Ralph Kiner of the Pirates hits his second grand slam in three days – and the eighth of his career – and adds a three-run homer to drives in seven runs as the Pirates beat Brooklyn, 10 – 5.
At Detroit, the Tigers set back the first-place Yankees, 4 – 1, behind the five-hit pitching of Ted Gray. Vic Raschi also allows just five hits, including a homer by Dick Wakefield, in taking the loss.
The first-place Giants win their 7th in a row as Sheldon “Available” Jones stops the Cubs, 7 – 2. Aided by ten walks and homers by Sid Gordon and Willard Marshall, the Giants pin the loss on starter Ralph Hamner, who allows one hit in three innings.
In the second game of a Sunday doubleheader between the Pirates and the Dodgers, the umpire continues the game through a 7:00 P.M. curfew because he believes Pittsburgh to be stalling with a 5 – 4 lead. The Dodgers pass the Pirates for a 7 – 5 score, but Ralph Kiner hits a three-run home run to carry Pittsburgh to a 10 – 8 victory. The Pirates are fined $100 for violating the curfew and Kiner will end up tying Johnny Mize with 40 home runs.
The Indians sweep a pair at Fenway Park, beating the Red Sox, 4 – 1, in 10 innings, and 9 – 5. A Ted Williams homer in the opener is the only Sox score, while Ken Keltner belts a pair of homers. They both add another in the nitecap, but Larry Doby clouts a monstrous two-run shot to dead center for the Tribe.
In his first game outside of New York City, Jackie Robinson has two hits and scores twice in the Dodgers’ 6 – 5 loss to the Phillies. After the game, the Dodgers give their young first baseman a vote of confidence by selling Howie Schultz, Robby’s back-up, to the Phils for $50,000. The next day, Branch Rickey announces he’s giving up his attempts to pry Johnny Mize away from the Giants.
Heralded Giant rookie Clint Hartung makes his first pitching appearance and throws six shutout innings of relief against the Braves. He will start 20 games and compile his best record at 9-7. He will also play seven games in the outfield and bat .309 for the year. But the Braves win today, 6 – 2, behind Warren Spahn.
Philadelphia manager Ben Chapman, who admits he had been ‘kinda loud’ in leading his team in verbally abusing Jackie Robinson with racial slurs during yesterday’s game, sends word to the Brooklyn clubhouse that he would like to make amends by posing with the Dodger first baseman for the newspaper photographers. The orchestrated gesture, which Robinson agrees to, admitting later that is one of the hardest things he ever had to make himself do, is prompted by the bad press created by the Phillies manager’s intolerance and the wrath of Commissioner Chandler.
At Chicago, Braves first sacker Johnny Hopp swipes home in the 12th to break a 2 – 2 tie with the Cubs. Boston scores twice more to win, 5 – 2, with Lefty Wallace taking the decision over Ray Prim.
At Fenway Park, Boston (20-3) runs its win streak to 14 by edging Chicago, 7 – 5. Bobby Doerr’s two-run homer in the 4th inning is the big blow. Mickey Harris, in relief, wins his second game in two days.
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