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 Sunday, October 7, 1956, Cleveland @ Milwaukee – County Stadium

 

TRIBE OUTLASTS SPAHN TO EVEN SERIES 

 

In a rematch of Game One starters, the Cleveland Indians outlasted the Milwaukee Braves with a run in the 11th inning for a 2-1 victory. 

 

Early Wynn and Warren Spahn squared off for the second time in four days, and once again performed admirably.  In the end, Chico Carrasquel, elevated from the eighth spot in the order to the number two spot due to his early Series success, delivered the game-winner with a run-scoring single in the 11th inning.

 

The contest started when the Indians finally broke their scoreless streak against Spahn on a Vic Wertz solo homerun in the top of the first inning.  Wynn protected the slim lead allowing just three hits until the seventh when the Braves first baseman, Joe Adcock, smashed his first homerun of the series to tie up the game, 1-1.

 

Wynn’s stint on the mound ended after eight innings as Cleveland chose to pinch hit for their ace right-hander to start off the top of the ninth inning, looking to plate the game winner.  Sam Mele drew a walk in Wynn’s stead, and advanced to third base on a sacrifice by Al Smith and single by Carrasquel.  But a fine play by Spahn to nail Mele at the plate on a comebacker struck by Wertz was followed by a strikeout by Al Rosen to end the threat, ultimately sending the game into extras.

 

With Wynn out of the game, the Indians looked to their bullpen to keep pace with Spahn, who continued to look strong into the 10th inning.  Ray Narleski pitched a perfect ninth, then worked around a one out single by Spahn in the 10th. 

 

In the top of the 11th, the Indians finally broke through.  Spahn walked pinch hitter Earl Averill to lead off the stanza.  George Strickland ran for Averill, and moved into scoring position when Al Smith hit a slow bouncer in front of the mound that Spahn fielded, and elected to take the out at first base.  Carrasquel then stepped in and dropped a single inside the right field line, easily scoring Strickland with the tie-breaking tally.  Cleveland threatened to add to their 2-1 lead when Rosen followed with a single up the middle, but Spahn kept his team in the game by retiring Colavito on a ground ball to close out the inning.

 

Cal McLish took over for the Tribe to start the bottom of the 11th, needing three outs to finish it, and was immediately greeted by a single up the middle from Hank Aaron.  However, McLish struck out Eddie Mathews, then induced a game-ending 5-4-3 double play ball from Adcock to nail down the 2-1 victory.

 

The Indians win guaranteed a return of the series to Cleveland with everything knotted up at 2-2.

 

 

                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11     R  H  E   LOB DP

Cleveland              1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1     2  6  0     6  1

Milwaukee              0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0     1  7  1     7  1

 

Indians              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Braves               AB  R  H BI   AVG

Smith,A           lf  4  0  1  0  .267    O'Connell         2b  5  0  0  0  .188

Carrasquel        ss  5  0  2  1  .500    Logan             ss  5  0  1  0  .429

Wertz             1b  5  1  1  1  .313    Aaron             rf  4  0  2  0  .389

Rosen             3b  5  0  2  0  .313    Mathews           3b  5  0  1  0  .176

 McLish           p   0  0  0  0  .000    Adcock            1b  5  1  1  1  .176

Colavito          rf  5  0  0  0  .235    Covington         lf  2  0  0  0  .300

Busby             cf  4  0  0  0  .250     Mantilla         pr  0  0  0  0  .000

Avila             2b  4  0  0  0  .059     Thomson          lf  1  0  0  0  .333

Hegan             c   4  0  0  0  .083    Bruton            cf  4  0  1  0  .308

Wynn              p   2  0  0  0  .333    Rice              c   3  0  0  0  .286

 Mele             ph  0  0  0  0  .000     Tanner           ph  1  0  0  0  .000

 Narleski         p   0  0  0  0  .000     Crandall         c   0  0  0  0  .143

 Averill          ph  0  0  0  0  .000    Spahn             p   4  0  1  0  .143

 Strickland       pr  0  1  0  0  .000                         39  1  7  1

                     38  2  6  2

 

Indians                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA

Wynn                             8.0  5  1  1  2  4 114  72  1.80

Narleski         W 1-0           2.0  1  0  0  0  1  22  15  2.70

McLish           S 1             1.0  1  0  0  0  1  10   6  4.91

                                11.0  7  1  1  2  6 146  93

 

Braves                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA

Spahn            L 1-1          11.0  6  2  2  2  4 133  86  0.90

                                11.0  6  2  2  2  4 133  86

 

Cle: Mele batted for Wynn in the 9th

     Averill batted for Narleski in the 11th

     Strickland ran for Averill in the 11th

     Strickland moved to 3b in the 11th

Mil: Mantilla ran for Covington in the 7th

     Thomson inserted at lf in the 8th

     Tanner batted for Rice in the 10th

     Crandall inserted at c in the 11th

 

E-Mathews. 2B-Logan(2), Mathews(1). HR-Wertz(2), Adcock(1).

RBI-Carrasquel(2), Wertz(3), Adcock(3). K-Carrasquel 2, Wertz, Rosen,

Logan 2, Aaron, Mathews, Rice, Spahn. BB-Mele, Averill, Aaron, Covington.

SH-Smith,A.

GWRBI: Carrasquel

Temperature: 49, Sky: clear, Wind: in from right at 2 MPH.

Attendance: 43,755

Game Time: 2:11