2010-11 Holiday Festivus Tourny

GAME 6 – Sportsman Park – BKN 9, STL 1
Ralph Branca vs Howie Pollet
Down 3 games to two the Dodgers had the unenviable task of having to win two straight contests on the road. On the mound for them was their ace Ralph Branca. Most baseball fans only remember Branca for that ill fated day in the Polo Grounds in 1951 when he gave up quite possibly the most famous homer of all time in baseball history. Most neglect to realize that he was a fantastic starter who won 20 games in 1947 at the ripe old age of 21. Branca proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was a clutch pitcher by going the distance and allowing just a meaningless 8^th inning run by the Cardinals. By the end of the 3^rd inning it looked like a lock that we’d see game 7 as the Dodgers went up 6-0 off of Pollet, who had nothing in his arsenal on the day. Brooklyn scored 5 huge runs in the 3^rd to pretty much end all hopes by the Cards real early. Pistol Pete Reiser’s three run shot capped off a huge inning for the Brooks, who made it 7-0 with 2 in the 7^th thanks to back to back errors by Wally Kurowski. St. Louis did manage 10 hits, including 4 by Lou Klein, but they could never piece them together. Jackie Robinson had 3 hits in 5 AB’s, which helped make it an easy day for Branca on the hill.
Series tied 3-3