Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 183

Raschi held Boston to three hits and one run in a 2–1 victory. After losing on August 13, Raschi never lost a game again during the regular season, winning each of his next six starts and eight of 10 games overall. On August 29, he hit his first career home run; a three run shot against Early Wynn, then pitched all 10 innings of a 6–5 victory over the Indians. In one of the August games against Cleveland, he collided with Indians catcher Jim Hegan at home plate, tearing cartilage in his right knee. The Yankees kept the injury a secret, as the injury limited Raschi's range. After the 1951 season, he would have surgery to remove the cartilage. He finished 1950 with a 21–8 record and a 4.00 ERA, leading the AL in winning percentage - .724, ranking second in wins – 21, and ranking third in strikeouts – 155. In MVP voting, he finished seventh.

With the Yankees AL champions again, Stengel picked Raschi to

start Game 1 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. During the first inning, he injured his knee while fielding a bunt off the bat of Richie Ashburn and almost had to leave the game, but the knee stopped hurting, allowing him to finish. He did not allow a hit until the fifth inning and allowed just two in a 1–0 shutout of the Phillies. "I mixed my pitches up pretty good," Raschi described his performance. "Feeling the way I did, I went along using sliders and fast