Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice.
St. Louis got off to a fast start as the Cardinals went on to a 6-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians in Municipal Stadium.
Wally Moon led the way for the Cardinals with three hits, including a solo homer.
Moon delivered in the first inning off Indians starter Early Wynn as the Cardinals built a 4-0 advantage. His two-run single made it 2-0.
RBI singles by Bill Sarni and Solly Hemus gave the Cardinals their four-run lead.
In the fourth another run-scoring single by Hemus sent Wynn to the showers.
Cleveland scored its run in the bottom of the fourth as Vic Wertz hit a homer off St. Louis starter Willard Schmidt, who would toss a complete game allowing five hits with seven strikeouts.
Moon’s homer came in the sixth off Ray Narleski for the final tally of the affair.
With the win, the Cardinals move on to face the New York Giants in the second round at the Polo Grounds.
1955 IN REAL LIFE: Moon came up with the Cardinals in 1954 and was named the National League Rookie of the Year. He finished with 19 homers and 76 RBI, while batting .295. He would be an all-star in 1957 and again in 1959, which was his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers as they won the first of three World Series titles with him on the squad.
First Round Results and Schedule
Upper Bracket
(1) Brooklyn Dodgers 4, (8) Washington Senators 0
(5) Cincinnati Reds 7, (4) Boston Red Sox 3
(3) New York Giants 2, (6) Kansas City Athletics 1
(7) St. Louis Cardinals 6, (2) Cleveland Indians 1
Lower Bracket
(7) Baltimore Orioles at (2) Milwaukee Braves
(6) Chicago Cubs at (3) Chicago White Sox
(5) Detroit Tigers at (4) Philadelphia Phillies
(8) Pittsburgh Pirates at (1) New York Yankees
Second Round Schedule
Upper Bracket
(5) Cincinnati Reds at (1) Brooklyn Dodgers
(7) St. Louis Cardinals at (3) New York Giants