15. 1937 World Champion New York Yankees v. 50. 1912 NL Champion New York GiantsThe top remaining seed in Region 2 is the '37 Yankees; they battle to become the 7th team to advance to the Round of 32 here; the 2017 Dodgers just became the first non World Champion to advance to the next round, the 1912 Giants try to join them.
This is (maybe) the first instance of the same guy on both sides. Art Fletcher is the Giants shortstop. Art Fletcher is a Yankee coach.
Fletcher v. Fletcher!
Yankees 102-52 Mgr. Joe McCarthy
Won AL Pennant
d. Giants in WS
d. #114. 1928 Athletics (MVP-Lou Gehrig/Bill Dickey)
All-Stars: C Bill Dickey (5th AL MVP) OF Joe DiMaggio (2nd AL MVP) 1B Lou Gehrig (4th AL MVP) SP Lefty Gomez, RP Johnny Murphy, 3B Red Rolfe,
Hall of Famers: Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Lefty Gomez, Tony Lazzeri, Red Ruffing, Joe McCarthy
Giants 103-48 Mgr. John McGraw
Won NL Pennant
Lost WS to Red Sox
d. #79. 1993 Braves
Hall of Famers: SP Rube Marquard, SP Christy Mathewson, John McGraw, Wilbert Robinson (coach)
Giants
1B Merkle (23) 121 2.4
C Meyers (31) 147 4.5
2B Doyle (25) 132 5
RF Murray (28) 97 2.1
LF Snodgrass (24) 96 1.1
CF Becker (25) 101 1.2
3B Herzog (26) 90 3.4
SS Fletcher (27) 89 3.3
P Mathewson (31) 161 7.6
Bench:
SS Shafer (23) 99 1.3
LF Devore (24) 103 .7
Game 2 SP: Tesreau (24) 173 3.8
Game 3 SP: Marquard (LH) (25) 133 5.7
Likely platoons at short and left for McGraw.
Yankees
C Dickey (30) 144 7.3
1B Gehrig (34) 176 7.4
CF DiMaggio (22) 166 9.2
RF Selkirk (29) 156 3
LF Henrich (24) 141 1.8
3B Rolfe (28) 86 2.7
2B Lazzeri (33) 86 1.9
SS Crosetti (26) 73 1.9
P Gomez (28) (LH) 193 8.2
Bench
P Ruffing (32) 150 5.6
P Pearson (28) 142 2.8
WAR Advantage
C-Yankees
1B-Yankees
2B-Giants
SS-Giants
3B-Giants
LF-Yankees
CF-Yankees
RF-Yankees
SP1 Yankees
SP2 Yankees
SP3 Giants
Bullpen Yankees
Yankees 8 Giants 4 -- Yankees are seed favorites, Yankees are WAR favorites, Yankees have the best 3 position players in the series. Yankees are heavy favorites.
GAME ONE
1st: 28 year old Lefty Gomez is on the mound for the heavily favored Yankees. 21-11, 2.33. Gomez is from San Francisco, future home of the Giants; he came up in 1930, had top five AL MVP finishes in '32 and '34, and this is maybe the best season of his career. Led the league in wins, ERA, shutouts and strikeouts. Finished 9th in the AL MVP race. He was on that Region 1 Yankee team that didn't advance. He gives up a first pitch double to Fred Merkle, gets an out, then gives up a run scoring single to Larry Doyle. Giants 1 Yankees 0
1st: Christy Mathewson is one of the greatest pitchers of all time; he's 31 in 1912, 23-12, 2.12, he broke in at 19 years old in 1900 - won 30+ games in '03, '04, '05 -- won 37 in 1908, had a 1.14 ERA in '09, was 2nd in the MVP race in 1911. His last super elite year is next year and he really drops off the table after that. He gets 2 and then gives up a Joe DiMaggio single, that's all.
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: Tony Lazzeri walks with 2 out - Lazzeri came up back in '26, finished third in the AL MVP race in '28, 8th in '32. This is the Hall of Famer's final Yankee campaign - he's released at season's end. That's as far as it goes.
