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 really wasn’t that close.
The worst place to be if you were a member of the Detroit Tigers was on the pitcher’s mound.
The Boston Braves defeated the Tigers 15-6 in the opener of a three-game series during the second round of the 1948 Tournament.
With the win, the Braves will send Johnny Sain (1-0) to the hill, while Hal Newhouser (1-0) gets the ball for the Tigers as they hope to stay alive in the tourney.
After Detroit’s Hoot Evers had a RBI double in the first off Braves starter Bill Voiselle, Boston’s offense exploded for 16 hits.
The Braves had five runs in the third, three in the fifth and two in the sixth to build a 10-1 lead.
Boston wasn’t done as Detroit pitchers Dizzy Trout (0-1), Ted Gray, Hal White and Art Houtteman failed to control the Braves attack as they added four runs in the seventh before scoring their last tally in the eighth.
Tommy Holmes led Boston with four hits. He along with Bob Elliott and Jeff Heath each drove in three runs.
Mike McCormick added three hits and knocked in a pair of runs. The entire Boston lineup had at least one hit.
Voiselle (1-0) was in command as he went the distance. With the wide margin, the Boston righty was allowed to finished dispite struggling to get through the ninth.
A walk and two hits loaded the bases and set the stage for Eddie Lake to hit a grand slam.
George Kell followed with a solo homer, but the Tigers were just playing out the string and really had no chance of a comeback.
1948 Tournament
Second Round Pairings and Results
(N1) Boston Braves vs. (A5) Detroit Tigers, Braves 15-6
(N6) Philadelphia Phillies vs. (A2) Boston Red Sox
(N8) Chicago Cubs vs (N5) New York Giants
(N3) Brooklyn Dodgers vs. (N2) St. Louis Cardinals
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, Cardinals 3-0, 5-4