John bracket: 1961 Braves sweep 1961 Red Sox

Game 1: Braves 3, Red Sox 2
WP: Cloninger (1-0)
LP: Monbouquette (0-1)

Game 2: Braves 2, Red Sox 1
WP: Burdette (1-0)
LP: Conley (0-1)
Save: McMahon (1)

Game 3: Braves 8, Red Sox 2
WP: Buhl (1-0)
LP: Schwall (0-1)
HR: Bolling (1), Thomas (1)

Game 4: Braves 6, Red Sox 4
WP: Spahn (1-0)
LP: DeLock (0-1)
HR: Spahn (1), Torre (1)

The Braves allowed just nine runs in the the four game sweep -- while striking out just seven Red Sox hitters.

The series opened in Milwaukee's County Stadium, and the Red Sox were in control most of the way. plating single runs in the fourth and seventh innings off Warren Spahn. Bill Monbouquette held Milwaukee to two singles in the first eight innings. But after he struck out Hank Aaron to open the ninth, he walked Eddie Mathews and Joe Adcock. Frank Thomas singled home Mathews, and Mike Fornieles relieved. He walked Frank Bolling to load the bases, and Charlie Lau singled in Adcock and Thomas for the win.

Lew Burdette allowed one unearned run in seven innings in Game Two for the Braves. Pinch-hitter Mack Jones put Milwaukee up in the bottom of the seventh with a base hit, and three Braves relievers combined for the final six outs. Joe Torre scored both Milwaukee runs.

The series moved to Fenway Park for Game Three, and the bats awoke -- at least for the Braves. Thomas drove in three runs with a two-run homer and a bases-loaded walk, and Bolling clubbed a three-run homer. Bob Buhl went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits, for the win.

The Braves went for the kill in Game Four, bringing back Spahn on short rest, and it worked. Spahn homered in the second and allowed two runs on three hits in 7.1 innings, leaving after he walked two and allowed a single in the eighth. Claude Raymond threw a double-play ball to end that threat, and while Tony Cloninger wild-pitched two runs home in the ninth, he still got the three outs needed to end the game. Torre hit a three-run homer in the eighth.

Player of the Series: Warren Spahn

Projected rotation: Spahn-Burdette-Buhl- ???. Spahn and Burdette probably with penalty on three days rest, in which case Spahn-(Burdette)-(Willey)-(Spahn with double penalty).