1946 World Series recap

The Cardinals' road to the World Series was a rough one, as they finished the regular season tied with Brooklyn. Consequently, they had to win a best-of-three playoff with the Dodgers before they could face the Red Sox. Boston, of course, was paced by Ted Williams, the best hitter in the game.

The Series got off to a rousing start with a thrilling Game 1. Down 2-1 in the top of the ninth, the Red Sox scored a single run and the game went to extra innings. With two outs in the top of the 10th, Rudy York slammed a homer into the left-field bleachers off Cardinal starter Howie Pollet, still in the game.

Red Sox reliever Earl Johnson disposed of the Redbird hitters in the bottom of the frame, and Boston had drawn opening blood with a 3-2 squeaker.

Game 2 went to St. Louis, as Harry Brecheen tossed a four-hit shutout to beat the Sox, 3-0. Game 3 meant a new ballpark (Fenway) and a new winner (Boston), but another shutout. This time it was Red Sox ace Boo Ferriss doing the honors. Ferriss, who went 25-6 during the regular season, held the Cards to six hits and a walk, and was ably supported by York's three-run homer in the first. Final: 4-0.

Game 4 saw the St. Louis hitters -- especially Enos Slaughter and Joe Garagiola -- punish a procession of Sox hurlers on their way to a 12-3 trouncing. Cardinal right-hander Red Munger went the distance to earn the win, which evened the Series at two games apiece.

Sox starter Joe Dobson allowed three runs in Game 5, but all were unearned and two came in the ninth when the game appeared well in hand. Boston's 5-3 victory left them with an obvious edge, the Cardinals now needing to win Games 6 and 7.

St. Louis accomplished the first of those objectives, as Brecheen came through with another fine effort in Game 6, a complete-game, 4-1 victory. The Cards' big inning was the third, in which they scored three times on a double and four singles.

Game 7 was, fittingly, a tight, dramatic affair. Trailing 3-1 in the eighth, the Red Sox tied the contest on Dom DiMaggio's two-out, two-run double. But with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, the Cardinals took a 4-3 lead when Harry Walker singled to center field, Enos Slaughter scoring all the way from first base after Boston shortstop Johnny Pesky hesitated for a split second before throwing home. Harry Brecheen, who picked up his third win of the Series with two innings of scoreless relief, escaped a two-on, nobody-out jam in the top of the ninth to clinch the World Series for St. Louis.

Managers: Eddie Dyer, STL; Joe Cronin, BOS