Thursday, July 28, 1938

Gill's complete game paces Tigers

TIGERS 7, Washington 1
at Detroit, MI

WAS   000 100 000 = 1-5-1
DET    103 200 10x = 7-13-0
WP- Gill (6-7); LP- DeShong
HR- none

George Gill threw a complete game, five-hitter, and Birdie Tebbetts continued his torrid hitting as the Tigers beat the Washington Senators, 7-1, at Briggs Stadium. The win was the Tigers' fifth in six games and seventh in their last 10. Tebbetts had three singles and four RBI, lifting his average to .436 as he fills in for injured catcher Rudy York.  Gill walked two and struck out four, and he added a single to help his cause. Taffy Wright came a home run away from hitting for the cycle for Washington.

TIGERS: 47-42; Home: 21-21; Away: 26-21

Gill's record sits at 6-7 after twirling his fourth complete game of the season

Wednesday, July 27, 1938

Tebbets, White hold off Senators, 6-5

TIGERS 6, Washington 5
at Detroit, MI

WAS    200 001 101 = 5-16-2
DET     000 041 10x = 6-12-1
WP- Lawson (2-5); SV- Coffman (4); LP- Weaver

Catcher Birdie Tebbetts had three hits, plus he threw out Buddy Myer trying to steal second for the game's final out, and the Tigers came from behind to beat the Washington Senators, 6-5 at Briggs Stadium on Wednesday. Jo-Jo White's bases-loaded triple in the fifth inning put the Tigers ahead to stay. Al Simmons' two-run homer in the first inning got the Senators off to a fast start, but they couldn't sustain it, despite rapping out 16 hits.

TIGERS: 46-42; Home: 20-21; Away: 26-21


Tebbetts beat the Senators with his bat AND his arm.

Tuesday, July 26, 1938

Senators demolish Tigers behind 18-hit attack

Washington 14, TIGERS 8
at Detroit, MI

WAS   001 261 013 = 14-18-1
DET    010 004 003 = 8-14-2
WP- W. Ferrell; LP- Kennedy (8-6)
HR- none

A brutal six-run, two-error inning suffered by Tigers pitching sealed the team's fate in a 14-8 loss to the Washington Senators on Tuesday. The Senators pounded out 18 hits, including five in the fifth inning during the six-run eruption. Washington's George Case had four hits, scored two runs and had an RBI. The Tigers managed 14 hits themselves but couldn't keep pace. Chick Morgan drove in three runs for Detroit, which saw its modest three-game winning streak snapped.


Case led the Senators' romp with four hits (two doubles), two runs and one RBI

Sunday, July 24, 1938

Tigers use 17 runs, 30 hits to sweep DH from A's

TIGERS 7-10, Philadelphia 3-3 (DH)
at Philadelphia, PA

Game 1
DET   200 200 120 = 7-15-1
PHI    020 000 010 = 3-6-0
WP- Auker (5-6); LP- Ross
HR- Greenberg, DET (27; 1st inning; 1 on, 2 out)

The Tigers banged out 15 hits in overwhelming the A's in Game 1. Hank Greenberg's two-run homer in the first inning set the tone. Elden Auker went seven-plus innings to earn the victory. Jo-Jo White had four hits and two RBI, while Mark Christman had three hits and one RBI.

Game 2
DET   020 200 330 = 10-15-0
PHI    000 020 001 = 3-9-4
WP- Bridges (5-4); LP- Caster
HR- none

The Tigers continued their assault on A's pitching in the nightcap. Four players collected three hits each, while Pete Fox (one of those players) had three RBI. Tommy Bridges tossed his second complete game of the season, scattering nine hits while walking three and striking out five.


White had four hits and two RBI in Game 1

Thursday, July 21, 1938

Greenberg, York lift Tigers to series win over Senators

TIGERS 8, Washington 1
at Washington, DC

DET   201 203 000 = 8-14-3
WAS  000 001 000 = 1-9-3
WP- Eisenstat (7-3); LP- Weaver
HR- York, DET (17; 6th inning; 1 on, 0 out); Simmons, WAS (6th inning; 0 on, 1 out)

Despite making three errors, the Tigers overwhelmed the Washington Senators, 8-1 on Thursday afternoon at Griffith Stadium. Rudy York had a homer and three RBI and Hank Greenberg chipped in with four hits. Harry Eisenstat pitched his first complete game of 1938, scattering nine hits. The Tigers led, 5-0 after four innings and cruised to the series win. Detroit's 3-4-5-6 hitters went a combined 8-for-19 with five RBI.


