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.
Cincinnati was happy to be back at Crosley Field after getting pounded in a 19-run loss at Fenway Park.
Ewell Blackwell only got four outs on the mound, but all of them saved a 4-3 victory for the Reds as they evened their three-game series with the Boston Red Sox in the opening round of the 1948 Tournament.
Bucky Walters will start the decisive contest for the Reds, while the Red Sox will counter with Jack Kramer.
Reds starter Ken Raffensberger (1-0) had held the Red Sox to just one run through seven innings, but he couldn’t get out of the eighth. Overall, he gave up 11 hits with three strikeouts to earn the win.
With the Reds leading 4-1, Raffensberger retired Ted Williams and Vern Stephens. Unfortunately for Raffensberger, the next four batters would get hits.
Birdie Tebbetts had a two-run single that got the Red Sox to within one.
After Stan Spence singled, Cincinnati manager Johnny Neun summoned Blackwell from the bullpen. The Reds pitcher ended the rally by inducing Johnny Pesky to ground out.
Blackwell worked a perfect ninth as he fanned Billy Goodman and Williams before getting Stephens on a line out.
The Red Sox got on the scoreboard in the first inning on a RBI double by Williams, but the Reds were able to bound back in the second as Ted Kluszewski hit a solo homer off Boston starter Mel Parnell (0-1), who worked eight innings and gave up eight hits..
In the third, the Reds delighted the hometown crowd as they went on top with three runs.
Johnny Wyrostek knocked in the first tally with a single and then he scored on a two-run homer by Hank Sauer.
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, Reds 4-3, tied
(A1) Cleveland Indians vs. (N8) Chicago Cubs
(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