Harlem - Lefty Grove struck out 8 and Hank Greenberg homered to break a 2-2 tie as Harlem beat St Louis, 3-2, to take a 2-0 lead in the 1939 World Series.
The 39-year old Grove improved to a perfect 5-0 in his World Series career, and looked just as dominant as in years past.
The Plague got on the board first on an RBI single Doc Cramer in the top of the third.
Harlem got to Russo for a pair in the fourth. After allowing Kreevich and Gehringer on, Russo retired York and Greenberg before Charlie Keller doubled into the gap in right-center, scoring both runners and giving Harlem a 2-1 lead.
The Plague tied it up a half-inning later. Buddy Myer singled and has moved to second on a sacrifice by Myer. Red Rolfe, who had three hits on the game, singled up the middle to score Myer and knotted it up at two runs apiece.
In the bottom of the seventh, Hank Greenberg hit a solo home run which gave the Knights the lead, and Grove held on from there to give Harlem the win and a 2 games to none lead.
The series now shifts to St Louis, where the Plague will see the return of Jimmie Foxx to the line-up. Whitey Moore (13-10) is expected to take the mound against Bobo Newsom (17-11) of the Knights.
1939 Plague 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 8 1 7 1
1939 Knights 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 x 3 6 0 1 0
Plague AB R H BI AVG Knights AB R H BI AVG
Rolfe 3b 4 1 3 1 .444 Kreevich cf 4 1 2 0 .500
Cramer cf 3 0 1 1 .250 Gehringer 2b 3 1 1 0 .286
Lazzeri ph 1 0 0 0 .000 York c 3 0 0 0 .000
Martin,P rf 0 0 0 0 .000 Greenberg 1b 3 1 1 1 .143
Dickey c 3 0 0 0 .000 Keller rf 3 0 1 2 .500
Johnson lf 4 0 1 0 .143 Tabor 3b 3 0 1 0 .286
Travis ss 3 0 0 0 .286 Selkirk lf 3 0 0 0 .000
Chapman rf 4 0 1 0 .125 Cronin ss 3 0 0 0 .286
McQuinn 1b 4 0 0 0 .125 Grove p 3 0 0 0 .000
Myer 2b 4 1 1 0 .375 28 3 6 3
Russo p 2 0 1 0 .500
Padgett ph 1 0 0 0 .500
33 2 8 2
Plague INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Russo L 0-1 8.0 6 3 3 0 4 106 69 3.38
8.0 6 3 3 0 4 106 69
Knights INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Grove W 1-0 9.0 8 2 2 2 8 127 80 2.00
9.0 8 2 2 2 8 127 80
STL: Lazzeri batted for Cramer in the 7th
Martin,P inserted at rf in the 7th
Chapman moved to cf in the 7th
Padgett batted for Russo in the 9th
E-Travis. 2B-Rolfe, Keller. HR-Greenberg(1). CS-Kreevich. K-Rolfe, Cramer,
Dickey 2, Johnson, McQuinn 2, Myer, Greenberg, Selkirk, Grove 2. BB-Dickey,
Travis. SH-Russo.
GWRBI: Greenberg
Temperature: 63, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 16 MPH.