Evening star., 1947-10-06
Miraculous Stab Robs
Di Maggie and Saves
Dodger Victory
By Burton Howkins
Stor Stoff Coyyespondsnt

with a flea sized batting average,
has emerged from obscurity among
the Brooklyn Dodgers to qualify as
a World Series sensation. Employed
only part time, Gionfriddo has reg
istered smashing successes in two
games to prolong the series and
send 1t into the payoff seventh
game.
New York's Yankees found the
5-foot-6-inch Gionfriddo huge an
noyance as they returned to YAM
kee Stadium for the climax con-
test. To little AL belongs the
Dodgers 8-6 victory over the Yam
KEGS yesterday. with record throng
of 74,O65 sitting in on his unbe-
lievably brilliant catch Of Joe Di
Maggios soaring blast.
Dispatched to left field as a
protective measure after Brooklyn
had grasped an 8-5 lead with a
four-run outburst in the sixth in
ming, AL made that move by Man.
ager Burt Shotton resemble a
miracle. George Stirnweiss was on
second base and Larry Berra on
first. with two out, when the dan
gerous Di Maggie waved his menac-
ing bat In the air toward Joe Hat
ten, third of four Dodger pitchers.
Seemingly Futile Chase.
Di Maggie stroked a tremendous
drive toward the Brooklyn bullpen
some Ais feet distant and the Gus
toners were wondering not whether
it would be caught but whether it
would be a home run or a triple.
It was the most marvellous smash
Of the series and when Gionfriddo
took off after the ball 1t appeared
he was making futile chase.
But AL wheeled and streaked over
Yankee Stadium's lush turf and
seemingly romped over acres of
geography Just as the ball was
about to plop over the heavy wire
gate bordering the bullpen for a
game-tying home run, Gionfriddo
stuck out his glove and snatched
the ball. It made other spectacular
series catches appear routine.
That was the ball game Di Mag
gio knew it when, in one of his rare
emotional outbursts, he kicked up
a cloud of dust between first and
second bases when he glimpsed the
result of Gionfriddo's amazing catch
Twict in the last three innings after
that superb snatch the Yankees
threatened and they scored a run
in the ninth, but Di Maggios frus-
trated bid for home run was the
crusher.
Gionfriddo, who batted a feeble
IT'S in the regular season, prospers
on pressure. 1t was Al, remember,
who set the stage for Cookie Lava
getto's destruction of Floyd Bevens'
bid for no-hit game with two out
in the ninth inning of the fourth
game, a devastating double, which
cascaded the Yankees into a 80
defeat.
Desperate Gamble Clicked.
Al had stolen only two bases dur
ing the season, but with two out and
Pinch-hitter Pete Reiser at bat he
stole second, with the aid of high
throw by Catcher Yogi Berra. 1t
was a desperate gamble which
clicked. Manager Bucky Harris then
ordered Reiser walked and along
came Lavagetto to break up the
game. Gionfriddo's batting average
for the series is 900, but along the
Gowanus Canal he's a mighty man.
Allie Reynolds, who started for
! the Yankees yesterday, was the vic
i'm of two tainted Brooklyn runs
in the first inning. Ed Stanky
singled to lett, Peewee Reese singled
through the box and the bases were
loaded when Left Fielder Johnny
Lindell lost Jackie Robinson's fly
in the sun. Stanky scored when
Dixie drilled into a double-play and
Reese, who had shifted to third,
scampered across on a passed ball.
Brooklyn constructed a 40 lead
on successive doubles by Reese, Rob-
inson and Walker in the third, but
the Yankees caught up with Vic
lombard in their third. Sherman
Lollar opened with a double and
after Third Baseman Johnny Jor-
gensen contributed an error on
George Stirnweiss' grounder the
Yankees scored four runs on singles
oy Tommy Heinrich, Johnny Lindell,
Di Maggie, Bill johnson and Bobby
!, Brown, the last two blows delivered
off Ralph Branca.
Singles by Aaron Robinson, Hen
, rich and Berra fashioned 5-4 lead
for the Yankees in the fourth. But
the Dodgers surged back in the
sixth at the expense of Joe Page
and Bobo Newsom, who were among
the six pitchers employed by Har-
ris.
Edwards Starts Rally.
Bruce Edwards opened the inning
with a single and Carl Furillo
doubled him to third .Lavagetto
batted for Jorgensen and fetched
Edwards across with fly to Hen
!, rich, Pinch-hitter Bobby Bragan
doubled and Stanky's single
prompted Pages removal after
! Stanky had scooted to second on
A. Robinson's tumble of Henrich's
throw to the plate. Newsom was
, ushered into the game with single
by Reese, scoring two more runs
/, and the Dodgers owned an 8-5 ad-
vantage.
The Yankees jammed the bases
! in the seventh on walks to George
McQuinh and Phil Rizzuto an
|, Pinch hitter Ralph Houk's meek
tap which twisted away from Hat
, ten, but Stirnweiss flied to Furillo
in center.
I After johnson singled and Nc
Quinn walked to launch the YAM
keeS ninth, Hugh Casey was sum-
moned to the mound. Rizutto flied
out, but A. Robinson's single to left
filled the bases. Lonnie Frey, bat
ting for Charley Wensloff, forced
Robinson at second as johnson
scored and Casey then tossed out
Stirnweiss for the final out.
For the second time in the series
4 Ne,u vorL a communicated TX Iifc by1f