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.
A fast start helped Brooklyn advance to the second round of the 1948 Tournament as the Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Browns 6-3.
The Dodgers move on to face the winner of the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Senators best of three series.
With two outs in the top of the first, Gil Hodges smashed a solo homer off Browns starter Cliff Fannin before Carl Furillo added a RBI double later in the frame.
Brooklyn scored twice in the second when Pee Wee Reese knocked in both runs with a double.
The Browns picked up a run in the bottom of the second against Dodgers starter Rex Barney on a RBI triple by Paul Lehner and it was 4-1.
In the seventh, the Browns cut into their deficit to 4-3 as Bob Dillinger drilled a two-run homer to end Barney’s day.
Carl Erskine got the final two outs of the inning to preserve the Brooklyn advantage.
The Dodgers were able to respond in the top of the eighth to go on top by three runs.
Roy Campanella sent Fannin to the showers with a RBI single before Jackie Robinson tagged Ned Garver for a run-scoring single to produce the final tally of the contest.
Erskine worked the last two innings to earn a save for the Dodgers.
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, 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
Second Round Pairings
(N1) Boston Braves vs. (A5) Detroit Tigers
(N6) Philadelphia Phillies vs. (A2) Boston Red Sox
(N8) Chicago Cubs vs (N5) New York Giants