Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Three-man pitching rotations will be used for starting pitchers. Injuries are in-game only during this single elimination event.
The ninth inning may have been a little tough for Ewell Blackwell, but the right-hander maintained his composure as the Cincinnati Reds held on for a 4-2 win over the Boston Red Sox.
With the victory in the opening round, the Reds advance to in the 1951 Tournament to face the winner of the Washington Senators at Brooklyn Dodgers contest.
Leading by three runs in the bottom of the ninth, back-to-back errors by the Reds gave the Red Sox and opportunity for a comeback.
Vern Stephens reached on a two-base miscue by shortstop Virgil Stallcup. Billy Goodman hit a grounder to first that Ted Kluszewski misplayed a Stephens raced to third.
After Clyde Vollmer popped out to Stallcup, Bobby Doerr hit a sacrifice fly to Johnny Wyrostek in right.
A flustered Blackwell then experienced some control issues as he walked Les Moss and drilled pinch-hitter Lou Boudreau to load the bases.
After a visit to the mound by Reds manager Luke Sewell, a fired up Blackwell fanned Dom DiMaggio to end the game.
Blackwell (1-0) allowed six hits in his complete game effort with a pair of walks and five strikeouts.
The Reds broke open a scoreless affair with three runs in the top of the fourth inning against Boston starter Mel Parnell.
Cincinnati sent eight batters to the plate as Dixie Howell knocked two runs with a single. Blackwell slapped a RBI single and the Reds led 3-0.
Both teams picked up a run in the sixth to make it 4-1.
Lloyd Merriman hammered a solo homer for the Reds, while DiMaggio doubled and scored for Boston on a single by Johnny Pesky.
Parnell (0-1), who left the contest with one out in the seventh, surrendered all of Cincinnati runs on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
Ellis Kinder got the final two outs in the seventh with a double play and then tossed a perfect eighth. Ray Scarborough worked the ninth giving up a hit to set the stage for a possible Boston rally.
1951 Tournament
Second Round Pairings
(8) Chicago Cubs at (4) Boston Braves
First Round Results and Pairings
(8) Chicago Cubs 2 at (1) New York Yankees 1
(4) Boston Braves 5, (5) Detroit Tigers 2
(6) Cincinnati Reds 4, (3) Boston Red Sox 2
(7) Washington Senators (62-92) at (2) Brooklyn Dodgers (97-60)
(8) St. Louis Browns (52-102) at (1) New York Giants (98-59)
(5) Philadelphia Phillies (73-81) at (4) Chicago White Sox (81-73)
(6) Philadelphia Athletics (70-84) at (3) St. Louis Cardinals (81-73)
(7) Pittsburgh Pirates (64-90) at (2) Cleveland Indians (93-61)