MLB: Yankees Five Consecutive World Championships Started by Beating the Red Sox

In 1949, the pennant race was once again between the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians.

The teams battled all season and on Sept. 1 the Yankees led the Red Sox by three games and the Indians by four and one-half games.The Indians faded but the Red Sox didn’t. 

At the close of play on September 30, the Yankees trailed Boston by one game with two left to play. Both would be at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees won both games to finish one game ahead of Boston.

The Red Sox led the first of the two games 4-0 at the end of the third inning, but the Yankees won 5-4.

Relief ace Joe Page, the Yankees late inning man, had to come in early. He worked 6 2/3 innings in relief of starter Allie Reynolds because the game was managed much differently when compared to the game today.

With the teams tied on the last day of the season, Vic Raschi was nursing a 1-0 lead, provided when Phil Rizzuto led off the first with a line drive down the left field line that went for a triple. He scored when Tommy Henrich grounded out to second baseman Bobby Doerr.

With the Yankees still leading by a run in the eighth inning, Red Sox manager Joe McCarthy hit for starter Ellis Kinder.

The Red Sox still trailed by a run when the Yankees batted against ace left-hander Mel Parnell, the Red Sox best starter who had won 25 games and wasn’t used to pitching in relief.

Left-handed hitting Tommy Henrich greeted Parnell with a home run and Yogi Berra followed with a single. Good-bye Mel.

Tex Hughson proceeded to take over. When the inning was over, the Yankees had a five run lead.

But the Red Sox didn’t merely lose. They lost so it hurt.

With one out in the top of the ninth, Ted Williams drew a walk, went to second on a wild pitch and moved to third when Vern Stephens singled.

Bobby Doerr hit a long drive to center for a two run triple.

Al Zarilla hit a fly-ball to center field for the second out after which Billy Goodman hit a single to score Doerr with the Red Sox third run, but that was it.

Birdie Tebbets popped out to first baseman Tommy Henrich in foul territory and the Yankees were American League Champions.

Every pennant is a significant achievement for the team that wins it, but this one would turn out to be especially meaningful because it was the first of five consecutive pennants, each of which was capped by a World Championship.

In 1950, the Detroit Tigers finished second, three games behind the Yankees.

Over the next three seasons, the Cleveland Indians were the Yankees main competitors, but it wasn’t until 1954 that they finally finished ahead of the Yankees.

For Yankees fans, it’s great to be in the fifties again.

Reference:

Retrosheet