3rd: Chief Meyers singles with 2 out - he's the Giants backstop, up in 1909 as a 28 year old rookie, top 10 MVP finish last year, this is his career year, he led the league in OBP and finished third in the MVP voting. He'll be in the league 5 more years. Larry Doyle is then hit - and a Red Murray single scores Meyers; Fred Snodgrass walks to load the bases, Gomez stops it here. Giants 2 Yankees 0
3rd Bill Dickey singles with one out - we've discussed Dickey from Region 1; he is the catcher on the '43 Yankee team that has advanced to the Round of 32. He's a part time player at that point, but this is six years prior, Dickey's 30, 5th in the AL MVP. That's all Mathewson allows.
4th: Buck Herzog walks, he broke in 1908, went to Boston for a couple of years and back to the Giants last year. He'll leave for Cincinnati in a couple of years - return for a third Giants stint, and eventualy wind up finishing as a Cub in 1920. That's all Gomez allows.
4th: 1-2-3
5th: Fred Merkle walks - he broke in when he was 18, when he was 19 committed one of the most infamous baserunning blunders in MLB history, called Merkle's Boner, which cost the Giants a shot at the pennant; last year Merkle was 7th in the NL MVP - he'll be a Giant until the middle of 1916 when he's dealt to Brooklyn for Lew McCarty. That's all.
5th: Frankie Crosetti singles; he's on that '43 team which has already advanced - this year, he led the league both in strikeouts and being hit by a pitch. Mathewson gets the next two, then gives up back to back singles to Gehrig and DiMaggio. Bases loaded for the Yankees - but Mathewson escapes.
6th: Beals Becker singles with 2 out, remember how Herzog got traded to Boston (NL version)? Who the Giants got back was Becker; they're now teammates. This is Becker's last year as a Giant. Gomez stops it here.
6th: Red Rolfe singles with one out - like Gomez, Rolfe was with that '41 Yankees team that we saw lose already in this round, he's an All Star this year, his first time. Mathewson stops it here, keeping the shutout.
7th: Mathewson singles with one out and after the second out, Meyers singles - that's all Gomez allows.
7th: Gehrig doubles with one out. Gehrig's a monster - in 1923 he was 20 years old and had 26 at bats and hit .423. The next year he had 12 at bats and hit .500. He'd be the Yankee first baseman the rest of his life. Won the MVP in '27, 2nd in '31 and '32. Top 5 in '33, '34, '35. Won last year - this year he finished 4th. Next year, when he's 35, he has his worst year with the bat, with "only" a 132 OPS+. He will play 8 games in 1939 and die in '41. Mathewson strands him at second and we head to the 8th.
8th: 1-2-3, Gomez has been strong today.
8th: 1-2-3, but he's being outdueled by Mathewson
9th: Herzog walks - but that's all. Can the Yankees find a couple of runs?
9th: Crosetti is first...he grounds to second.
Myril Hoag comes off the bench - he singles to left and that brings the tying run to the plate, here come the Hall of Famers.
Dickey is up. Gehrig on deck. If they can reach - then DiMaggio.
Dickey hits a ball to the track - but Red Murray is there and that's two outs.
Gehrig laces a single to right. Two on. Two out. Yanks trail by two. Here comes DiMaggio.
And he pops up to third and it's done.
Giants 2
Yankees 0
WP Mathewson
LP Gomez
Complete game shutout for Christy Mathewson.
Merkle reached twice
Meyers reached twice
Herzog reached twice
For the Yankees...excellent outing for Gomez, just not quite enough..
Gehrig reached 3 times
DiMaggio twice
The Yankees were heavy favorites but they got buzsawed by an all time legend today.
Back for game 2.