Eisenstat, pictured before Thursday's game

Wednesday, July 20, 1938

Tigers blow two leads, fall in 11, 5-4

Washington 5, TIGERS 4 (11 innings)
at Washington, DC

DET   003 001 000 00 = 4-9-1
WAS  000 031 000 01 = 5-8-2
WP- Krakauskas; LP- Rowe (4-3)
HR- Gehringer, DET (15; 3rd inning; 2 on, 0 out); W. Ferrell, WAS (6th inning; 0 on, 2 out)

The Ferrell brothers did the Tigers in, as pitcher Wes threw nine innings and hit a solo home run, while catcher Rick drove in the game-winning run with a slow ground ball to shortstop, and the Washington Senators beat Detroit 5-4 in 11 innings. Wes Ferrell's home run tied the game, 4-4 in the sixth inning. Charlie Gehringer smacked a three-run homer for Detroit, losers of five of their last seven games. In the 11th, Jimmy Wasdell led off with a single, but the hit was misplayed by center fielder Chick Morgan and Wasdell advanced to second. Ossie Bluege sacrificed Wasdell to third, and Rick Ferrell's slow ground ball enabled Wasdell to scamper home with the winning run ahead of Billy Rogell's throw. The Tigers held leads of 3-0 and 4-3.


Wes Ferrell, one of baseball's best hitting pitchers, showed it against the Tigers on Wednesday

Tuesday, July 19, 1938

Errors galore but Tigers survive, 8-6

TIGERS 8, Washington 6
at Washington, DC

DET   004 022 000 = 8-12-4
WAS  100 104 000 = 6-11-4
WP- Kennedy (8-5); SV- Coffman (3); LP- Chase
HR- Greenberg, DET (26; 5th inning; 0 on, 0 out)

It won't go down as the prettiest of wins, but the Tigers overcame four errors and outlasted the Washington Senators, 8-6, on Tuesday afternoon. Part of the reason for the win was that the Senators committed four errors as well. Each team had a four-run inning but the Tigers had just enough extra offense to win. Hank Greenberg smashed his 26th home run, a solo shot in the fifth inning. Tigers starter Vern Kennedy got the win, despite giving up six runs (only two earned) and nine hits in 5.2 innings. Birdie Tebbetts, starting at catcher to give Rudy York a rest, had three hits and a walk.


Kennedy wasn't great, but he was good enough to earn his eighth win

Sunday, July 17, 1938

Gehrig's five RBI buries Tigers

New York 7, TIGERS 1
at New York, NY

DET   010 000 000 = 1-6-2
NY     421 000 00x = 7-10-1
WP- Chandler; LP- Auker (4-6)
HR- Gehrig, NY [2] (1st inning; 3 on, 1 out); (3rd inning; 0 on, 0 out); Greenberg, DET (25; 2nd inning; 0 on, 1 out); Rolfe, NY (2nd inning; 1 on, 2 out)

Thirty-five year-old Lou Gehrig swatted a grand slam in the first inning and added a solo homer in the third, and Red Rolfe hit a two-run homer in the second inning as the New York Yankees jumped all over Tigers starter Eldon Auker early en route to a 7-1 win in the rubber game of a weekend series at Yankee Stadium. Hank Greenberg belted a solo home run, his fourth round-tripper of the week. The lone bright spot for Detroit was reliever Tommy Bridges, who spun 4.2 innings of shutout baseball after entering the game in the third inning.


Gehrig's five RBI paced the Yankees on Sunday

Saturday, July 16, 1938

Walker, Greenberg's power lift Tigers to win over Yanks

TIGERS 7, New York 5
at New York, NY

DET   000 004 300 = 7-10-2
NY     000 121 010 = 5-13-0
WP- Eisenstat (6-3); SV- Rowe (4); LP- Ruffing
HR- DiMaggio, NY (4th inning; 0 on, 1 out); Greenberg, DET (24; 6th inning; 2 on, 1 out); Walker, DET (6; 7th inning; 2 on, 1 out)

Dixie Walker and Hank Greenberg each hit three-run homers to lead the Tigers to a come-from-behind 7-5 win over the New York Yankees on Saturday. Walker's home run put the Tigers ahead to stay, 7-4, in the seventh inning. One frame prior, Greenberg's 24th four-bagger put the Tigers ahead, 4-3. Joe DiMaggio hit a solo homer for New York. With the score tied 4-4 and runners on first and third, Walker greeted reliever Grandma Murphy with a line drive that barely cleared the right field fence near the foul pole. Schoolboy Rowe pitched two innings to earn his fourth save. Harry Eisenstat pitched six rocky innings (nine hits, four runs) but got the win for the Tigers, who snapped a three-game losing streak.


