BENTON, A'S ROLL TO 17TH STRAIGHT 'W'
3-Run 1st Inning Holds Up vs. BoSox
PHILADELPHIA, July 1 (AP) - The epic winning streak continues. Al Benton
tossed a complete game and the Philadelphia Athletics made a three-run first
inning hold up as they slipped past the Boston Red Sox 3-1 at Shibe Park for
their 17th consecutive victory. Red Sox starter Gordon Rhodes struggled,
yielding four hits and three stolen bases to the A's in the opening frame but
shut them out the rest of the way, as he fired a complete game of his own.
But it wasn't good enough. Benton held Boston to a single run in the
eighth inning and has now picked up a win in his last six appearances, five of
them starts, dating back to June 5.
After Benton kept the Red Sox off the scoreboard in the top of the first, the
A's did their damage against Rhodes in the bottom half. Red hot Eric
McNair, who has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games and is 12-of-23 in his
last five contests, led off with a single and stole second. Doc Cramer
grounded out to short but Bob Johnson singled to left, scoring McNair to give
Philadelphia a 1-0 lead. On the first pitch to Jimmie Foxx, Johnson stole
second. Foxx then lined a base hit to left, scoring Johnson for a 2-0
advantage. Foxx then swiped second base and raced home on Pinky Higgins'
single to right. Rhodes retired Ed Coleman on strikes and Dib Williams on
a shallow fly to center, but Boston now trailed 3-0.
From that point on Rhodes, who has struggled throughout the season, was
outstanding, scattering three singles and allowing only one baserunner to
advance past first over the following seven innings.
But Benton held the Red Sox in check throughout. His didn't face his first
real jam until the sixth when consecutive singles off the bats of Billy Werber
and Ed Morgan put runners on the corners with only one out. But Roy
Johnson lined out to Higgins at third and Moose Solters bounced out to short to
end the threat. In the eighth, Morgan drew a two-out walk and Johnson
singled him to third. Solters then jumped on the first pitch and sliced a
base hit into right, breaking the shutout and leaving the tying runs on first
and third. But Benton rose to the occasion, inducing Dick Porter to fly
out harmlessly to left to keep the A's in front 3-1.
In the ninth, Rick Ferrell grounded out to short and Lyn Lary flied to
left. Pinch hitter Carl Reynolds doubled to the left-center field gap,
bringing the tying run to the plate. A passed ball allowed Reynolds to
advance to third and Benton fell behind Billy Cissell 3-1 but ended up getting
him on a grounder to second to end the game.
The victory allows the A's, who dropped their first 10 games and began the
season 2-16, to reach the .500 mark for the first time this year.
7/1/1934, BoA34-PhA34, Shibe Park 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1934 Red Sox 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 6 1 9 0 1934 Athletics 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 x 3 7 2 8 1 Red Sox AB R H BI AVG Athletics AB R H BI AVG Cissell 2b 5 0 0 0 .195 McNair ss 4 1 3 0 .278 Werber 3b 4 0 2 0 .331 Cramer cf 3 0 0 0 .313 Morgan 1b 3 1 1 0 .274 Johnson,B lf 3 1 1 1 .350 Johnson,R lf 3 0 1 0 .358 Foxx 1b 3 1 1 1 .317 Solters cf 4 0 1 1 .315 Higgins 3b 4 0 1 1 .331 Porter rf 3 0 0 0 .273 Coleman rf 4 0 0 0 .308 Ferrell,R c 4 0 0 0 .231 Moss c 0 0 0 0 .667 Lary ss 3 0 0 0 .241 Williams 2b 3 0 0 0 .182 Rhodes p 3 0 0 0 .111 Berry c 3 0 1 0 .241 Reynolds ph 1 0 1 0 .326 Finney,L ph 1 0 0 0 .238 33 1 6 1 Benton,A p 3 0 0 0 .094 31 3 7 3 Red Sox INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Rhodes L 6-8 8.0 7 3 3 3 4 133 82 6.75 8.0 7 3 3 3 4 133 82 Athletics INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Benton,A W 7-2 9.0 6 1 1 4 3 152 89 3.84 9.0 6 1 1 4 3 152 89 BoA: Reynolds batted for Rhodes in the 9th PhA: Finney,L batted for Berry in the 8th Moss inserted at c in the 9th Finney,L moved to rf in the 9th E-Solters, Berry 2. 2B-Reynolds(15). RBI-Solters(27), Johnson,B(63), Foxx(44), Higgins(56). SB-Werber(19), Johnson,R(6), McNair(6), Johnson,B(7), Foxx(5). K-Cissell 2, Rhodes, Coleman, Williams, Berry, Benton,A. BB-Morgan, Johnson,R, Porter, Lary, Johnson,B, Foxx, Williams. SH-Cramer. PB-Moss. GWRBI: Johnson,B Temperature: 82, Sky: clear, Wind: in from center at 9 MPH. Attendance: 4,065 Game Time: 2:15