Today features the starting pitcher debuts by Fergie Jenkins, Three Finger Brown, Catfish Hunter, Bob Gibson, and Randy Johnson.
Birmingham hammered Detroit 11-4, spoiling the debut of Fergie Jenkins. Three Finger Brown went the distance for the win in his starting debut, scattering 14 hits and allowing 4 runs. Cristobal went 2-5 with 2 RBI, Nap Lajoie had 3 hits and 2 RBI, and MIckey Mantle hit a 3-run home run. Mule Suttles was one of five Detroit players with 2 hits.
Old Hoss Radburn improved to 6-1 as Kansas City beat Catfish Hunter and New York 5-4. Dave Malarcher had 2 RBI, Rap Dixon scored twice, and Buck Leonard had a triple for the victors. Eddie Matthews homered in the loss, and Willie Wells added an RBI.
Pittsburgh edged Newark 8-7 on a walk off home run by Earl Averill. It was his second home run of the game, with 3 RBI. Frog Redus also had 2 home runs with 4 RBI. Joe Morgam hit a grand slam for Newark, and Sammy T. Hughes had 2 RBI. Both Randy Johnson and Bob Gibson struggled in their starting debuts. Johnson earned a complete game loss. Gibson went 6-1/3 innings. John Smoltz blew the save , but earned the win.
Pedro Martinez was no Cy Young today as St. Louis fell to Washington and Cy Young, 4-1. Cy Young picked up his 7th win, allowing 1 run over 7-2/3 innings. Johnny Bench had 2 hits and 2 RBI, and Home Run Johnson and Buck O’Neil each had a hit. Tank Carr drove in the only St. Louis run, and Willard Brown had 3 hits. Martinez struck out 8 while dropping to 9-2 on the season.
Today’s Player Focus post is on Cristobal Torriente, a Cuban outfielder who was one of the greatest hitters of the Cuban league and the Negro Leagues.
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Results
BIR 11 at DSG 4
KMG 5 at NYC 4
NWK 7 at PCG 8
STL 1 at WHG 4
Summaries
BIRMINGHAM AT DETROIT
Black Barons.... 2 1 0 0 4 0 2 0 2 - 11 15 0 Stars........... 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 - 4 14 1 Win:Brown(1-0) Loss:Jenkins(0-1) Homeruns- M.Mantle(4th), R.Santo(2nd)
Three Finger Brown had a complete game as the Birmingham Black Barons outscored the Detroit Stars 11 to 4.
Birmingham wasted no time and took the lead in the first inning plating 2 runs utilizing 2 base hits. Martin Dihigo led off and got things going when he ripped a one-base hit. After an out was recorded, Nap Lajoie came to the plate and laced a base-knock. Hurley McNair then reached on an error. Mickey Mantle was up next and he would hit into a fielders choice knocking in a run. Cristobal Torriente came up to bat and would hit into a force play scoring the final run of the inning. Birmingham banged out 15 hits on the afternoon.
Brown(1-0) finished the game allowing 4 runs in the victory. Ferguson Jenkins(0-1) was given the loss. He was knocked around, surrendering 11 runs in 8 and 2/3 innings.
KANSAS CITY AT NEW YORK
Monarchs........ 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 - 5 6 0 Black Yankees... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 - 4 8 2 Win:Radbourn(6-1) Loss:Hunter(0-1) Save:Smith(10th) Homeruns- E.Mathews(6th)
The Kansas City Monarchs nipped the New York Black Yankees 5 to 4 at the ballpark in a hard fought contest.
Old Hoss Radbourn(6-1) had a solid outing for Kansas City. He was reached for 6 hits and 4 walks in 7 and 1/3 innings. New York made it exciting in the 9th, but they were unable to push the needed runs across.
Lee Smith got the save, his 10th. Catfish Hunter(0-1) took the loss. ‘I just wanted to give my team a chance to win.’ said Radbourn, ‘I got burned on a couple of pitches. But we won the game, and that’s all that matters.’
NEWARK AT PITTSBURGH
Eagles.......... 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 2 - 7 11 0 Crawfords....... 1 0 0 0 4 0 2 0 1 - 8 9 1 Win:Smoltz(2-0) Loss:Johnson(0-1) Homeruns- J.Morgan(2nd), E.Averill-2(6th), F.Redus-2(2nd)
Earl Averill launched 2 homeruns and had 3 RBI as the Pittsburgh Crawfords pulled out a win over the Newark Eagles by a score of 8 to 7 at Greenlee Field.
The game was won by Pittsburgh when they scored a run in the 9th inning. After two were out Averill cracked a solo homerun resulting in an exciting win for Pittsburgh and a wild post-game celebration by the home town fans. Pittsburgh managed 9 hits in their victory.
John Smoltz(2-0) got the win allowing no runs in 1/3 of an inning. Randy Johnson(0-1) was hit with the loss. He surrended 4 homeruns in his 8 and 2/3 innings.
With this win, Pittsburgh has a 22-21 record. They have been 6-4 lately. With this loss, Newark has a 5-5 record of late, 21-22 overall.
ST. LOUIS AT WASHINGTON
Stars........... 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 6 0 Homestead Grays. 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 - 4 8 1 Win:Young(7-4) Loss:Martinez(9-2) Save:Wilhelm(8th)
The Washington Homestead Grays bested the St. Louis Stars by a 4 to 1 score at Griffith Stadium.
St. Louis never recovered after Washington took the lead in the 2nd inning when they tallied 2 runs on 3 hits. That was all the offense they were to need. Washington rapped out 8 hits for the afternoon.
The victory was credited to Cy Young(7-4) who went 7 and 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run. Hoyt Wilhelm earned his 8th save. The loss was charged to Pedro Martinez(9-2).