In his first start of the year in 1932, Yankees’ pitcher Gordon Rhodes allowed just three runs in a complete game victory over the Red Sox. It was his fourth year for the Yankees, and he was coming off a solid 1931 season.
Rhodes’ second start of the season came on April 23, 1932. The Yankees were playing the Philadelphia Athletics in a series finale at Yankee Stadium. Rhodes got things off to a good start when Philadelphia’s lead-off hitter Eric McNair grounded out.
Things went downhill for the Yankees starter after that. Mule Hass hit a one-out single and went to second on a passed ball. Rhodes then walked the next two hitters, loading the bases. Philadelphia’s next four batters all hit singles and five runs scored in total. Joe McCarthy was forced to take Rhodes out of the game with just one out recorded. Ivy Andrews came in and immediately got an inning-ending double play.
Thankfully for the Yankees, their offense was pretty good in 1932. In the bottom of the first, they scored six runs of their own. Babe Ruth hit a two-run home run, Ben Chapman hit an inside-the-park home run, and Tony Lazzeri hit an RBI double. The Yankees knocked Philadelphia’s starter Rube Walberg out of the game after just 0.1 innings.
Suddenly pitching with a lead, Andrews stranded another two runners in the second inning. The Yankees added to their lead in the bottom of the second, scoring a run off Athletics’ reliever Sugar Cain.
In the third inning, the Yankees took a commanding lead. Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Lazzeri all drove in runs. By the time the inning was over, the Yankees were up 11-5.
After Andrews got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of fourth, the Yankees tacked on another run. Philadelphia put runners on in the fifth, sixth, and seventh inning, but could not bring home a run against Andrews.
In the seventh, the Yankees put the game away, scoring another five runs. Andrews himself drove in two runs with a double.
With a 16-5 lead, Andrews stayed in to finish off the game. In the eighth and ninth, he threw 1-2-3 innings, sealing the win. After Rhodes gave up five runs in 0.1 innings, Andrews gave up none in 8.2.
That would be Gordon Rhodes’ final start for the Yankees. After the game, he made another eight appearances for New York, but all out of the bullpen. On August 1, the Yankees traded Rhodes to the Red Sox in exchange for Wilcy Moore.
Funnily enough, Rhodes was joining Ivy Andrews in Boston, as the Yankees had also traded him earlier that season. Andrews pitched a complete game for the Yankees on April 29, but appeared in just one more game for them that season. On June 1, the Yankees acquired Danny MacFayden in exchange for Andrews.
The Yankees didn’t need Rhodes or Andrews in 1932. They ended up going 107-47 and won the World Series. When you have an offense that good, allowing five runs in 0.1 innings might not necessarily lead to a loss.
Sources
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA193204230.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rhodego01.shtml