[jksander]

JUNE 23, 1953 . . . Paul Minner got roughed up big time in the second inning of this one, giving up four runs over a prolonged inning after getting the game’s first four outs quickly. He gave up a fifth run in the top of the third, but we finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning when backup left fielder Max West got a double up the gap to drive in two runs, so after three we trailed 2-5. Minner went into the fourth inning having already thrown more than 60 pitches, however, so we really needed him to settle down and show some control. Minner gave up another run in the top of the fifth, and I pulled him at 90 pitches for Klippstein, hoping we could stem the bleeding and give our batters at least a fighting chance. And he got out of the inning with two consecutive strikeouts and we headed for the bottom of the fifth trailing 2-6.

In the bottom of the fifth, Max West, playing in only his third game of the season, hit his first home-run, scoring for himself and Fondy and making this a 4-6 game! The bottom of the order was coming up, so we pinch-hit Jackson, Clyde McCullough and Frank Baumholtz to hopefully give us some rally power. Jackson hit a fly-out to left, but McCullough singled, Baumholtz did the same, and Fondy came up at the top of the order with just one out, taking first on a fielder’s choice, while McCullough went to third. That brought up Max West with two outs, and he singled to drive in McCullough, while Fondy made it to third without a throw! That brought Willie Mays up with the score 5-6 and two outs, and though he should have been easily tagged out at first on a bloop single in the infield, the first baseman for the Phillies committed an error, allowing him to tag up safe at second and sending Fondy in to score the tying run!

Randy Jackson stayed in at third base, while McCullough took over at catcher as Bob Kelly took over in the top of the seventh with the score tied up, quickly getting three outs. That brought Ernie Banks up to bat, at which point he was promptly hit by a pitch and sent to first, at which point Eddie Miksis singled to advance Banks to second with no outs. But Jackson flew out to right, and McCullough flew out to center field -- though his was deep enough to advance Banks to third with two men on and two outs. But Bob Kelly struck out and ended the inning with us still knotted at six all. Kelly was dialed in, however, and got three quick outs to bring us back up, still tied, in the bottom of the eighth and at the top of the order. Unfortunately Willie Mays hit a weak squib into a double play to end the inning with no score, putting all our hopes on Kelly in the ninth and our chances at a walk-off. But he got into trouble quickly and gave up the go-ahead run with two men on and no outs, though he got the outs he needed to get us out of things with just the one run.

In the bottom of the ninth, Cavarretta singled to left, but Banks flew out to right, keeping Cavaretta at first. Miksis hit a fly-out to deep center, and then Jackson managed to reach base on a fielding error by the shortstop, bringing up Clyde McCullough with two outs, two men on, and us just needing to at least tie this thing! But he hit it straight to the third baseman and the game was over -- another tough loss to swallow, the Phillies taking this one 6-7.

Paul Minner only lasted 4.1 innings thanks to 11 hits and six runs, five of which were earned. Klippstein threw 1.2 innings with just one hit along with two strikeouts, but Bob Kelly came in and pitched three solid innings of three hit ball, with four strikeouts and a walk ... and the losing run, which knocks his record to 1-4. Max West had a great night with four hits and a walk, scoring a run and driving in FIVE, his first five RBIs of the year, bringing his average up to .444 in nine at-bats. Cavarretta also had two hits, reaching 2,000 hits in his career, but was unable to score. Dee Fondy hit once but scored three runs himself, thanks to handy errors by Philly. And yet we got out-hit 15-14 so we lost this one that our overall effort suggested we should have found a way to win.