1940 Tigers takes 3 of 4 from 1924 Senators

GAME 1 @ Briggs Stadium Detroit,MI

1924 Washington wins 13-2

The Big Train

WP: Walter Johnson (1-0)
LP: Schoolboy Rowe (0-1)
HR: Joe Judge (1)
Game MVP: Walter Johnson (24 WAS)  9IP, 6 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K, WIN

Walter Johnson was dominant on the mound as the Senators opened the KOD 22 season with a great all around performance.  Bucky Harris (4-6), Sam Rice (3-5, 3 RBI), Joe Judge (3-5, 1 HR, 3 RBI) and The Big Train himself (2-5, 2 RBI) led the Washington 18 hit attack.  Washington lead early with 6 runs after 3 innings.  The Tigers got to Johnson for 2 in the 3rd but Johnson seems to only get stronger as the game went on blanking Detroit over the final 6.  Washington continued to bludgeon Schoolboy Rowe, who allowed an amazing 17 hits and 12 earned runs over his 7 innings.  

GAME 2 @ Briggs Stadium Detroit,MI

1940 Detroit wins 5-1

WP: Bobo Newsom (1-0)
LP: Tom Zachary (0-1)
HR: none
Game MVP: Bobo Newsom (40 DET) 9 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K, WIN

Bobo can GoGo

The euphoria and optimism of game 1 was short lived in Washington as Bobo Newsom stifled the lineup that exploded for 18 hits in the season opener.  Detroit started early with a run in the 1st and 2 in the 3rd to make sure this one was never in doubt.  Pinky Higgins and Birdie Tebbets were the offensive leaders for Detroit with 2 RBI's each.  The Tiger offense was very efficient pushing across 5 runs on just 6 hits off of Senator starter Tom Zachary. 

GAME 3 @ Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

1940 Detroit wins 9-2

WP: Tommy Bridges (1-0)
LP:  George Mogridge (0-1)
HR: none
Game MVP: Tommy Bridges (40 DET) 8 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 3 K, WIN

Three big innings by the Detroit bats lead to 9 runs and were more than enough for Detroit starter Tommy Bridges.   Rudy York and Pete Fox had multi hit games with York and Dick Bartell driving in a pair each. The Senator defense was brutal behind starter Mogridge with 5 errors, including 2 by SS Ossie Bluege. 

GAME 4 @ Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

1940 Detroit wins 7-5

WP: Dizzy Trout (1-0)

LP: Firpo Marberry (0-1)

SV: Tom Seats (1)

HR: Goose Goslin (1)

Game MVP: Barney McCoskey (40 DET) 2-6, 1 2b, 1 RBI, 1 R

The Tigers took the most competitive game of the 4 game set with a late inning offensive explosion. Trailing 5-2 after 7, the Tigers scored 1 in the 7th, 3 in the 8th and 2 in the 9th to secure the victory.  The 9th inning rally proved to be the difference in the game with go ahead run being driven in on a sacrifice fly by Pete Fox to score Hank Greenberg.  The Senators pitchers did not help themselves issuing 10 walks on the day to go along with 10 Tiger hits.  Rudy York continued his big series with 2 more doubles to finish the series with a .467 BA.