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Finding Several Bumps on the Road
May 15th, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 2 @ Montreal Saints 5
Cleveland SP Karl Johnson threw a gem for 5 innings allowing only 1 hit and 1 walk. Unfortunately baseball games are not 5 innings and the 6th inning was Johnson undoing as the 2nd place Saints (19-12) scored 4 in the 6th and added an insurance run in the 7th.
WP - Dave Paynter 1-1 8.64 LP - Karl Johnson 3-3 4.85 S - Randy Taylor 4 4.28
HR - None
Next up the team head to Baltimore after going 1-2 versus the Saints. The Cannons were 16-15 heading into this game and the Foresters were 15-16. We were sending up our #2 prospect in his first big league start as 23-year-old Dean Astle (1-1 2.73 AAA Cincinnati) was making his big league debut.
Cleveland Foresters @ Baltimore Cannons
May 16th-18th at Banner Field Baltimore
Tuesday May 16th, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 4
Baltimore Cannons 0
Quite a debut for the rookie SP as Dean Astle went the whole way giving up 7 hits in getting the shutout in his first game. After this outing, it is certainly understood why the Foresters (16-16) wouldn't trade away this kid in the off-season.
WP - Dean Astle 1-0 0.00 LP - Rabbit Day 4-4 4.14
HR - None
Wednesday May 17th, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 7
Baltimore Cannons 3
RF Moxie Pidgeon went 3-5 with 2 singles and a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning, as the Foresters exploded for 7 runs in the inning. Cleveland never looked back and got above the 500 mark for the first time this season at 17-16.
WP - Roger Perry 5-2 2.71 LP - Clay Jackson 1-3 4.28
HR - (CL) Pidgeon 2nd
Thursday May 18th, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 2
Baltimore Cannons 3
After the Foresters scratched out a 2nd run against SP Ken Carpenter in the 8th, the Cannons came back. With 2 outs C Tom Clevenger (.235) hit an RBI single that scored 2B Moe Davis with the go-ahead and game winning run. RP Lee Drouillard flirted with trouble in the 8th with 2 walks but in the end stayed perfect picking up his 6th save of the season.
WP - Ken Carpenter 8-2 2.56 LP - Ed Wood 3-4 3.23 S- Lee Drouillard 6 0.00
Notes - So we take 2 out of 3 in Baltimore and are off to a 3-3 start to this road trip. We head to NY to take on the defending CA champion Stars who are sputtering a bit a 16-18 on the season. Last season the Stars won 99 games and the World Series, so what a difference a year makes. Can they get it turned around in time to catch the run-away train that is the Chicago Cougars?
Cleveland Foresters 17-17 @ New York Stars 16-18
3-game Series May 19th-21st
In New York at Riverside Stadium
Friday May 19th, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 0
New York Stars 5
Stars SP Les Zoller silenced the road-weary travelers from Cleveland to 3 hits.
WP - Les Zoller 3-1 2.55 LP - Ben Turner 3-4 3.72
HR - None
Saturday May 20th, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 3
NY Stars 4
Manager Jim Wilson, who was a former SP himself, has a tendency to his SP's battle through and sometimes leaves them in too long. That was the case on Saturday. After tying the game in the top of the 9th on Max Morris 6th homer of the season, Johnson prompted gave up a run in the bottom half of the inning and the Foresters lost 4-3
WP - Boyd Harper 3-4 5.17 LP - Karl Johnson 3-4 4.78
HR - (CL) Bobby Allen 3rd, Moxie Pidgeon 3rd, Max Morris 6th
Sunday May 21st, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 1
NY Stars 3
And the Stars completed the sweep as their pitchers stifled the Foresters again. In the 3 game series, the Foresters managed only 4 runs. Today it was SP Lou Martino who pitched a 4-hitter and struck out 10 in 6.2 innings. Rookie SP sensation Dean Astle took the tough luck loss.
WP - Lou Martino 1-1 2.31 LP - Dean Astle 1-1 1.06
Forester season record 17-20
Current road trip 3-6
Notes - We finish up the road trip going across town to Brooklyn to take on the Kings. It's tough to figure out these King's who are celebrating their 50th season this year. They have once again started the season terribly coming into this series with a 15-22 record. This from the same team that had played 500 ball in the first half last year would have been in serious contention last season with the Stars and Cougars.
As we head into this series we made several moves, the first of which was to DFA George Baldwin who's roller coaster ride looks to have ended. Baldwin was sent packing to make room for veteran RP Bert Henggeler who was picked up off waivers from these vary same Kings club. We also claimed RP Bob Boyd, but we haven't assigned him yet. All these moves are in a continuing attempt to forget our bullpen of last season. Will these moves off the waiver dumpster help?
We also said goodbye to Jim Thompson who started the year with us but after 3 horrible starts he was exiled. He was promptly picked up by the independent Richmond Rebels (Union League AAA).
OF Mike Williams was sent to AAA Cincinnati to make room for LF/1B Ray Cochran. Williams has probably seen his last chance go up in flames with the Foresters as he hit 143/143/286 0-4.
Cleveland Foresters 17-20 @ Brooklyn Kings 15-22
3-game series May 22nd-24th
at Kings County Park II
Monday May 22nd, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 4
Brooklyn Kings 3
Foresters snapped their 4 game losing streak with a 9th inning win over the Kings. In the 9th Ray Cochran singled and stole 2B. SS George Dawson failed to bunt him to 3rd and ended up popping out to 3B. CF Leon Drake grounded out to 2nd, but Cochran moved to 3B. Moxie Pidgeon then hit a hard shot to the hole that SS Harry Barrell bobbled and Cochran scored the un-earned run with 2 outs.
