Editor’s note: Second Chance Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter is also being used for all games. The first and second rounds will be decided with a best of three series, while the championship series will be a best of five format.
The 1946 Boston Red Sox survived another wild contest to advance to the semifinals of the Second Chance Tournament.
After a 9-6 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park, Boston won the first round series two games to none. The Red Sox will now meet the 1954 Cleveland Indians in the next round.
The tone for the contest was set early as Boston’s Wally Moses reached first on an error by Giants starter Juan Marichal.
Boston would send nine batters to the plate in the top of the first with Ted Williams getting the scoring underway with a RBI double.
Rudy York capped the rally with a three-run homer to make it 4-0.
In the bottom of the frame, Willie Mays hit a solo homer off Boston starter Tex Hughson for San Francisco’s first run.
Neither squad scored in the second inning, but both added runs in the third.
The Red Sox scored as the Giants turned a double play, while Orlando Cepeda blasted a three-run shot for San Francisco that cut Boston’s lead to 5-4.
Johnny Pesky‘s two-run homer ended Marichal’s day after four innings.
Stu Miller took over on the mound for the Giants in the fifth. RBI singles by Boston’s Leon Culberson and Pinky Higgins gave the Red Sox a 9-4 advantage.
In Hughson’s final inning, Willie McCovey drilled a two-run homer for what turned out to be the last runs of the affair.
Hughson ended up with the win for the Red Sox as teammate Jim Bagby earned a save with four shutout frames.
Second Chance Tournament Results and Schedule
Semifinals
1946 Boston Red Sox at 1954 Cleveland Indians
1954 Cleveland Indians at 1946 Boston Red Sox
1946 Boston Red Sox at 1954 Cleveland Indians, if necessary
First Round
1954 Cleveland Indians 5, 1935 Chicago Cubs 2
1954 Cleveland Indians 3, 1935 Chicago Cubs 0
Indians win series 2-0
1946 Boston Red Sox 9, 1962 San Francisco Giants 8 (10 innings)
1946 Boston Red Sox 9, 1962 San Francisco Giants 6
Red Sox win series 2-0
1953 Brooklyn Dodgers 8, 1970 Cincinnati Reds 5
1953 Brooklyn Dodgers at 1970 Cincinnati Reds
1970 Cincinnati Reds at 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers, if necessary
1965 Minnesota Twins 2, 1969 Baltimore Orioles 1
1969 Baltimore Orioles at 1965 Minnesota Twins
1965 Minnesota Twins at 1969 Baltimore Orioles, if necessary