2B Doyle (25) 132 5
C Meyers (31) 147 4.5
1B Merkle (23) 121 2.4
LF Devore (24) 103 .7
CF Becker (25) 101 1.2
SS Shafer (23) 99 1.3
RF Murray (28) 97 2.1
3B Herzog (26) 90 3.4
Game 2 SP: Tesreau (24) 173 3.8
C Dickey (30) 144 7.3
1B Gehrig (34) 176 7.4
CF DiMaggio (22) 166 9.2
RF Selkirk (29) 156 3
LF Henrich (24) 141 1.8
3B Rolfe (28) 86 2.7
2B Lazzeri (33) 86 1.9
SS Crosetti (26) 73 1.9
P Ruffing (32) 150 5.6
GAME TWO
1st: The Yankees turn to Red Ruffing. 32 year old RH, 20-7, 2.98. We discussed him with that '41 team that lost in this round in Region 1 - but he was in the military for the 1943 season. This year, he was 8th in the AL MVP race, he'll be a Yankee ten more years. Larry Doyle singles on the first pitch - and on the second pitch Dickey guns him down trying to steal second. Chief Meyers then singles - and after the second out Josh Devore - in the lineup today against the RH Ruffing - doubles Meyers home. Giants 1 Yankees 4
1st: 24 year old rookie RH Jeff Tesreau looks to give the Giants a huge advantage in this series; 17-7, 1.96. He led the league in ERA; this will be the best season of his 7 year career. He walks Bill Dickey - then walks Lou Gehrig - then gives up a Joe DiMaggio single to load the bases. George Selkirk then hits a grand slam to left - the Yankees got shut out in game 1 - but they are 4 runs in after only 4 batters. After an out, Red Rolfe doubles, Tony Lazzeri then singles him home and it's 5-1. Frankie Crosetti reaches on error, and after the second out, Dickey is up again - he singles to score the 6th run. Giants 1 Yankees 6
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: Meyers walks with 2 out, nothing else.
3rd: Crosetti draws a two out walk - and then Ruffing triples; he had 0 triples during the season. Looks like the Yankee team we expected has shown up. Giants 1 Yankees 7
4th: 1-2-3
4th: After an out, DiMaggio and Selkirk single. DiMaggio is 22 years old; in his second season. He was 8th in the AL MVP last year and second this year. We've already seen him with that '41 team that lost and he was in the military during the '43 season and that team has advanced forward. He plays through the '51 season. A Henrich sac fly scores the 8th run. Giants 1 Yankees 8
5th: 1-2-3, Ruffing cruising now, hasn't allowed a hit since the first.
5th: 1-2-3
6th: Meyers singles with one out, that's it. Time to head across town for games 3 and 4.
6th: DiMaggio triples with two out - Selkirk walks. Selkirk's another career Yankee who was on that 1941 team but not the '43 team. Like Henrich, he's a part time player this year although will get each start during this series. Henrich reaches on an error that scores the 9th run; Giants 1 Yankees 9
7th: Tillie Shafer walks with one out; the Giants utilityman getting action against the right handed Ruffing - Shafer's 23 and next year is his last year in the bigs. That's all Ruffing allows.
7th: 24 year old RH Doc Crandall comes on for the Giants - he came up in '08 and next year is his last as a Giant. He gives up a first pitch homer to Tony Lazzeri. Two outs later, Dickey walks, Gehrig singles, and DiMaggio singles home the 10th run. George Selkirk - who hit a grand slam in the first -- then hits a 3 run homer. What's the best offensive performance of the tournament so far? It's this one by Selkirk. Crandall then hits Henrich - and there's just no question that was a purpose pitch -- and that's something to monitor the rest of the way in this series; that really amplifies the mood here in Yankee Stadium - Giants 1 Yankees 14
8th: Doyle doubles, two out later Devore singles - It ends there.
8th: Ruffing singles with 2 out, That's all.
9th: Herzog singles with 2 out - but it ends here.
Giants 1
Yankees 14
WP Ruffing
LP Tesreau
For the Yankees...complete game win by Ruffing. Also tripled and had 2 hits.
Dickey reached 3 times in game 2
Gehrig has reached 5 times
DiMaggio has reached 6 times with a triple
Selkirk reached 4 times in game 2, 2 homers, 7 RBI
Lazzeri reached twice with a homer.
