TRIBE CLAIMS AL FLAG WITH 10-2 SHELLING OF BENGALS
Overcome 12 BBs; Garcia Awarded 22nd 'W'
CLEVELAND, Sept. 29 (AP) - Playing their first home game in 3 1/2 weeks, the
Cleveland Indians clinched the American League pennant outright with a 10-2
whipping of Detroit in front of 47,231 at Municipal Stadium. With their
backs pressed against the wall, given the New York Yankees doubleheader sweep
over Boston earlier in the day, the Indians knew that they had to win or face
the prospect of playoff to decide first place, depending upon how things went on
the final day of the season.
Cleveland never trailed and used a six-run seventh inning to convincingly but
the game away. But there were some anxious moments en route.
The Indians took the lead they wouldn't relinquish by scoring twice in the
second off Tigers starter Bob Cain. With one out, Luke Easter singled to
right and advanced to third on Harry Simpson's double. Ray Boone's
grounder to second with the infield back scored Easter and Hal Naragon's two-out
single plated Simpson.
Dick Rozek, the surprise starter for Cleveland, held the Detroit scoreless into
the fifth, but was in trouble throughout. The Tigers hit into inning
ending double plays with the bases loaded in both the second and third
innings. When Rozek hit Cain with a pitch to lead off the top of the
fifth, he was replaced by Early Wynn, who dept the Tigers off the board.
The Indians stretched the advantage to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth when Wynn
helped his own cause by leading off the inning with his second home run of the
season. Naragon made it 4-0 after six when he drove home Boone with a
two-out single.
Just when things appeared settled, Detroit made it a game. Wynn walked the
first two batters he faced--pinch hitter Charlie Keller and Johnny Lipon--to
open the seventh. George Kell's weak roller to second moved the
baserunners ahead 90 feet and then walked Johnny Groth to fill the bases.
Lou Brissie was called upon to face the left-handed swinging Vic Wertz, but he
issued the fourth base on balls of the inning to force in a run. With
everyone available, Bob Lemon quickly replaced Brissie to take on Hoot Evers,
but the Tigers left fielder lined a single to left. Lipon scored, but Dale
Mitchell cut down Groth at the plate for the second out. The score was now
4-2 and Lemon kept it there by retiring Don Kryhoski on a foul ball to third
baseman Al Rosen to retire the side.
With the lead safely in place, the Indians proceeded to blow the game wide
open. Sam Chapman pinch hit for Lemon and doubled to lead off the
inning. He moved to third on Mitchell's ground out and Snuffy Stirnweiss
fanned for the second out of the inning. Larry Doby was intentionally
walked and Rosen's two-out single scored Chapman. Easter followed with
another base hit, plating Doby and putting Cleveland on top, 6-2. A walk
to Simpson filled the bases and Boone's double cleared them, making it
9-2. Naragon's third single of the game scored Boone, capping the scoring
at 10-2.
Mike Garcia pitched a scoreless eighth and was ultimately credited with his
league leading 22nd win of the season. George Zuverink mopped up in the
ninth. Cleveland pitchers issued a season-high 12 walks, but somehow
allowed only two runs. 14 Tigers left on base had something to do with it.
Sunday's finale now holds no meaning and the Indians will wait to see what
happens in the National League involving the Dodgers and Giants to see who
they'll face when the World Series opens--in Cleveland--on Thursday, October 4.
9/29/1951, Det51-Cle51, Cleveland Municipal Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1951 Tigers 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 6 0 14 0 1951 Indians 0 2 0 0 1 1 6 0 x 10 14 0 7 2 Tigers AB R H BI AVG Indians AB R H BI AVG Lipon ss 3 1 1 0 .282 Mitchell lf 5 0 2 0 .345 Kell 3b 5 0 0 0 .300 Stirnweiss 2b 3 0 0 0 .244 Groth cf 2 0 0 0 .297 Doby cf 4 1 1 0 .283 Wertz rf 2 0 0 1 .306 Rosen 3b 5 1 1 1 .252 Evers lf 3 0 1 1 .228 Easter 1b 4 2 3 1 .243 McLeland p 0 0 0 0 .500 Simpson rf 3 2 1 0 .273 Bearden p 0 0 0 0 .118 Boone ss 4 2 1 4 .237 Kolloway ph 0 0 0 0 .220 Naragon c 4 0 3 3 .600 Kryhoski 1b 4 0 2 0 .286 Hegan c 0 0 0 0 .229 Priddy 2b 4 0 0 0 .316 Rozek p 1 0 0 0 .000 Ginsberg c 4 0 1 0 .264 Wynn p 1 1 1 1 .188 Cain p 1 0 1 0 .281 Brissie p 0 0 0 0 .286 White,H p 0 0 0 0 .182 Lemon p 0 0 0 0 .230 Keller ph 1 1 0 0 .212 Chapman ph 2 1 1 0 .180 29 2 6 2 Garcia p 0 0 0 0 .235 Zuverink p 0 0 0 0 .000 36 10 14 10 Tigers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Cain L 12-11 4.2 7 3 3 1 5 79 47 3.27 White,H 1.1 1 1 1 0 0 20 10 5.40 McLeland 0.2 3 4 4 1 1 26 11 11.70 Bearden 1.1 3 2 2 2 0 41 20 6.56 8.0 14 10 10 4 6 166 88 Indians INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Rozek 4.0 3 0 0 4 0 77 40 1.69 Wynn 2.1 0 2 2 5 0 42 14 2.47 Brissie 0.0 0 0 0 1 0 5 1 3.88 Lemon H 1 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 7 4 3.17 Garcia W 22-8 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 15 9 2.67 Zuverink 1.0 1 0 0 2 0 24 13 2.31 9.0 6 2 2 12 1 170 81 Det: Keller batted for White,H in the 7th Keller moved to lf in the 7th Kolloway batted for Bearden in the 9th Cle: Chapman batted for Lemon in the 7th Hegan inserted at c in the 9th 2B-Mitchell(26), Doby(20), Simpson(7), Boone(20), Chapman(9). HR-Wynn(2). RBI-Wertz(101), Evers(49), Rosen(106), Easter(111), Boone 4(79), Naragon 3(3), Wynn(12). SB-Boone(7). CS-Mitchell. K-Priddy, Stirnweiss 3, Doby 2, Rozek. BB-Lipon, Groth 3, Wertz 3, Evers, Kryhoski, Priddy, Keller, Kolloway, Stirnweiss 2, Doby, Simpson. SH-Lipon. HBP-Cain, Easter. HB-White,H, Rozek. GWRBI: Boone Temperature: 57, Sky: clear, Wind: left to right at 15 MPH. Attendance: 47,231 Game Time: 3:09