Walker's three-run shot put the Tigers ahead to stay in the seventh inning

Friday, July 15, 1938

Gordon slugs Yankees to victory
New York 7, TIGERS 1
at New York, NY

DET   000 100 000 = 1-6-0
NY     020 400 01x = 7-9-0
WP- Gomez; LP- Poffenberger (4-5)
HR- Dickey, NY (2nd inning; 1 on, 1 out); Gehringer, DET (14; 4th inning, 0 on, 1 out); Gordon, NY  [2] (4th inning; 3 on, 1 out); (8th inning; 0 on, 1 out)

Joe Gordon smacked two homers, including a grand slam in the fourth inning, and the Yankees cruised to a 7-1 victory at Yankee Stadium. Gordon's slam helped chase Tigers starter Boots Poffenberger after 3.1 innings. The Tigers lost their third straight as Lefty Gomez pitched a complete game, six-hitter.


Gordon had two homers and five RBI in the Yankee rout

Thursday, July 14, 1938

Bosox again strike late, overwhelm Tigers

Boston 7, TIGERS 6
at Boston, MA

DET   010 000 005 = 6-16-0
BOS   010 001 41x = 7-15-0
WP- Grove; SV- Wilson; LP- Gill (5-7)
HR- Greenberg, DET (23; 2nd inning; 0 on, 0 out); Foxx, BOS (7th inning; 1 on, 2 out); Christman, DET (1; 9th inning; 0 on, 0 out)

The Tigers should have known that leaving boatloads of men on base would come back to haunt them against the explosive Boston Red Sox. And it did. Once again, the Red Sox offense started slow but broke loose for six runs on 12 hits in innings six thru eight to upend the Tigers, 7-6 and take this mid-week series, 2-1. The Red Sox needed every run as the Tigers put up five runs in the ninth inning to make things interesting. But Mark Christman grounded into a force out with runners on first and second to end the ballgame. In the first five innings, the Tigers left eight runners on base as Lefty Grove pitched out of trouble all day during his seven innings of work.


Jimmie Foxx, shown before Thursday's game, smacked a two-run homer in the seventh as part of a four-run frame for Boston.

Wednesday, July 13, 1938

Disastrous 8th Means Tigers Settle for DH Split

TIGERS 7-2, Boston 6-6
at Boston, MA

Game 1
DET   040 021 000 = 7-12-0
BOS   001 002 201 = 6-11-2
WP- Kennedy (7-5); SV- Rowe (3); LP- Dickman
HR- Walker, DET (5; 2nd inning; 2 on, 1 out); York, DET (16; 5th inning; 1 on, 0 out); Desautels, BOS (7th inning; 0 on, 0 out); Tabor, BOS (9th inning; 0 on, 0 out)

The Tigers used a four-run second inning to propel them to victory, though they had to hold off a charging Red Sox offense late in the game. Dixie Walker's three-run home run was the big blow in the second frame. Rudy York added a two-run shot in the fifth. But the Red Sox pecked away and brought the potential game-winning run to the plate in the ninth. Schoolboy Rowe induced a ground ball from Joe Cronin to seal the win.

Game 2
DET   000 000 110 = 2-5-2
BOS   001 000 05x = 6-8-1
WP- Bagby; LP- Wade (3-1)
HR- Peacock, BOS (3rd inning; 0 on, 1 out); Greenberg, DET (22; 7th inning, 0 on, 0 out)

The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning when Joe Vosmik misplayed Chick Morgan's fly ball to deep center field so badly that Morgan circled the bases. But the Tigers suffered through a disastrous eighth on defense, when the Red Sox scored five runs on six hits and an error, giving Boston a split of the doubleheader. Hank Greenberg's 22nd home run in the seventh inning tied the game, 1-1.


York's two-run homer in the fifth inning of Game 1 gave the Tigers a 6-1 lead

Sunday, July 10, 1938

Greenberg saves Tigers from tough loss in 9th

TIGERS 5, Chicago 4
at Detroit, MI

CHI   100 001 002 = 4-13-0
DET  000 000 212 = 5-13-1
WP- Benton (3-0); LP- Rigney
HR- None

Hank Greenberg's double scored Birdie Tebbetts all the way from first base in the bottom of the ninth inning, capping a two-run rally that enabled the Tigers to avoid a tough loss to the White Sox, 5-4. Chicago had scored twice in their half of the ninth to take a 4-3 lead. Joe Kuhel's triple scored Luke Appling with the go-ahead run. The Tigers' offense didn't wake up until late; they scored all five of their runs from the seventh inning on. White Sox starter Ted Lyons only gave up two singles after six innings before the Tigers got to him for two runs in the seventh. Tebbetts was in the game at catcher due to Rudy York's ejection in the eighth inning after York argued after being called out on strikes. Both teams left numerous men on base until the late innings.


