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.
It didn’t take long for the Boston Braves to establish the fact that they were the better team in the opening contest of the semifinal round of the 1948 Tournament.
The Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-0 as lefty Warren Spahn tossed a four-hitter as Boston went on top one game to none in the best of five series.
Bill Voiselle (1-0) gets the start for the Braves in game two, while the Phillies counter with Schoolboy Rowe (1-0).
Spahn (2-0) fanned just two batters, but he didn’t allow a hit after the third inning as two Phillies reached on walks the rest of the way.
Boston’s Mike McCormick was the offensive star of the day with five hits.
In the second, McCormick’s RBI single gave the Braves a 1-0 advantage.
The Braves exploded in the third with five runs as they sent Phillies starter Robin Roberts to the showers as he surrendered four straight hits.
Jim Russell made it 2-0 with a run-scoring single before McCormick smacked a double that knocked in a pair.
Phil Masi added a RBI double and Al Dark capped the rally with a single that made it 6-0.
Jeff Heath drove in a run in the fourth off Blix Donnelly with a single, which was his third hit of the affair.
Masi brought home Boston’s final tally in the sixth with a sacrifice fly.
Granny Hamner had a double for the Phillies with Richie Ashburn, Eddie Miller and Johnny Blatnik all singled.
1948 Tournament
Semifinal Pairings
(N1) Boston Braves vs. (N6) Philadelphia Phillies
Braves 8-0
(N8) Chicago Cubs vs (N2) St. Louis Cardinals
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