richie ashburn
Image by _Robert C_ via Flickr
The Phillies lost Game One of the 1950 World Series by a score of 1-0, but they had their ace, future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts, on the hill in Game Two.
Roberts worked out of a jam in the top of the first. The Yankees had runners on first and third with one out. Roberts got Joe DiMaggio and Johnny Mize to pop out to end the threat.
But, in the second inning, the Yankees broke through for the first run of the game. Roberts retired the first two batters of the frame, but walked Jerry Coleman. Pitcher Allie Reynolds singled to send Coleman around to third. Gene Woodling was next and his infield single scored Coleman.
The Phillies didn't get to Reynolds until the fifth inning. Mike Goliat singled and Roberts sacrificed him to second base. A single by Eddie Waitkus* sent Goliat to third. Richie Ashburn's sacrifice fly tied the game at 1-1.
The pitchers settled in and kept the game tied. The Yankees best chance to take the lead in regulation was in the top of the eighth inning. They had two on with one out after singles by Bobby Brown and Hank Bauer. But, Roberts got Coleman to ground out to short. Then, Roberts struck out Reynolds to end the threat.
The Phillies had a great chance to win the game and even the series in the bottom of the ninth. Granny Hamner doubled with one out and pinch hitter Dick Whitman was walked intentionally. The strategy worked for the Yankees. Reynolds got Goliat to ground into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.
That set up The Yankee Clipper for little magic. DiMaggio was the leadoff batter in the top of the tenth and he homered off Robert for a 2-1 New York lead.
In the bottom of the tenth, Reynolds went back out there and walked Jackie Mayo, a pinch hitter for Roberts who was leading off the inning. Waitkus sacrificed Mayo to second and Ashburn stepped to the plate. He popped out. Then, Dick Sisler, the man who hit a three-run homer in extra innings a few days earlier against Brooklyn to put the Phillies in the World Series, came to bat. He took strike three looking and the Yankees had a 2-0 lead in the series.
