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.
Walker Cooper blasted three solo homers as the New York Giants beat the Philadelphia A’s 5-2 in the opening round of the 1948 Tournament.
The Giants will have the chance to advance to the second round if they can win the second contest of three-game series at the Polo Grounds. Sheldon Jones gets the start for New York, while Carl Scheib gets the ball for the A’s.
Philadelphia scored in the bottom of the first against New York starter Larry Jansen when Ferris Fain drove in a run with a fielder’s choice.
Cooper’s initial long ball off A’s starter Dick Fowler came in the second as he tied the contest. The Giants catcher broke the tie in the fourth with his second shot of the affair.
In the eighth, Fowler’s day came to an end as Johnny Mize hit a homer and then Cooper followed with his third drive of the game.
Both teams scored a run in the ninth. Sid Gordon had a sacrifice fly for the Giants to make it 5-1.
The A’s finally ousted Jansen in the bottom of the inning as Eddie Joost tripled to begin the frame. Buddy Rosar had a RBI single before Ken Trinkle was headed to the mound to replace Jansen.
Trinkle was able to end the New York threat by retiring three straight to earn a save.
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
(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