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.
One of the favorites in the 1948 Tournament took some lumps as the Chicago Cubs blanked the Cleveland Indians 4-0 on the road in the first contest of the opening round series.
Russ Meyer will go to the mound for the Cubs as they look to sweep the best of three series by taking the second contest in Chicago. Cleveland’s Gene Bearden starts with the hope of sending the series to a third affair.
Johnny Schmitz (1-0) went the distance for the Cubs as he limited the Indians to five hits with four strikeouts.
Bob Lemon (0-1) was also credited with a complete game allowing eight hits with five strikeouts.
The top of the third innng proved to be the difference for the Cubs.
With one out, Roy Smalley tripled and then scored on a single by Peanuts Lowery. Lemon walked Bob Scheffing before surrendering a two-run triple to Bill Nicholson to make it 3-0.
Chicago’s final run game in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Lowery.
Joe Gordon led the Indians with two hits as they only mounted a couple of threats in the third and fifth, but Thurman Tucker was retired in both frames stranding a pair of runners each time.
1948 Tournament
First Round Pairings and 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
(N5) New York Giants vs. (A4) Philadelphia A’s
(N3) Brooklyn Dodgers vs. (A6) St. Louis Browns
(A7) Washington Senators vs. (N2) St. Louis Cardinals
Second Round Pairings
(N1) Boston Braves vs. (A5) Detroit Tigers
(N6) Philadelphia Phillies vs. (A2) Boston Red Sox