthy used Johnny Murphy, Bump Hadley, Wes Ferrell, Spud Chandler, Kemp Wicker, Lee Stine and Atley Donald (1-0), who got the win despite walking two batters in his lone frame in the top of the 22nd.
Max Butcher, Al Smith, Syl Johnson and Bill Hallahan all blanked New York until Heusser (0-1) gave up the game-winning hit.
1938 Tournament
First Round Results and Pairings
(1) New York Yankees 4, (8) Philadelphia Phillies 2 (22 innings)
(5) Washington Senators (75-76) at (4) Cincinnati Reds (82-68)
(6) St. Louis Cardinals (71-80) at (3) Cleveland Indians (86-66)
(7) St. Louis Browns (55-97) at (2) Pittsburgh Pirates (86-64)
(8) Philadelphia A’s (53-99) at (1) Chicago Cubs (89-63)
(5) Boston Bees (77-75) at (4) Detroit Tigers (84-70)
(6) Chicago White Sox (65-83) at (3) New York Giants (83-67)
(7) Brooklyn Dodgers (69-80) at (2) Boston Red Sox (88-61)