Greenberg's clutch hit salvaged a split of the four-game weekend series with the Pale Hose.

Saturday, July 9, 1938

Too Much Kreevich as Chisox Slip Past Bengals

Chicago 6, TIGERS 5
at Detroit, MI

CHI   102 100 200 = 6-14-0
DET  004 100 000 = 5-10-1
WP- Whitehead; SV- Gabler; LP- Auker (4-5)
HR- Gehringer (13; 3rd inning; 2 on, 1 out); Greenberg (21; 3rd inning; 0 on, 2 out); Laabs (9; 4th inning; 0 on, 2 out)

Mike Kreevich cracked two triples and a double, drove in two and scored two runs as the White Sox overcame Tigers power. The Detroiters scored four runs in the third inning---three on a home run by Charlie Gehringer and another on a solo blast from Hank Greenberg. Another Tigers homer was hit by Chet Laabs in the fourth inning. But a two-run seventh inning put Chicago ahead to stay. Kreevich got that rally started with his second triple of the game. In the second inning, the Tigers had runners thrown out at the plate twice in consecutive plate appearances.


Kreevich had eight total bases in Saturday's win

Friday, July 8, 1938

Chicago 4-0, TIGERS 1-1 (Doubleheader)
at Detroit, MI

Game 1
CHI   013 000 000 = 4-7-1
DET 000 000 100 = 1-5-1
WP- Stratton; LP- Kennedy (6-5)
HR- None.

Monty Stratton stymied the Tigers on five hits and the White Sox mustered just enough offense to win Game 1 of a Friday afternoon twinbill. Joe Kuhel's two-run single was the big hit in a three-run third inning.

Game 2
CHI   000 000 000 = 0-7-1
DET  000 010 00x = 1-4-0
WP- Poffenberger (4-4); LP- Lee
HR- None.

Boots Poffenberger, after spinning two innings in the first game as a tune up, pitched a complete game shutout in the nightcap. Five times the White Sox got the leadoff runner on base but couldn't cash in. The lone run was scored on a weird play in the fifth inning. Pete Fox singled and, with two out, Poffenberger hit a towering pop fly in the infield. No White Sox player called for the ball and it fell to the turf, untouched. Fox, running on contact, scooted home all the way from first base.


Poffenberger warms up prior to Friday's second game. He would go on to pitch a complete game shutout after tossing two innings in Game 1.

Monday, July 4, 1938

Cleveland 7-4, TIGERS 6-5 (Doubleheader)

at Detroit, MI

Game 1

CLE   002 200 111 = 7-13-2

DET   000 200 103 = 6-6-0

WP- Feller; SV- Humphries; LP- Auker (4-4)

HR- Hale (CLE; 1 one, 2 out; 3rd inning); Trosky (CLE; 1 one, 0 out; 4th inning); York (DET; 15; 1 on, 0 out; 4th inning)

Game 2

CLE   000 120 001 = 4-7-2

DET   001 002 11x = 5-9-2

WP- Eisenstat (5-3); SV- Coffman (2); LP- Harder

HR- Greenberg (DET; 20; 1 on, 0 out; 6th inning)

Game 1

The Tigers' furious three-run rally in the ninth fell just short. Rudy York struck out with Billy Rogell on third base and Charlie Gehringer on first to end the game. York had brought the Tigers to within 4-2 with a two-run shot in the fourth inning. Tigers starter Elden Auker surrendered two, two-run homers. In the ninth, Rogell's triple drove in two runs to make the game close.

Game 2

Hank Greenberg's two-run homer tied the game in the sixth inning, and Jo-Jo White's sacrifice fly broke the tie an inning later. The Tigers added an insurance run in the eighth, which they needed thanks to a dicey Indians rally in the ninth. Slick Coffman induced a force out from Moose Solters with the tying run on second base and the go-ahead run on first to preserve the win for Harry Eisenstat. The Tigers thus earned a doubleheader split in front of over 53,000 fans who celebrated Independence Day at Briggs Stadium. The All-Star break begins and the Tigers will return to action on July 8.

Coffman pitched a rocky ninth but earned his second save in the nightcap