WP - Roger Perry 6-2 2.79 LP - Lyman Weigel 2-3 3.93 S- Frank Phillips 1 1.42
HR - (CL) Max Morris 7th, Moxie Pidgeon 4th
Tuesday May 23rd, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 4
Brooklyn Kings 3
C Jim Kyle hit a HR in the top of the 6th breaking a 1-1 and leading the Foresters to the win at Brooklyn. SP Ed Wood (4-4) pitched well and picked up the win.
WP - Ed Wood 4-4 3.20 LP - Tom Barrell 2-6 4.22
HR - (CL) Jim Kyle 3rd
Wednesday May 24th, 1933
Cleveland Foresters 1
Brooklyn Kings 4
Kings SP Johnny Jacobs pitched a gem giving up 8 hits and only 1 run in stopping the King's losing streak and getting at least 1 win in the series.
WP - Johnny Jacobs 6-3 3.01 LP - Ben Turner 3-5 3.68
HR - None
Notes - So we get 2 out of 3 and end the trip 5-7. At 19-21 on the season, club is still searching for consistent offense. We have an off-day on Thursday before starting a 3-game series with Toronto with a double header on Friday. Then we welcome the Chicago Cougars who have had our number so far this year, which is to be expected.
Toronto Wolves 15-25 @ Cleveland Foresters 19-21
Saturday May 26th-27th
At Cleveland City Forester Garbage Dump (aka Forester Stadium)
Friday May 26th - Game 1
Toronto Wolves 4
Cleveland Foresters 5
Game 2 of the DH
Toronto Wolves 8
Cleveland Foresters 3
In game 1 Dean Astle picked up his 2nd win (2-1) as the Foresters walked off the the Wolves in the 9th CF Leon Drake's RBI single.
Game 1 -
WP - Dean Astle 2-1 2.08 LP - Birdie Smith 3-6 4.86
HR - (Tor) Frank Huddleson 2nd
In game 2 of the DH, it was one of the worst played Forester games of the season, the Wolves bombed SP Karl Johnson for 8 runs.
Game 2
WP - Bob Wood 1-1 2.00 LP - Karl Johnson 3-5 5.27
HR -none
Saturday May 27th, 1933
Toronto Wolves 7
Cleveland Foresters 6
The first 6 innings of this was a pitching clinic with the Foresters leading 1-0. Then Toronto scored 4 in the 7th and 2 more in the top of the 8th to take a 6-1 lead. The Foresters woke up and scored 5 in the bottom of the 8th to tie the game at 6. In the top of the 9th, Toronto LF Chuck Allison coaxed an 11-pitch walk after falling behind 0-2. He moved to 3rd on 2B Sam Orr's single and scored with 3B Luke Flemming's 1 out sac fly to win the game.
WP - Eddie Quinn 5-5 2.62 LP - Frank Phillips 1-2 1.98 S - John Reimers 1 2.31
HR - (CL) Max Morris 8th, Moxie Pidgeon 5th
Notes - Really a disappointing series against the last place Wolves. We've dropped 3 of our last 4 and now have the Cougars coming to town to end the month.
We decided to option SP Karl Johnson to AAA Cincinnati after his last outing. He has decent stuff but has been so up and down this season. The plan is to go with a 4-man rotation to end May and start June with a couple of off-days. Once he is back from the AAA DL, we will bring Carl Bragg back up and resume our 5-man rotation. Replacing Johnson on the roster is Bob Boyd who was activated after being picked up off waivers from Phily. George Baldwin who was DFA stayed with the organization and was assigned to class A Reading.
Minor league P Mickey Flanders was placed on the 60-day DL after herniating a disk in his back. Flanders was 2-2 with 1 saves with a 2.12 ERA.
Sunday May 28th-May 30th, 1933
Chicago Cougars 29-14 @ Cleveland Foresters 20-23
3-games series at Forester Stadium
Sunday May 28th, 1933
Chicago Cougars 4
Cleveland Foresters 2
SP Tommy Wilcox outpitched Ed Wood and the Cougars won the opener. P Ed Wood aided his cause by hitting a shocking solo HR against Wilcox.
WP - Tommy Wilcox 8-2 2.70 LP - Ed Wood 4-5 3.30
HR - (CL) Ed Wood 1st
Monday May 29th, 1933
Chicago Cougars 4
Cleveland Foresters 1
Really a game the Foresters wanted to forget. SP Jim Crawford scattered 12 hits but only gave up 1 run. The Foresters are seriously concerned about their SP Dean Astle who went 8.2 innings but was injured when a line drive went off his elbow. The diagnosis is pending.
WP - James Crawford 5-3 2.81 LP - Dean Astle 2-2 2.60
HR - none
Tuesday May 30th, 1933
Chicago Cougars 7
Cleveland Foresters 1
Ugh......nice start from Cougar SP Dick Luedtke administered another game and the Cougs completed another 3-game sweep of the Foresters. The Cougars are 8-1 on the season against the Foresters.
Notes - So we end the month on a real low losing 6 out of the last 7 and ended up 20-26 on the season. All the early month promise came crashing down.
The bad news on SP Dean Astle is he has bone chips in his pitching elbow. The good news is that he will only be out 6 weeks and then should make a full recovery. We will see where we are at the time, but we will likely pitch him some the last half of the season, but will likely not over work him. He pitched 160-163 innings in both of the last 2 minor league seasons. We will likely limit his innings this season to around 120.
We ended up May with a 15-14 record, but the first half of the month was much better than the last half.
Below are the pitching and batting stats for the month of May for the Foresters.
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