I’m not 100% sure this is the largest blown lead in Washington baseball history but I know the 12,000 Senator fans at Griffith stadium left the ball park shaking their heads in disgust after watching the Senators waste a 10 run lead.
*June 12, 1938 – In the rubber match of a three game series with Detroit, the Senators absorb a humiliating defeat at the hand of the Tigers. The Sens lose 18-12 in the nation’s capital, but it is not the 18 runs that the Sens give up that is embarrassing. It is the lead that they somehow cannot hold. Washington had an 11-1 lead in the top of the 6th inning when the rains came. After the rain delay, the Tigers roar for 17 runs in the last 4 innings off Bucky Harris‘ men to complete the 3 game sweep.
*This Date in Washington Senators History – Senators blow 11-1 lead – June 12th by Art Audley
Detroit Tigers 18, Washington Senators 12
Day
Game Played on Sunday, June 12, 1938 (D) at Griffith Stadium
DET A 0 0 0 1 0 10 0 0 7 - 18 20 1 WAS A 0 0 7 4 0 0 1 0 0 - 12 15 2
BATTING
Detroit Tigers AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Rogell ss 6 2 3 1 0 0 4 6 White cf 6 2 3 1 0 1 1 0 Gehringer 2b 6 3 4 3 0 0 2 9 Greenberg 1b 4 4 2 2 2 0 14 1 York c 5 1 1 3 1 1 1 0 Fox rf 5 2 3 2 0 1 0 0 Laabs lf 5 2 3 1 0 0 3 0 Christman 3b 5 1 0 1 0 0 2 2 Poffenberger p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Wade p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Piet ph 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Coffman p 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Bridges p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 46 18 20 14 3 4 27 19
FIELDING - DP: 2. Gehringer-Rogell-Greenberg, Greenberg-Christman. E: White (2).
BATTING - 2B: Gehringer 2 (8); Fox 2 (13); Laabs (3). 3B: Greenberg (4). HR: Gehringer (6,6th inning off W. Ferrell 0 on); York (14,6th inning off W. Ferrell 1 on). SH: Bridges (1). Team LOB: 5.
BASERUNNING - SB: Gehringer (6).
Washington Senators AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Almada cf 5 1 2 0 1 1 2 0 Lewis 3b 6 3 2 0 0 0 0 1 Wright rf 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Case rf 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 Stone lf 6 1 1 2 0 0 2 0 Bonura 1b 3 1 0 0 2 0 11 0 Travis ss 5 2 3 3 0 0 0 2 Myer 2b 4 1 4 4 1 0 3 3 R. Ferrell c 4 1 1 2 1 0 7 1 W. Ferrell p 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 Kelley p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Appleton p 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Krakauskas p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 41 12 15 11 8 1 27 8
FIELDING - DP: 1. Bonura. E: Almada (5), Myer (2).
BATTING - 2B: Travis (11); Myer (6). 3B: Travis (3). HR: R. Ferrell (1,3rd inning off Poffenberger 1 on). Team LOB: 10.
PITCHING
Detroit Tigers IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP Poffenberger 3 8 11 11 4 0 1 21 Wade 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 11 Coffman 1.2 4 1 1 0 0 0 8 Bridges W(3-3) 2.1 2 0 0 1 1 0 9 Totals 9 15 12 12 8 1 1 49
Washington Senators IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP W. Ferrell 5.1 12 8 8 1 2 2 27 Kelley 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 2 Appleton L(3-4) 3 5 8 7 2 2 0 18 Krakauskas 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 Totals 9 20 18 17 3 4 2 50
Umpires: HP - Joe Rue, 1B - Harry Geisel
Time of Game: 2:47 Attendance: 18,000
Team Name G W L T PCT GB RS RA Cleveland Indians 47 29 18 0 .617 - 269 219 New York Yankees 47 27 19 1 .587 1.5 253 226 Boston Red Sox 47 26 21 0 .553 3.0 258 210 Washington Senators 52 27 25 0 .519 4.5 269 306 Detroit Tigers 49 25 24 0 .510 5.0 260 230 Philadelphia Athletics 48 21 26 1 .447 8.0 231 272 Chicago White Sox 43 18 25 0 .419 9.0 194 203 St. Louis Browns 45 15 30 0 .333 13.0 205 273
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