STREAKS CONTINUE
Dodgers Score Twice Late, Top Reds
BROOKLYN, N.Y., May 4 (AP) - Two teams headed in opposite directions met at
Ebbets Field today with the end result solidifying existing trends. The
Brooklyn Dodgers won their fourth straight, besting Cincinnati 4-3 by scoring a
run in the eighth to tie the contest and another in the ninth to win it.
It was the seventh consecutive defeat for the Reds, who hold Major League
Baseball's worst record.
Brooklyn has been remarkably opportunistic this year--and this game was no
exception--posting a 7-1 record in one-run games thus far. Cincinnati has
seemingly found every way possible to lose; the Reds have won just one of six
games in which they have been tied or led after seven innings--by far the worst
mark in the majors.
The Reds led 3-1 after four innings in today's game, but it could have--and
arguably should have--been much more. Brooklyn starter Joe Hatten was
singularly ineffective, allowing ten hits and walking three in three-plus
innings, but was somehow allowed only three runs.
The Reds had three runners thrown out at home plate while Hatten was on the
hill--two on consecutive singles by Reds hitters in the very first inning.
With runners on first and second and one out in the top of the opening frame,
Ted Kluszewski lined a single to left field, but Cal Abrams gunned down Grady
Hatton trying to score. On the first pitch to the next batter, Johnny
Pramesa roped a base hit to left but Abrams came up throwing again and fired a
strike to cut down Joe Adcock at the plate.
In the second inning, Johnny Wyrotsek walked and Bob Usher doubled him to third
with none out. Roy McMillan lined to third for the first out and then the
pitcher, Howie Fox, rolled to third baseman Billy Cox who threw out Wyrotsek at
the plate. Connie Ryan's line drive to second ended the inning.
The Reds finally broke through in the third. Hatton, Adcock, Kluszewski
and Pramesa all singled, scoring one run and leaving the bases loaded.
Wyrotsek's fly ball to center scored a second run. Usher followed with
another single, re-loading the bases, but McMillan's shallow fly to left did
nothing and Fox fanned to end the inning.
Through three innings, the Reds had seen three baserunners cut down at home and
stranded seven.
The Dodgers got a run back in the bottom of the third on Billy Cox's solo home
run, but the Reds immediately threatened again in the fourth. Ryan led off
with a single and Hatton walked and that was enough for Brooklyn manager Chuck
Dressen who yanked Joe Hatten from the game and replaced him with Clyde
King. King walked Adock to load the bases but then found a rhythm.
Kluszewski bounced into a 6-4-3 double play, scoring Ryan but recording two outs
in the process. Pramesa grounded to second to end the inning.
It was the Brooklyn bullpen--King, Ralph Branca and Clem Labine--that allowed
the Dodgers to get back in the game. The three combined for six shutout
innings of work.
After threatening, but coming up empty, in both the fourth and fifth innings,
the Dodgers finally edged closer in the sixth. Gil Hodges tripled to lead
off the inning and Roy Campanella singled to center to bring him home. The
Brooklyn attack stalled, but the score was now 3-2.
The Dodgers finally drew even in the eighth, with help from Cincinnati.
Jackie Robinson led off the frame with a grounder to short that Roy McMillan
threw away for a two-base error. Hodges fanned and Campanella grounded
out, advancing Robinson to third. Carl Furillo then came through with a
line single to right to tie the game. Cox singled Furillo to second, but
pinch hitter Hank Edwards flied out to end the inning.
Labine hit Pramesa to start off the top of the ninth but then retired the next
three hitters without incident. The Dodgers then pounced in the bottom of
the inning. Fox walked Abrams. Pee Wee Reese's bunt attempt was
popped up and caught for the first out but Duke Snider singled Abrams to
second. That was it for Fox; he was replaced by Bud Byerly. But the
right-handed reliever couldn't find home plate. He walked Robinson to fill
the bases and then walked Hodges on four, forcing in the winning run.
The Dodgers' win coupled with the Pirates' 8-2 loss to the Giants at the Polo
Grounds moves Brooklyn into first place, 1/2 game ahead of Pittsburgh.
Following a 9-1 start, the Pirates have dropped four straight.
5/4/1951, Cin51-Brk51, Ebbets Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1951 Reds 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 14 2 14 1 1951 Dodgers 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 4 11 0 12 1 Reds AB R H BI AVG Dodgers AB R H BI AVG Ryan 2b 4 1 1 0 .258 Abrams lf 3 1 1 0 .182 Hatton 3b 3 1 2 0 .289 Reese ss 4 0 1 0 .172 Adcock lf 4 1 2 0 .328 Snider cf 4 0 1 0 .297 Kluszewski 1b 5 0 2 1 .203 Robinson,J 2b 4 1 0 0 .348 Pramesa c 4 0 2 0 .185 Hodges 1b 4 1 3 1 .230 Merriman pr 0 0 0 0 .261 Campanella c 4 0 2 1 .319 Howell c 0 0 0 0 .444 Furillo rf 4 0 1 1 .357 Wyrostek rf 4 0 1 1 .241 Cox 3b 4 1 2 1 .364 Usher cf 5 0 2 0 .205 Hatten p 1 0 0 0 .000 McMillan ss 5 0 1 0 .289 King p 1 0 0 0 .500 Byerly p 0 0 0 0 .000 Thompson,D ph 1 0 0 0 .000 Fox,H p 4 0 1 0 .111 Branca p 0 0 0 0 .000 Stallcup ss 0 0 0 0 .250 Edwards,H ph 1 0 0 0 .200 38 3 14 2 Labine p 0 0 0 0 .000 35 4 11 4 Reds INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Fox,H L 1-1 8.1 11 4 3 3 4 139 91 2.49 Byerly 0.0 0 0 0 2 0 9 1 4.91 8.1 11 4 3 5 4 148 92 Dodgers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Hatten 3.0 10 3 3 3 1 70 38 3.60 King 3.0 2 0 0 1 1 41 27 1.59 Branca 2.0 2 0 0 1 1 30 21 6.75 Labine W 3-0 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 16 11 0.00 9.0 14 3 3 5 4 157 97 Cin: Merriman ran for Pramesa in the 9th Howell inserted at c in the 9th Stallcup inserted at ss in the 9th Brk: Thompson,D batted for King in the 6th Edwards,H batted for Branca in the 8th E-Kluszewski, McMillan. 2B-Usher(2). 3B-Hodges(2). HR-Cox(2). RBI-Kluszewski(8), Wyrostek(6), Hodges(11), Campanella(6), Furillo(6), Cox(4). CS-Snider. K-Adcock 2, McMillan, Fox,H, Reese, Robinson,J, Hodges, Hatten. BB-Ryan, Hatton 2, Adcock, Wyrostek, Abrams 2, Snider, Robinson,J, Hodges. SH-Reese. HBP-Pramesa. HB-Labine. GWRBI: Hodges Temperature: 62, Sky: clear, Wind: in from center at 14 MPH. Attendance: 22,999 Game Time: 2:38