Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 70

which paid off as New York held off late Brooklyn rallies to win, 3-2.

In Game Seven, it was Mantle who ended Joe Black’s day when he homered off the tired Dodgers pitcher, to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead after six innings. Black was making his third start in seven days against an equally exhausted Allie Reynolds, Mantle again played the insurance man with a RBI single in the seventh, which once more proved vital a half inning later when the Dodgers threatened with one out and the bases loaded for Duke Snider, with Jackie Robinson on deck.

Casey Stengel brought in left handed reliever Bob Kuzava, who retired the left handed-hitting Snider on a pop-up. When Robinson also popped one up in the infield, the formality of

ending the inning quickly grew to alarm as the entire Yankee infield appeared apprehensive, except second baseman Billy Martin, who had perhaps the worst position on the ball. Joe Collins initially called for it from his first base post, but with the swirling winds he backed off. Saving the day, Billy Martin came racing in full tilt from the edge of the outfield to alongside the mound, making a running, knee high catch. Kuzava stayed in for the final two innings and quietly put away the Dodgers to win it all.