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.
Marty Marion completed the comeback for St. Louis with a walk-off single to give the Cardinals a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs to even the best of five semifinal series in the 1948 Tournament.
After Cubs starter Johnny Schmitz retired the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth, the Cardinals went to work.
Del Rice walked and then Red Schoendienst reached on an by Philadelphia second baseman Emil Verban. Marion responded to the sitiation with the game-winning single.
This sets up a game three matchup with Harry Brecheen (2-0) going for the Cardinals and Russ Meyer taking the mound for the Cubs.
Schmitz and Cardinals starter Murry Dickson were both tossing shutouts heading into the sixth inning.
The Cubs scored three times in the top of the sixth as Bill Nicholson blasted a two-run homer, which was followed a solo shot by Andy Pafko.
It would take three innings, but the Cardinals would score a one run in the sixth, seventh and eighth to tie the affair at 3-3.
Enos Slaughter had a sacrifice fly in the sixth. In the seventh, Lang also had a sacrifice fly. Baker’s RBI single in the eighth tied the contest.
Dickson (2-0) went the distance for the Cardinals allowing eight hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts. Schmitz (1-1) gave up 10 hits with three walks and a strikeout.
1948 Tournament
Semifinal Pairings and Results
(N1) Boston Braves vs. (N6) Philadelphia Phillies
Braves 8-0, Phillies 8-4
(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