Washington's Comeback
Yankees at Senators, April 27, 1949
Bad Team
The 1949 Washington Senators were a bad team.
I can assure you that they were a bad team, having managed them myself a number of times in this project already. They have poor pitching, a bad lineup, and seem to find a creative way to lose every single game they play.
They are a woeful 0-9 up to this point. But were they really that bad in real life?
It turns out that the real life Senators won their first game, after which they proceeded to lose 7 in a row. They did win again on April 27th, however:
Now, don’t be fooled by the phrase “big victory.” This was “big” in the sense that the Senators managed to beat the Yankees — not “big” in the sense that they won by a large margin. The Nats had to go 10 innings before winning the game 4-3 in real life.
That helped them improve to 2-7, good enough for last place in the American League. They would stay there all season long. Not exactly the sign of a great team.
The Replay Senators
The Senators have been even worse in this replay, of course. They come into this game with an abysmal 0-9 record. They have lost a few close ones, which I suppose goes to their credit.
The Yankees managed to score a run in the top of the 2nd inning without registering a single base hit. Gene Woodling walked and went to second on a Jerry Coleman groundout. Charlie Silvera, getting a rare catching start in place of the fatigued Yogi Berra, proceeded to walk as well, making me question Washington starter Ray Scarborough’s control. Hank Bauer flew out to left for the second out — but then Bobby Brown hit one back to Scarborough that the pitcher promptly threw away, allowing Woodling to score.
That was all the damage in the 4th, however. In fact, Scarborough continued to no-hit the Yankees afterwards — one of those odd circumstances in which the only run belonged to the team with no hits.
Washington did manage to get that run back in the bottom of the 4th inning. Bud Stewart started things off with a single up the middle, after which Clyde Vollmer walked. Eddie Yost grounded into a fielder’s choice: Vollmer was out at second, Stewart moved to third, and Eddie was on at first.
That brought up Al Kozar:
We were now tied at 1 each, and it was time for Sam Dente to try to be the hero:
I don’t regret sending Eddie to third — certainly not when the team has lost 9 in a row. You’ve got to take chances under these circumstances.
Trading Blows
Scarborough’s no-hitter was finally broken up in the top of the 5th. Brown led off the inning by reaching on an error by Kozar at second, which brought up pitcher Eddie Lopat. And, wouldn’t you know it, Eddie was the first Yankee to get a base hit, stroking a single to shallow right field.
That brought up Phil Rizzuto with two on and nobody out. The computer manager had him bunt, which makes no sense to me. The Scooter’s bunt went straight up in the air, where Scarborough caught it for the first out.
Up came the always dangerous Tommy Henrich:
Just like that, it was 2-1 Yankees.
Cliff Mapes, my personal favorite Yankee, struck out, which brought up Woodling again with a chance to break it open:
Buddy Lewis made the throw, and Ralph Weigel made the tag, and the score stayed at 2-1.
The Senators came back in the 6th.
Stewart, who wound up having a great game, came up with one out and promptly singled. Clyde Vollmer followed with a single of his own, after which Yost walked. That set the stage for Kozar once again, this time with the bases loaded:
We were tied again, just like that.
The Big Blow
New York’s big blow came in the top of the 8th inning, when Bauer came back up there with a runner on second and one out. I had taken Scarborough out of the game in the top of the 7th inning after he gave up a double to Rizzuto. I decided to put in the obscure Milo Candini, who surprised me by getting Washington out of that mess. Forrest Thompson wound up being the Washington pitcher in the 8th, and he faced Bauer:
This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen Hank take control of a ballgame with a huge home run like this. The score was now 4-2 New York, and grumbling could be heard all around the district.
The Yankees also added an insurance run in the top of the 9th, thanks in large part to Rizzuto’s speed.
The Comeback
You knew coming into this that it wouldn’t end there, of course.
Kozar started the bottom of the 9th with a single, Washington down 5-2. Dente singled as well, and Washington had runners on first and second with nobody out.
That brought up Lewis:
I was perfectly happy to see Lopat’s control fail him. Up came Weigel with the bases loaded. I decided to let him hit for himself, after a bit of careful consideration:
The score was now 5-3 with only one out and runners on second and third. Thompson was due up. I decided to stick Mark Christman up there to see what he could do:
Now the score was 5-4 with two men out. Up came Eddie Robinson, who had been quiet to this point:
That certainly wasn’t what I expected! In came Spec Shea for the Yankees, and now there were runners on first and second with two outs. Up came Stewart once again:
I’m not sure how many fans left after the Senators went down 5-2. I’m sure they now wished they had stayed. The bases were loaded with two outs, and Clyde Vollmer came back up with a chance to redeem himself:
And, just like that, the Senators were 0-10.
Stewart had a great game for Washington, going 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored. It’s early, but I should still note that he’s hitting .429 and looking good.
Scarborough’s control got the best of him. He gave up 6 walks in only 6 innings, and just didn’t look right out there.
And, once again, I’m really not sure where the Senator’s first win is going to come from.