It was a long trip for the A’s to head to St Louis. The roads were still in poor repair as most of the workforce had been hijacked to go into the military. As they turned down the highway, Epps leaned out the open bus window to holler at a lovely lady hanging her clothes on the line. His thoughts raced, wondering IF she was alone, did she need someone to watch over her? WHACK!! “Stop it boss” shouted Epps. “That hurt, you can’t go around hitting your players on the head!” “Heck I was going to get a couple hits in this series against St Louie, but maybe I won’t now.” Hmmmrp Coach looked back as he walked away “who said you were playing?” He looked back, “You’re hitting .189, why would you think you deserve more playing time?” The rest of his mates laughed. Coach sternly threw a stare around the bus, “None of you are hitting squat, what we got? One home run for the season? One!!”
The bus pulled up to the hotel “Dave & Mary’s Hotel, Vacancy, $1.50 per night”. They all remembered this place, the roaches were the kingpins here. Don’t turn the light out.
Game 1 finally came and as they entered the stadium, Siebert gazed around. “Yep” he said. “I can hit several out of this place.” Everyone laughed and they went into the clubhouse. The game started like all others, the other team scored first and often. Flores didn’t really feel like pitching but with a staff of only 9 hurlers, you just gotta do it. He had pitched just two days before and was pounded. This day was to be just another cloudy day. He pitched into the 4th but he sure didn’t get out of it without help. He was done, early. His arm had no life and the Browns unloaded on him for 7 runs. An ERA over 6.00 now and he was supposed to their number 2. He sure looked like a pile of number 2, today.
Al Zarilla led the charge for the Browns going 4 for 5 with a home run and 2 rbis and Stephens went 3 for 4 with a rbi. Jackuki went the distance for the St Louie group allowing 5 runs on 6 hits. The only bright spot for the A’s was the SECOND home run of the season for the team, when Hayes hit a solo shot in the 9th.
Browns 8 A’s 5
Now who was the wise guy that invented double headers? This couldn’t have come at a worse time.
A’s 2 – Browns 1.
The A’s had their ace to throw at the Browns,
Bobo Newsom. The Browns were countering with
A’s 5 Browns 1. Christman got two of the four hits by the Browns and Potter pitched 7 innings while allowing 5 runs, only 2 were earned.
Potter, their number two starter, although he would have been the ace on many pitching staffs. The A’s scored first in the top of the 1st with a couple of singles, a sacrifice and a ground out. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the 5th when Epps bunted back to Potter but he fumbled around with the ball and Epps was safe. Hall singled and Epps stopped at 2nd. Newsom struck out. Estalella came to the plate, he popped one up in between home plate and the pitcher’s mound. Umpires screeched “Infield Fly, batter out”. Hayworth, the catcher, called for it. It hit his glove and then bounded off. The A’s runners were either unaware it was called infield fly or they were speed demons in disguise as Epps on 2nd scored and Hall went to third. Busch singled, Hall scored and it was 3-0. The A’s scored two more in the top of the 7th. As the Browns came to bat, they were down 5 – 0 bottom of the 7th. A walk and two singles later they had plated a run, but that was all for the day. Scoring was over and the final was
It was the finale, the winner of this game was going to be playing .500 ball, while the other was not. The A’s knew they had to keep the game close and they just don’t score too many runs. The 1st inning spelled doom for the A’s. The Browns were wanting the win to even the series and to be at least at .500. Two singles and a bases clearing triple by
George McQuinn game the Browns two runs with no outs. A flyball to right scored McQuinn and it was now 3-0. A walk and two singles in the bottom of the 3rd game game the Brownies another run. Moore got the RBI. The A’s roared back in the top of the 5th. Two walks, a single and a ground out put them on the board. Garrison had the chance to bring a couple runners home but instead popped out to short right field. Browns 5-1 In the bottom of the 5th, a single, a ground out and another single plated another run. Browns 6-1. The A’s scored another run in the top of the 7th to make it 6-2. Top of the 8th and lightning struck for the A’s. Garrison ripped a home run to left. It was his first and his team’s third home run of the season. Excitement was pouring out of the players, this had to be message. And it was, it just was not a good one. They didn’t score again in the inning. 6-3 Christopher had entered the game for the A’s in the 6th inning and was beginning to tire. He had already been advised, he was it. Do the job and we can go home. And he struggled in the 7th but nothing and then the 8th he struggled as the bases were plugged up after allowing two singles and a walk. The next batter hit a ready-made double play ball to Kell at third. Well, it should have been but he couldn’t find the handle. A run scored and the bases still full. Christopher, not wanting to show emotion, paced behind the mound. He walked the next two batters on 3-1 counts to allow 2 more runs,
9-3. The scoring was over, the game was over and the Browns were at .500. The A’s weren’t.
The pitching staff was exhausted after being pounded and the hitters, well there was just not click.As 2 – Browns 1. Estalella poped up and Busch flied out. Bottom of the 9th and the A’s turned to Wheaton, who had been tagged for a run in the double-header opener. Zarilla wanted to make up for his miscue, whiff. Christman on a 2 and 1 count ripped one to short, 2 outs. Stephens flied to deep left center, back goes Bobby Estalella, he looks up and in a panic jumps up. The ball, the ball, Estalella crashed into the wall. The umpires raced to centerfield to see the result. Estalella staggers forward, showing the ball in his glove. The umpire raised his thumb. Game Over
As both teams trudged onto the field, it looked like it was going to be another long day. Taking nothing away from the hitters, but it was a pitcher’s day. Harris and Sundra threw blank after blank at each other. A glitch in the bottom of the 4th put the Brownies on top when Shortstop Busch turned a routine grounder into an error allowing Zarilla to take 3rd after his lead off double. He scored on the next groundball out to Busch. In the top of the 8th Garrison lined a single to center with one out. Sundra thought Garrison had too big of a lead so he threw over to first, only it was out of reach of McQuinn and Garrison went to 2nd. A slow roller to short, Stephens has to hurry to get the batter. A great play although his footing was soft and as he threw down he went. The ball sailed over McQuinn’s head. Hayes a lumbering catcher slowed as he approached first as he watched the play unfold. Nice play by Stephens… he was going to be out….oh no, McQuinn is chasing the throw. Hayes had to stick at 1st. The two outs were recorded quickly and it was now a tie game. For the 9th, the Browns went to Caster to keep them in the game. Siebert grounded out. Epps popped over of the head of the shortstop, Wall followed with a seeing-eye single in between 1st and 2nd. Runners on 1st and 3rd, one out tie game. Mcghee took advantage of his playing time by ripping a ball off the wall in right center. One scored, runners 2nd and 3rd, one out,
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submitted by Orion Bell--
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