Series 14: Crawfords sweep Obamas

Crawfords 21-12, Obamas 19-14

Pitcher use: Johnson and Foster need three games, Plank and Brewer need two. Willis pitched two innings in finale, Gomez one

Game One: Crawford 4, Obamas 3
WP: Brewer (2-4)
LP: Plank (4-3)
Save: Davis (2)
HR: Beckwith (6), Gehringer (2), F. Robinson (10)

Game Two: Crawfords 6, Obamas 2
WP:  B. Foster (6-2)
LP: W. Johnson (4-3)
HR: F. Robinson (11), Hughes (2)

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The Crawfords opened a two-game lead in Division B by sweeping the Obamas, who slipped a bit further behind in the tight Division A race.

Chet Brewer, who had struggled all season (6.30 ERA entering the opener), shut out the long-ball lineup of the Obamas for seven innings in the opener. His mates touched up Eddie Plank for three runs in the second inning and added a solo homer by John Beckwith in the top of the eighth.

But Brewer weakened in the eighth, yielding a two-run homer to Charlie Gehringer and leaving with just one out and the tying run up. Roosevelt Davis induced a double-play grounder from Mickey Mantle to choke off the threat, only to allow a leadoff homer by Frank Robinson in the ninth. Davis steadied to retire the next three men.

The finale saw the Crawfords get revenge on Walter Johnson, who opened the Presidential League season with a no-hitter in the Crawfords home park. It took just two batters for the no-hitter and shutout to end in this one, as Sammy T. Hughes took the Big Train deep.

The Crawfords ripped off four runs in the fourth inning and another in the fifth, banging out four doubles in the two innings. Meanwhile, Big Bill Foster -- the losing pitcher in that opening-day no-hitter -- shut out the Obamas for six innings and went the distance, allowing eight hits while striking out eight.