For the Giants -
Doyle reached twice in game 2
Merkle reached twice
Meyers has reached five times
Devore reached twice in game 2
Herzog has reached three times
Let's go to the Polo Grounds, see who wins game 3
CF DiMaggio (22) 166 9.2
1B Gehrig (34) 176 7.4
C Dickey (30) 144 7.3
RF Selkirk (29) 156 3
LF Henrich (24) 141 1.8
2B Lazzeri (33) 86 1.9
SS Crosetti (26) 73 1.9
3B Rolfe (28) 86 2.7
P Pearson (28) 142 2.8
2B Doyle (25) 132 5
C Meyers (31) 147 4.5
1B Merkle (23) 121 2.4
LF Devore (24) 103 .7
CF Becker (25) 101 1.2
SS Shafer (23) 99 1.3
RF Murray (28) 97 2.1
3B Herzog (26) 90 3.4
Game 3 SP: Marquard (LH) (25) 133 5.7
GAME THREE
1st Probably, you want to attack this Yankee lineup with a lefty; the Giants send one to the mound today. Rube Marquard is 25, 26-11, 2.57. Broke in in '08, 7th in the MVP last year and 8th this year, leading the league in wins. 3 years from now the Giants release him and he winds up with Brooklyn and posts a 1.58 ERA in 1916. He'll be in the league through 1925 and make the Hall of Fame. DiMaggio and Gehrig single to open it up - Marquard gets one, but then a Selkirk groundout scores a run. Yankees 1 Giants 0
1st: 28 year old Monte Pearson gets the call for the Yankees; 9-3, 3.17. Pearson broke in with the Indians in '32, the Yankees picked him up last year for Johnny Allen, he'll spend 5 years as a Yankee. 1-2-3
2nd: After an out, Crosetti and Rolfe single - an error allows Pearson to reach and the second run to score. Gehrig walks with 2 out, that's all. Yankees 2 Giants 0
2nd: Shafer walks with 2 out, that's all.
3rd: Selkirk walks and an out later Lazzeri walks. Marquard strands them.
3rd: Herzog doubles, an out later he scores on a Larry Doyle single. Doyle was 20 when he came up in '07, 3rd last year in the NL MVP race - he won the MVP this year - he'll play all but a year and change of a 14 year career with the Giants. Meyers walks and Merkle singles - that loads the bases, still with just one out - Devore reaches on an error to tie the game - and after the second out a Shafer double clears the bases -- the Giants have hung a 5 spot on the Yankees here in the third. Yankees 2 Giants 5
4th: 1-2-3 - big inning for Marquard.
4th: 1-2-3, important the Yankees don't fall further behind here, not with Mathewson ready for game 4.
5th: Dickey singles. Selkirk singles. After an out, Lazzeri singles and it's 5-3. A Crosetti sac fly plates another. Yankees 4 Giants 5
5th: Afrer two outs - Devore walks and Becker singles - that's all for Pearson, McCarthy doesn't have much of a pen but he can't lose this one and he goes to the pen. The Yankees 5th starter is a 30 year old lefty, Kemp Wicker, with a 4.40 ERA. He's in the second year of a 4 year beig league career. He walks Shafer to load the bases -- big spot in this series right now -- and Wicker escapes.
6th: Wicker stays in the game and he singles - and then DiMaggio and Gehrig single and the Yankees have loaded the bases with nobody out. Down a run. Marquard gets one - but then Selkirk reaches on an error and it ties the score. Marquard gets the second - but Lazzeri comes through with a base hit, it scores 2. Yankees 7 Giants 5
6th: 1-2-3
7th: Doc Crandall is back on for the Giants; we saw him in game 2. 1-2-3.
7th: 1-2-3 - the Yankees have only allowed 5 hits today.
8th: Gehrig and Dickey single; Selkirk singles and again the Yankees have loaded the bases. After a double play - it's Lazzeri again - he doubles home 2 and it looks like it's the Yankees who are about to take the series lead. Yankees 9 Giants 5
8th: 1-2-3, 10 straight for Wicker, great, great relief outing.
9th: Myril Hoag pinch singles with one out, DiMaggio and Gehrig single back to back and the Yankees are in double digits again. The Giants 5th starter is 32 year old lefty Hooks Wiltse and he enters, and Bill Dickey hits his first pitch over the right field wall. It's 13-5 and this one is done. Witlse gets the second out - but then Tommy Henrich homers, maybe it doesn't matter if this Yankee team faces lefties or righties as long as it's not Mathewson. Yankees 14 Giants 5
9th: 27 year old right hander Johnny Broaca enters to wrap this up, he gets two, gives up a Doyle triple and then ends the game.
