1951 – The Giants stay one game behind the Dodgers as Jim Hearn tops the Phillies, 10 – 1, and the Dodgers crush the Braves, 15 – 5. Roy Campanella drives home three runs in the 1st inning and Don Newcombe coasts to his 19th win. With a 13 – 3 lead in the 8th inning, Jackie Robinson steals home against rookie P Lew Burdette, infuriating the Braves.
Indian Larry Doby walks five times in a 15-2 drubbing of the Red Sox when Early Wynn picks up his 20th victory. The intimidating right-hander, who will win exactly 300 games in a 23-year big league career, will post 20 or more wins in five of those seasons.
Cleveland beats Boston, 6 – 4, as Mike Garcia wins his 20th. With the Yanks losing to Billy Pierce and Chicago, 7 – 1, the Indians and Yankees are tied for first place. This is the 10th time the two teams have been in a tie for first place, surpassing the major-league record of nine set in the National League race of 1889 and the Federal League race of 1914.
In St. Louis, the Cardinals cuff Ralph Branca for a 7 – 1 win over the Dodgers. It is Brooklyn’s fourth loss in seven road games. Adding insult to injury, Stan Musial and Enos Slaughter pull off a double steal with Stan scoring.
In the bottom of the ninth, Joe DiMaggio scores the winning run on a squeeze bunt by Phil Rizzuto off Cleveland starter Bob Lemon, giving the Yankees a 2-1 walk-off victory. The dramatic win breaks the tie for first place with the Tribe, and the Bronx Bombers will stay in front for the rest of the season.
At Yankee Stadium, Joe DiMaggio’s long triple off Bob Feller scores two runs in the 5th and Allie Reynolds holds on for a 5 – 1 New York win. The Yanks take over first place for good by a margin of .003 points over Cleveland.
In Chicago, the Dodgers beat up on the Cubs, winning, 6 – 1, behind rookie Clem Labine. Rookie Bob Kelly takes the loss, allowing six hits, including Gil Hodges’ 38th homer.
The Cardinals take 11 walks, a record-tying five by Solly Hemus, and beat the Braves 10 – 1. Boston’s starter Dave Cole walks the first three batters he faces, then hits Enos Slaughter to force in Hemus.
Preacher Roe wins his 20th game against just two losses, as the Dodgers edge the Pirates, 3 – 1. Andy Pafko hits his 14th homer for Brooklyn, still six games ahead of the Giants.
The Cards play a rare doubleheader – the first in the 20th century – with two different teams, defeating the Giants, 6 – 4, in the first game in the afternoon when they score six runs against Sal Maglie in the 2nd inning. In the nitecap, against the Braves, the Cards manage just one hit – by pitcher Al Brazle – in losing to Warren Spahn, 2 – 0. The Cards’ total attendance is 8,865 – 4,160 for the Giants and 4,705 for the Braves. It is the first time since 1883 that three-team twin bill has been played.
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