Game 1 in Pittsburgh
Vic Raschi (15-7, 3.62) v Billy Pierce (11-12, 3.90)
This enthralling series gets underway with highly-touted southpaw youngster Billy Pierce taking on our grizzled veteran Vic Raschi. Actually, while it feels like he has been around forever, Vic is just 31 and in only his fourth MLB season, and tonight he faces the team that drafted him in 1946 then traded him to us the following year. We’d like him to show them the error of their ways in the most decisive terms here.
It doesn’t work out that way as they get to him early and stay on him throughout, and when he leaves the game after 7, we look done for despite scoring 2 in the 7th to make it 8-4. But then this amazing offence of ours kicks into gear, batting around and posting a 5-spot in the 8th to take an unlikely lead. The BP does all it can to throw the game away, loading the bases with just one down, but Houtteman gets Jethroe to pop up and closes it out by retiring Weintraub on a flyout to LF.
Game 2 in Pittsburgh
Larry Jansen (17-9, 4.00) v Tom Poholsky (10-5, 4.84)
Pirates lead series 1-0
While the midseason acquisition of Larry Jansen hasn’t gone as planned – he has been poor for us, going 6-4 / 4.97 – this is where we are hoping it really pays off. We know how good he can be and would love him to be that good today. Rookie Tom Poholsky going for them, a guy who has really impressed in his debut season.
It’s another nip-and-tuck affair that requires extra innings after we blow a 4-1 lead late then need a run of our own in the home 9th to extend it. Kiner comes to our rescue in the 12th, crushing a hanger for a walkoff solo shot and a 6-5 win. Dark, as he has been all year, is sensational with 4 hits including a 2-run jack.
Game 3 in Chicago
Vern Bickford (11-9, 3.62) v Bill Wight (12-5, 4.16)
Pirates lead series 2-0
Bill Wight on for us tonight and one feels almost certain that this game will come down to his ability to avoid the wildness that can plague him. He’ll face a solid competitor in Vern Bickford, who made it to the ASG this year. Another high-scoring game would surprise little and we’ve opted to go with Easter over Westlake for this one.
Talk about the Cardiac Kids as we push out to an 8-0 lead then stop dead in our tracks and in the end get home by just the one run. Elliott has 4 hits, Dark a solo homer, Wight does well enough and the prize is so close we can nearly touch it—and yet, we look ever so raggedy and I wonder if there’s even a drop left in the tank to get us over the line.
Game 4 in Chicago
Bob Lemon (15-7, 3.84) v Vern Law (7-8, 5.03)
Pirates lead series 3-0
Of course this is the biggest start in rookie Vern Law’s short career. He’s struggled this year but has shown glimpses of the greatness we expect from him. Hopefully his journey to that destination begins with a big stride tonight against a tough old bird in Bob Lemon, who will likely make us work hard for every base earned.
Law gives us everything he’s got and does himself proud, but the hits completely dry up and we take our first loss for the series on the back of a really flat performance.
Game 5 in Chicago
Billy Pierce (0-0, 7.71) v Vic Raschi (0-0, 7.71)
Pirates lead series 3-1
With all due respect to our home fans, I’d just as soon have it that we wrap things up today because we know from experience how quickly and easily these short series can be flipped on their head. Raschi v Pierce again and I doubt it will be the runfest we saw in Game 1. In an effort to wake us up, Sisti comes in for Joost, hitless in the first 3 games, with Kennedy in for Wertz, who has also struggled to have an impact here.
Neither of those changes have much effect as we put in another ordinary showing to let the White Sox right back into this series. It stays close until the 8th when they put a deuce in the frame to kill us off for a 6-3 final. The momentum has done a full 180 here and I’m not sure how to turn it back around, or if it’s even possible to.
Game 6 in Pittsburgh
Larry Jansen (0-0, 4.50) v Tom Poholsky (0-0, 5.14)
Pirates lead series 3-2
That travel day couldn’t have come at a better time for us, allowing us to just step back, regather and remind ourselves that it is us, not them, who needs just the one win to win it all. Still, they have the wind in their sails now and we’ll have to be at our very best to avoid a decider. We’re going back to the lineup that got us here, let’s hope they can finish what they started.
And finish it they do, not in the prettiest fashion with misfields and poor decisions aplenty, but finish it all the same. We take an early lead on homers to Joost and Dark but once again bleed runs in the middle innings to see our advantage cut to one. It is regular starter Russ Meyer who comes to the rescue, giving us 3 scoreless for the save and clinching 4-3 win, meaning all of our four wins have been by a that narrowest of margins.
We knew we were a rough hope this season, but only a rough one. The lads have stepped up big time to make that dream a reality. A famous win indeed, and to have closed it out in a packed-to-the-rafters Forbes Field makes it all the more sweet.
