1954 Indians flashback: When 5-2 is a bad week; Al Smith profile

Two consecutive weeks of a 6-1 record finally got the Tribe their largest lead of the season, five and a half games. But three cities in one week was on the agenda as the final massive road trip of the season beckoned.

August 24-25 1954

August 24: Indians 1, Athletics 4

August 25: Indians 4, Athletics 3, 10 innings

First up was a quick two game visit to Philadelphia to take on the Athletics who were already 46.5 games off the pace. The offense was only able to generate four hits off Johnny Gray. They ended up stranding eight players as Gray was very wild, issuing six walks. In the meantime, Mike Garcia gave up one in the first on a walk and a double. Three more scored in the third on a walk and four straight singles. And the A's had only their fourth win against Cleveland all year.

Al Smith led off the Wednesday game with a solo shot, but Bob Lemon let two score right back in the bottom half on an RBI grounder and sacrifice fly. It stayed that way until the sixth when Bill Wilson extended the lead to 3-1 with a double. The Tribe rallied in the eighth on three hits and an error, tying the game at three. Backup catcher Hal Naragon tripled in Bill Glynn in the tenth. After retiring the first two in the bottom half, Lemon gave up a double to Jim Finigan. Garcia entered in and after a Sam Dente error, notched a save, getting Vic Power to ground out.

August 26-28 1954

August 26: Indians 2, Senators 1

August 27: Indians 2, Athletics 3, 10 innings

August 28: Indians 5, Senators 2

Next on the tour was a stop in the nation's capital. Early Wynn dueled Mickey McDermott in the opener. Bobby Avila walked in the first and was picked off. But an errant throw by McDermott in the rundown got Avila to second. He scored when Larry Doby singled to left. The Senators tied it up in the fourth when Sam Dente muffed a grounder and eventually a run scoring on a double. Al Smith led off the eighth with a solo shot to give Wynn a 2-1 lead. Wynn allowed just four baserunners all game on two hits and two walks. He retired sixteen of the last eighteen batters.

The Senators exacted a bit of revenge in the next game. Bob Feller gave up two in the second on a Roy Sievers triple, an error by Al Smith in left and a double by Jerry Snyder. The Tribe tied it in the third on a pair of RBI singles by Smith and Doby. Feller and Johnny Schmitz didn't have much trouble after those innings though, until the tenth. The Tribe stranded two in the top half. After two were out in the bottom half, Pete Runnels singled. Mickey Vernon also singled, but right fielder Dave Philley misplayed it, allowing the winning run to score.

Garcia faced Chuck Stobbs in the rubber match. A double by Avila and a single by Doby got the Tribe on the board in the first. Vernon tripled in the sixth and scored on a Jim Busby single to tie the game. They took the lead in the seventh on a Eddie Yost run scoring single. The Indians plated three in the eighth on two hits, three walks and an error and added one more in the ninth for good measure.

August 28 1954

August 28 (game 1): Indians 6, Red Sox 2

August 28 (game 2): Indians 8, Red Sox 1

Sunday brought yet another doubleheader, their seventeenth of the season (with two more still to come). A Jackie Jensen solo shot got the Red Sox on the board first in the third. Doby crushed his 28th dinger in the sixth off Tom Brewer to open a 3-1 lead for Lemon. The Red Sox got one back in the bottom of the sixth on a Ted Lepcio sacrifice fly. But a solo shot by Vic Wertz and a two run single by Avila in the seventh gave Lemon all he needed.

In the nightcap, the offense awoke, scoring two in the second and third and eighth innings and single runs in the fourth and ninth. Rosen hit his 22nd on the season and Wertz added his 11th. Art Houtteman managed to only allow one run on six hits and seven walks, with Teddy Ballgame the only RBI hit in the seventh.

Player of the Week

There weren't many choices for this week as scoring was a bit down. No pitcher really had an outstanding start or two, so I am going with Bobby Avila. He slashed a 429/500/464 in the seven games, drove in five and stole four bases.

Player Spotlight

Outfielder/Third Baseman Al Smith

Smith was another player who cracked the Top 100, at #65. He had a very good 1954 season. He hit 281/398/435 (127 OPS+) and generated 3.8 oWAR while playing mostly left field. It was 1955 that he had his break out campaign, finishing third in MVP voting.

Summary

The Indians lost twice in the same week for the first time in almost a month, finishing the week at 5-2. And it ended up costing them a game and a half in the standings as the Yankees were perfect and crept within four games. Next week, one more in Boston, the final trip to New York and a trek to Chicago.