Cito Gaston NL Baseball Scores and News

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The 1952 season is nearing the end of August (30th) and there are three teams making a solid run for a playoff spot. The San Francisco Shamrock are at the head of the pact with a 38-15 record five games in front defending the World Series Champion Atlanta Hammers, 33-20 and six over 32-21 New York Giants.

Over the past two seasons the Hammers have been the team to beat in the National League. The Hammers won the league title in 1950 (51-30), but lost in the NLCS in five games to the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs lost to the Chicago White Hawks, in an all-Chicago World Series, in five games. In 1951 Atlanta and the Pittsburgh Pirates finished the season with identical 48-33 record. Atlanta won the NLCS in four straight games and took the World Series in five games over the Kansas City Krazies.

This season the Shamrocks of San Francisco have had a tight grip on first place almost from the start. San Francisco was 8th in 1950 (33-48) improved to 41-40 in 1951 rising to 5th place.

The third team with playoff hopes, the new York Giants were 6th in 1950 (38-43) and 3rd last season with a 43-38 record.

Atlanta is playing the Miami Pandos at home in a three game series. The Hammers Mauled the Pandos in game one 14-6 getting eighteen hits. Pete Pape drove in six runs with two homers (11th and 12th), a double and a single. Third baseman Gordon Strouch also hit two out (12th and 13th), Gil Sambito also homered.

Winning pitcher Mareno Wadsworth (5-3) went nine innings allowed eleven hits and six runs with three walks and four strikeouts.

Game two

Atlanta 7 Miami 5

Miami took a 5-2 lead in the 8th inning scoring four time off closer Chick Fewster. Red Wilson drove in the first run with an infield single. Red Boone drove in two more with a triple and he scored when Keith Raines hit Toots Wright with a pitch.

Atlanta rallied in the 9th off Karl Miller. Pape walked, Chris Brownson, Ted Hallahan (RBI) and Phil McGraner (RBI) all singled. Hallahan was thrown out at third by Miami right fielder Red Wilson on Halllahan's hit. McGraner stole second base and George Escalera walked before Gordon Stouch hit his 14th homerun (2nd in league) to win the game.

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San Francisco 6 Montreal 2

Ron Massey improved to 9-1 with a 2.87 ERA with his third straight 10 plus strikeout game (12) and his fifth complete game of the season.

Massey and Luis Minnehan (3-3) hooked up for the second time this season with the same result. The Shamrocks defeat Minnehan on July 14. San Francisco touched up Minnehan for five runs in that game and five more in this one. (10 runs in

Shortstop Mike Gonzalez hit a two run homerun in the second inning. 2-0 San Francisco.

The Shamrocks added three more in the third on singles by Phil Burke, and Chuck Parker followed up by a one out sacrifice fly by Ike Dark. Irv Parent's single, the third hit of the inning, sent Parker to third. Catcher Mikle Gonzalez singled in Parker and Right fielder julio Gorsica singled in Parent for a 5-0 lead.

That score held until the 8th inning. Massey shutout the IceBerg on five hits with 11 strikeouts through seven innings before they erupted for two runs on two hits, a single by Harley McDonald and a run scoring triple by Jerry Kinsella.

Kinsella scored the second run on a ground out to shortstop Mike Gonzalez. Second baseman Orlando Dilauro robbed Frank Bright of a hit saving Massey from any further damage and he struck out pinch hitter Al Koslofski to the end the inning.

Massey issued a walk in the 9th but got a game ending double play to secure the win.

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San Francisco 7 Montreal 5 (10 Innings)

San Francisco improved to a league best 24-5 (.828) on the road and are a rather mundane 14-10 at home.

San Francisco scored three runs in the first inning. Shorststop Mike Gonzalez singled and scored on a triple by Ike Dark. Second baseman Orlando Dilauro hit his league leading 15th homerun to mkae the score 3-0 San Francsico.

Montreal ied the game in the third inning off Earl Hassler getting to him for three runs. Two came in on a doiuble to right field by Hod Hoover. Two good dwefensive plays prevented Montreal from having a bigger inning. Right fielder Julio Gorsica went and got the ball hit by Hoover in the corner and threw Cloyd Bradley out at the plate. The next batter, Al Koslofski was robbed of a hit by first base man Ike Dark saving a run there.
Jerry Kinsella lined a clean single to center driving in Hidler with the tying run.

3-3.

That score stood until extra innings. Hassler left after six inning having allowed three runs on ten hits. Danny Leggett pitched very well in relief striking out five in three innings (7th, 8th and 9th) and allowing only one hit.

Leggett was the winning pitcher 3-1.

Emilo Williams, the Montreal starter went 7.1 innings giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits striking out 9 batters and walking 2. Rosario Molina got the final two outs in the 8th inning and turned things over to Bill Rose in the 9th.

Gorsica led off with a single. Chris Pointer struck out. Pinch hitter Norm Newman doubled to left fielder driving in Gorsica. Mike Gonzalez tripled driving in two runs Norman and Burke. A sacrifice fly by ike Dark got the final run home staking San Francisco to a 7-3 lead.

Hoover hit a homerun off Dave Hernandez but Dave Campbell came in and prevented any firther socring earning his 3rd save.