Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice.
The second round of the 1955 Tournament is set.
The Pittsburgh Pirates won a 3-2 pitcher’s duel over the New York Yankees in the final contest of the opening round.
Pittsburgh’s Bob Friend held off the powerful bats of New York stunning the crowd at Yankee Stadium allowing seven hits with five strikeouts.
New York’s Whitey Ford was nearly up to the task as he gave up nine hits, while fanning three.
Bill Skowron got the scoring started in the second with a RBI double.
A solo homer by Pittsburgh shortstop Dick Groat tied the contest at 1-1 in the third, but the Pirates were not finished.
The Pirates could have broken the contest wide open as they loaded the bases thanks to a pair of errors and a walk.
However, Roberto Clemente hammered a shot to Phil Rizzuto and the New York shortstop turned it into a triple play as he stepped on second and fired to first to end the threat.
Both teams scored in the fourth. Jack Shepard hit a sacrifice fly for the Pirates, while Hank Bauer drove in Mickey Mantle with a single to tie it.
The decisive tally came in the sixth. With two outs, Gene Freese doubled before Shepard brought him home with a single.
After getting out of a tough spot in the bottom of the sixth, Friend didn’t allow another hit as he held on for the victory.
The Pirates move on to visit Philadelphia for a second round contest.
1955 IN REAL LIFE: Friend would lead the National League with a 2.83 ERA as he posted a 14-9 mark, which was his first winning season in his fifth year with the Pirates.
He was a three time all-star in his 16-year career with a 197-230 record. His best year came in 1958 when he was 22-14 for the Pirates.
Against the Yankees in the 1960 World Series, Friend made two starts and lost both after working six total innings for the eventual champions.
Friend also pitched in the ninth inning of the historic seventh game and was charged with the two runs that tied the affair that set the stage for Bill Mazeroski‘s walk-off homer.
Second Round Schedule
Upper Bracket
(5) Cincinnati Reds at (1) Brooklyn Dodgers
(7) St. Louis Cardinals at (3) New York Giants
Lower Bracket
(7) Baltimore Orioles at (3) Chicago White Sox
(8) Pittsburgh Pirates at (4) Philadelphia Phillies
First Round Results
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 6, (2) Milwaukee Braves 1
(3) Chicago White Sox 8, (6) Chicago Cubs 4
(4) Philadelphia Phillies 3, (5) Detroit Tigers 1
(8) Pittsburgh Pirates 3, (1) New York Yankees 2