Yankees 14
Giants 5
WP Pearson
LP Marquard.
Well. The Yankees get shut out in game 1 and then score 14 runs in both games 2 and 3.
For the Yankees..
Dickey reached 6 times in games 2 and 3, with a HR
Gehrig has reached 10 times
DiMaggio has reached 9 times with a triple
Selkirk reached 7 times in game 2 and 3, 2 homers, 8 RBI
Henrich homered
Lazzeri has reached six times with a homer, a triple, and had 5 RBI in game 3
For the Giants -
Doyle reached four times in games 2-3 with a triple
Merkle has reached three times
Meyers has reached five times
Devore reached three times in game 2-3
Herzog has reached four times
Shafer reached 3 times in game 3
One more at the Polo Grounds - a rematch of the Game 1 starters; can Mathewson shut this monster Yankee offense down again?
C Dickey (30) 144 7.3
1B Gehrig (34) 176 7.4
CF DiMaggio (22) 166 9.2
RF Selkirk (29) 156 3
LF Henrich (24) 141 1.8
3B Rolfe (28) 86 2.7
2B Lazzeri (33) 86 1.9
SS Crosetti (26) 73 1.9
P Gomez (28) (LH) 193 8.2
1B Merkle (23) 121 2.4
C Meyers (31) 147 4.5
2B Doyle (25) 132 5
RF Murray (28) 97 2.1
LF Snodgrass (24) 96 1.1
CF Becker (25) 101 1.2
3B Shafer (23) 99 1.3
SS Fletcher (27) 89 3.3
P Mathewson (31) 161 7.6
GAME FOUR
1st: The legendary Mathewson shut out the Yankees in game 1 and is back now looking to extend the series. He walks Gehrig with one out and then hits DiMaggio -- but that's it.
1st: Gomez threw 8 strong innings in game 1 and he returns today; he walks Doyle with one out and that's all.
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: The first hit of the game belongs to Gomez, Mathewson then hits Dickey - he hit two men all year in 310 innings pitched and has hit two in the first 3 today. He gets through it.
3rd: Merkle singles with two out and then Meyers doubles right down the right field line - Merkle comes all the way around and the Giants give Matty the lead. Yankees 0 Giants 1
4th: Selkirk walks and Henrich singles -- lot of Yankee baserunners early - but again, no runs.
4th: 1-2-3
5th: 1-2-3
5th: 1-2-3
6th: 1-2-3 and now Matty's retired 9 straight
6th: Meyers singles with one out and after the second out Murray singles -- Gomez then hits Snodgrass - obviously, none of this is intentional - but each hit batsman just adds to to tension of this series; bases loaded for the Giants - and Gomez escapes.
7th: With one out, Lazzeri/Crosetti single. Tying run in scoring position for the Yankees- Myril Hoag comes on to hit - and he singles. Bases loaded. Bases loaded. And Dickey hits a sac fly to tie it up. After 15+ scoreless innings, Mathewson allows a run. That ends his day - Doc Crandall enters and he gets through it. Yankees 1 Giants 1
7th: Johnny Murphy is the new Yankee pitcher; 28 year old RH, won 13 games - Murphy was the top Yankee bullpen arm on both the '41 and the '43 teams. 1-2-3
8th: 1-2-3
8th: Meyers walks with an out - and then Larry Doyle hits a 2 run homer - huge, huge Polo Grounds roar as the Giants take the 3-1 lead. 34 year old RH Pat Malone comes on and gets through it. Yankees 1 Giants 3
9th: Crandall stays on - 3 outs from forcing game 5.
Rolfe is first - he bounces to Crandall, onto first. One away.
Lazzeri then smacks a double to left.
Crosetti pounds a base hit to left center - Lazzeri will score - and its now 3-2.
Roy Johnson hits in the pitchers spot - fly to left. Two away.
And then Dickey flies to right and its done.
