'51 Bums are "King's" for a day taking 3 of 4 from '77 Reds

Game 1 – Riverfront Staduim
Newcomb vs Seaver

The two aces stepped to the mound to open the tournament, and a pitching duel ensued. Newcomb gave up an RBI  double to Geroge Foster but nothing else for eight innings. Tom Seaver was just as good, allowing only a fifth-inning solo shot to Andy Pafko. The deadlock held until the ninth. In the top Seaver was lifted for Rawly Eastick, who gave up a leadoff single to Carl Furillo but got the next two batters to fly out and the third to hit a line drive out. Newcomb gave up a single and a stolen base to Foster in the bottom of the ninth and was lifted for Carl Ersikine, but Foster was thrown out trying to score on a single from Dave Conceptcion forcing extra innings. Nothing came across in the tenth, but in the bottom of the eleventh Dan Driessen drove in the winning run of a sac fly with the cases loaded. The Reds take a 1-0 lead going into Game 2 on a 2-1 score. WP: Borbon. LP: Podelbain. MVP: Dan Driessen

Game 2 – Riverfront Stadium
Roe vs Norman

Preacher Roe took the mound for the Bums in Game 2 and was lights-out all night. Roy Campanella hit a two-run double in the first and that would be all Brooklyn would need. Roe finished the game with nothing across and only four hits conceded to a potent Big Red Machine. Two insurance runs in the ninth removed all doubt, leading to a 4-0 final score and a tied series going to Brooklyn. WP: Roe. LP: Norman MVP: Preacher Roe 

Game 3 – Ebbets Field
Moskau vs Branca

Coming home, the Dodgers bats exploded. With a 1-1 tie going into the bottom of the fourth, Reds pitching imploded and Moskau was chased after giving up two consecutive two-run base hits to Carl Furrilo and Jackie Robinson. In all, dix runs were scored in that inning and afterwards Brooklyn cruised. Ralpha Branca game up only one run in eight innings, and further aided his cause by going 3-3 with two RBIs at the plate. Carl Erskine came in to pitch the ninth, which was an error on the manager’s part as he had forgotten Erskine was supposed to be the Game 4 started. The final score of 7-1 barely indicated how bad a night Cincy had. WP: Branca. LP: Moskau MVP:  Andy Pafko

Game 4 – Ebbets Field
Billingham vs. King

Thanks to the managerial boner in Game 3 seldom-used starter Clyde King was inserted into the rotation. After giving up an RBI double to Foster, he rose to the occasion, while the Dodgers launched anoffensive flurry scoring five in the first two innings highlighted by a two-RBI single from Jackie Robinson. From there King held serve, giving up only a solo shot to Forsterin the 6th. Billingham only lasted one and two-thirds innings and the Reds ended up using six outchers before the night was through. Roy Campanella went 3-4 at the plate and the Dodgers ended up with six runs on eleven hits. King finished out the game and the Dodgers advanced (the first time I have ever advanced to the second round in the Holiday Festival). WP: King. LP: Billingham. MVP: Clyde King
--submitted by Michael Hopcroft--