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October 14, 1948

Confederate Series Recap

Game 1 - Wednesday, October 6 - Atlanta 7, San Antonio 6

ATLANTA - Flames' 1B Jim Johnston goes from goat to hero in the span of a half-inning as Atlanta edges San Antonio, 7-6.

In the top of the 9th, with the score knotted at five and the bases loaded with one out, Johnston took 3B John Twomey's ground ball to second instead of home. Twomey beat out the return throw, 1B Tim Smith scored and the Missions took the lead.

In the bottom half, however, Johnston's opportunity for redemption came after singles by PH Sean Baugh and LF Rudolph Stagner and a wild pitch by closer Floyd Luft (0-1) put runners on second and third with nobody out. Jim laced one through the hole to left, and Stagner easily beat LF Jeff McGovern's throw to score the game winner.

Starters Don Skelly (7 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 3 K) and Stephen Vance (7 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 3 K) both shined, though neither got the decision thanks to woeful work by both bullpens. SS Ken Bennett and 2B John Watkins homered back-to-back in a four-run Mission 8th, but RF Waldo Hertel's three-run shot in the home half of the inning tied the game at five. Watkins' 434-foot blast over the tall centerfield wall in the 8th was his second solo-shot of the night.

Not all is well for Atlanta, though. All-Star 3B Travis O'Connell left the game in the 1st with pain in his elbow after a throw. Though the MRI showed no tears, an inflamed ligament will put O'Connell on the shelf until at least Game 7, if not the entire series.


Game 2 - Thursday, October 7 - Atlanta 3, San Antonio 2

ATLANTA - More bottom-of-the-ninth drama at Lexus Park today as Atlanta takes a two games to none lead with a 3-2 victory.

Missions closer Floyd Luft failed to protect another one-run lead, allowing a single to LF Rudolph Stagner and a double by 1B Sean Baugh to tie the game at two. After Jim Johnston moved the runner to third on a ground out to second, San Antonio 2B John Watkins muffed an easy Larry Murphy grounder, and Baugh jumped on home plate before being enveloped in a pile of ecstatic Flames.

With zero innings pitched yesterday and 1/3 IP today, Luft (0-2) improved his postseason ERA from infinity to 108.11. Both teams' starters were again superb, though neither Keith "Superfly" Ward (7 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K) nor Tim Steele (7 2/3 IP, 2 R, 8 R, 0 BB, 5 K) picked up the win. Steele left in the 8th with a blister on his throwing hand, but it is not expected to keep him from his next start. RF Bob Standers doubled and homered, scoring both San Antonio runs, while Atlanta 3B Kevin Middleton, in for the injured O'Connell, hit an RBI double in the 5th.


Game 3 - Saturday, October 9 - San Antonio 6, Atlanta 2

SAN ANTONIO - A pinch-hit 3-run double from Lynn Jerome in the 8th secured a much-needed San Antonio 6-2 victory.

Though Atlanta tied the game in the top half of the 8th with RBI singles from 2B Lee Pinkney and SS Darrell Shehan, CF John Quinn drew a bases-loaded walk off Flames reliever Don Braddock (0-1) to regain the lead for San Antonio before Jerome's smash to the left field gap put the game away.

Both Bob Byers (6 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K) and Edwin Frey (7 1/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 1 K) were solid on the mound, and 2B John Watkins recovered from his miscue in Game 2, going 2 for 3 with a triple and an RBI for the Missions.


Game 4 - Sunday, October 10 - Atlanta 7, San Antonio 3

SAN ANTONIO - Taters from RF Waldo Hertel and 2B Lee Pinkney powered Atlanta to a 7-3 win and a commanding three games to one lead in the inaugural Confederate Series.

Hertel's 432-foot blast to left-center in the 2nd gave the Flames a 2-1 lead, and Lee Pinkney's three-run shot to right in the 3rd proved decisive. Atlanta hit Don Skelly (0-1, 3 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 1 K) hard, while Stephen Vance (1-0, 6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 9 H, 7 K) extended his decision streak to eight wins since May 24. Lyman Tinker added two scoreless innings of relief to close out the Missions.


Game 5 - Monday, October 11 - San Antonio 6, Atlanta 0

SAN ANTONIO - Keith Ward (1-0) struck out six in eight shutout innings as San Antonio blanked the Flames, 6-0, to send the series back to Atlanta.

"Superfly" had command of all four of his pitches, allowing just two hits and two walks, with Ed Stroud hurling a scoreless 9th. CF John Quinn had 2 RBIs as part of a three-run, five-single 1st for the Missions, and three Atlanta errors helped hand the loss to Tim Steele (0-1, 5 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 5 K).


Game 6 - Wednesday, October 13 - Atlanta 6, San Antonio 2

ATLANTA - Waldo Hertel's three-run homer in the 1st was all the offense Bob Byers (1-0) and the Flames needed to win the inaugural Confederate Series championship.

Hertel's 440-foot blast to right-center was his third of the postseason, earning him the Confederate Series MVP despite batting just .227 (5 for 22) for the series. Byers was stellar for 7 2/3 innings (1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K), and errors by San Antonio 3B John Twomey and P Edwin Frey (0-1, 3 2/3 IP, 5 R, 3 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 2 K) led to two Atlanta insurance runs in the 4th. 3B Kevin Middleton, 5 for 19 with five walks in relief of injured Travis O'Connell, caught the final out on a popup by 1B Tim Smith before being mobbed by teammates and fans alike.