Editor’s note: The 1950 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.
A big inning featuring a pair of homers helped the 1956 New York Yankees defeat the 1959 Chicago White Sox 8-3 in the first round of the 1950s Diamond Gems Tournament in Comiskey Park.
After White Sox starting pitcher Early Wynn smacked a solo homer in the bottom of the third off his New York counterpart Whitey Ford, the Yankees answered in the top of the fourth with six runs.
Gil McDougald hit a two-run blast that was eventually followed by a three-run shot by Bill Skowron, which sent Wynn to the showers. The final tally of the frame came against Turk Lown on a RBI double by Max Carey, which was his second two-bagger of the inning.
Nellie Fox had a sacrifice fly for Chicago in the fifth to cut the deficit for the White Sox to 6-2.
Both teams added a run in the eighth. Billy Martin had a RBI double for New York, while Sherm Lollar picked up a solo homer for the White Sox.
Skowron finished the scoring with a triple that drove home a run in the ninth.
Ford went the distance for the Yankees giving up seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. After being perfect for three innings, Wynn left in the fourth as he allowed five runs on three hits, a walk and an error. Lown, Gerry Staley and Barry Latman all tossed two innings for Chicago.
1950s Diamond Gems Tournament
First Round Schedule and Results
1953 Brooklyn Dodgers 8, 1950 New York Yankees 2
1954 Cleveland Indians 3, 1957 Milwaukee Braves 2
1956 New York Yankees 8, 1959 Chicago White Sox 3
1950 Philadelphia Phillies at 1954 New York Giants