Editor’s note: The 1948 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available. The first and second round series will be the best two of three games. The semifinals are best of five, while the championship series is the best of seven.
Dutch Leonard tossed a complete game as the Philadelphia Phillies grabbed a 2-1 advantage in the best of five semifinal series against the Boston Braves in the 1948 Tournament.
The Phillies rallied from a two-run deficit to post a 3-2 victory over the Braves in Shibe Park.
Philadelphia sends Robin Roberts (1-1) to the mound as the Phillies look to take the series in game four. The Braves counter with Warren Spahn (2-0) as they hope to stay alive in the tournament.
Leonard (3-0) gave up two runs on four hits in the first inning, but the rest of the way he blanked the Braves on four hits. Leonard fanned a pair of hitters with two walks.
Bob Elliott had a RBI single for the Braves off Leonard, while Jeff Heath drove in the second run on a fielder’s choice.
Johnny Blatnik‘s run-scoring triple in the second frame off Braves starter Johnny Sain cut Philadelphia’s deficit in half.
Del Ennis tied the affair in the third with a RBI double.
The winning run for the Phillies came in the seventh.
Willie Jones and Richie Ashburn started off the rally with back-to-back singles. Harry Walker knocked in the game-winner with a ground ball to Elliott at third as the Braves attempted to turn a double play as Jones raced home.
Sain (2-1) gave up seven hits in eight innings with two walks and two strikeouts.
1948 Tournament
Semifinal Results
(N1) Boston Braves vs. (N6) Philadelphia Phillies
Phillies lead series 2-1; 0-8, 8-4, 3-2
(N8) Chicago Cubs vs (N2) St. Louis Cardinals
Cubs 8-5, Cardinals 4-3
Second Round Results
(N1) Boston Braves vs. (A5) Detroit Tigers, Braves 15-6, 9-2
(N6) Philadelphia Phillies vs. (A2) Boston Red Sox, Phillies 11-3, 4-3
(N8) Chicago Cubs vs (N5) New York Giants, Cubs 5-2, 3-0
(N3) Brooklyn Dodgers vs. (N2) St. Louis Cardinals, Cardinals 5-4, 5-3
First Round Results
(N1) Boston Braves vs. (A8) Chicago White Sox, Braves 12-4, 5-0
(A5) Detroit Tigers vs. (N4) Pittsburgh Pirates, Tigers 11-4, 1-0
(A3) New York Yankees vs. (N6) Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies 6-2, 5-2
(N7) Cincinnati Reds vs. (A2) Boston Red Sox, Red Sox 20-1, 3-4, 9-5
(A1) Cleveland Indians vs. (N8) Chicago Cubs, Cubs 4-0, 1-3, 11-0
(N5) New York Giants vs. (A4) Philadelphia A’s, Giants 5-2, 6-1
(N3) Brooklyn Dodgers vs. (A6) St. Louis Browns, Dodgers 5-0, 6-3
(A7) Washington Senators vs. (N2) St. Louis Cardinals, Cardinals 3-0, 5-4