Yankees 2
Giants 3
WP Crandall
LP Murphy
The Giants get only five hits - but win the game on a 2 run Doyle homer to force game 5
Doyle reached 6 times in games 2-4 with a triple/HR
Merkle has reached four times
Meyers has reached 8 times
Herzog has reached four times
Dickey reached 6 times in games 2-4, with a HR
Gehrig has reached 11 times
DiMaggio has reached 9 times with a triple
Selkirk reached 8 times in game 2-4, 2 homers, 8 RBI
Lazzeri has reached 8 times with a homer, a triple, and had 5 RBI in game 3
How do you feel about heading back to Yankee Stadium? Winner take all.
2B Doyle (25) 132 5
C Meyers (31) 147 4.5
1B Merkle (23) 121 2.4
LF Devore (24) 103 .7
CF Becker (25) 101 1.2
SS Shafer (23) 99 1.3
RF Murray (28) 97 2.1
3B Herzog (26) 90 3.4
Game 2 SP: Tesreau (24) 173 3.8
C Dickey (30) 144 7.3
1B Gehrig (34) 176 7.4
CF DiMaggio (22) 166 9.2
RF Selkirk (29) 156 3
LF Henrich (24) 141 1.8
3B Rolfe (28) 86 2.7
2B Lazzeri (33) 86 1.9
SS Crosetti (26) 73 1.9
P Ruffing (32) 150 5.6
GAME FIVE
1st: Red Ruffing threw a complete game back in Game 2 - can he stone the Giants one more time? Doyle singles - Dickey throws him out trying to steal. Meyers singles and after the second out, Devore singles - that's where it stops.
1st: Jeff Tesreau got banged around early in Game 2 - can he turn that around here? He walks Gehrig with one out - that's all.
2nd: Red Murray singles with one out - nothing results.
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: Tesreau singles, that's all.
3rd: 1-2-3, Tesreau has yet to allow a hit.
4th: Red Murray hits a two out triple - action here for the Yankees- McGraw decides to put Herzog on to get to Tesreau -- but Ruffing walks Tesreau and now the bases are loaded, two out -- still scoreless -- game 5 -- Doyle flies to right and Ruffing is through it.
4th: Gehrig walks and then DiMaggio singles for the first Yankee hit - Tesreau gets one - but then an error on a Henrich ground ball scores the game's first run. Rolfe punches a base hit to left and that's another run. Giants 0 Yankees 2
5th: Meyers singles - but that's all.
5th: Ruffing walks and two outs later so does DiMaggio - but that's all.
6th: Becker walks - then steals second - then scores on a Shafer single and it's Giants 1 Yankees 2
6th: 1-2-3, very different Tesreau performance, he's allowed just 2 hits today but the Giants trail by a run as we go to the 7th.
7th: 1-2-3 - but shutdown inning from Ruffing and the Yankees are 6 outs away.
7th: 1-2-3, Tesreau is throwing a 2 hitter in game 5 in Yankee Stadium
8th: Devore singles with one out and then steals second -- after the second out -- it's Shafer who comes through again with a base hit - Devore comes around to score and the Giants have tied this up. Then ends Ruffing's day - Johnny Murphy comes on and ends the inning. Giants 2 Yankees 2
8th: 1-2-3 --- 10 straight for Tesreau.
9th: Well, here we go. Buck Herzog leads off with a triple. McGraw calls on George Burns, 22 year old RH to hit for the pitcher. Murphy walks him. Two on - nobody out - Larry Doyle, who won game 4 with the homer doubles -- it clears the bases. The Giants have taken a 2 run 9th inning lead. Pat Malone comes on now; he gets an out -but then gives up a run scoring Merkle single and it's 5-2, Merkle steals second and then scores on a Devore base hit -- folks, the Yankees are about to get knocked off here. RH Ivy Andrews is the third pitcher of the inning and he ends it. Giants 6 Yankees 2
9th: Doc Crandall comes on to finish the series.
Tommy Henrich grounds to first.
Red Rolfe flies to center.
Tony Lazzeri singles -- but Frankie Crosetti flies out and it is over.
Giants 6
Yankees 2
WP Tesreau
LP Ruffing
Down 2 games to 1 and with Mathewson out of game 4 the Giants looked nearly done - but the Doyle homer won game 4 and then Jeff Tesreau just whipped the Yankee bats today, leading to Doyle again coming through with the big blow today. He's the MVP and the 1912 Giants are Team #7 to advance to the Round of 32.
