1958 World Series: Yankees snatched championship from jaws of defeat

The event	1958 World Series
The Opponent	Milwaukee Braves
The Score	New York Yankees (4) Milwaukee Braves (3)
Date	October 1-9
Venues	County Stadium (Milwaukee) Yankee Stadium (New York)
The MVP	Bob Turley
The most memorable game	Game 7
Yankees Batting heroes	Hank Bauer, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, and Gil McDougald
Yankees Pitching heroes	Whitey Ford, Bob Turley and Don Larsen
Regular season team record	92-62
Yankees captain	The Yankees had no official captain
AL position	No. 1
Yankees Manager	Casey Stengel

The 1958 World Series was the 55th championship that pitted the New York Yankees against the Milwaukee Braves, who emerged as the leader of the National League.

In 1958, things changed from the previous year. The Yankees beat the Braves in a series of seven games to become champions for the 18th time. The 1958 World Series title was their seventh win in the past 10 years. This win was memorable because they were only the second team in baseball history to win the World Series after being behind 3-1 in a best-of-seven series. The first team to do this was the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925. The 1903 Boston Americans also came back from 3-1, but it was in a more extended series of nine games.

After 38 years, these two teams faced each other on the big stage at the 1958 World Series. But this time, the Braves had moved to Atlanta. Up to 2023, this is the latest World Series where these two teams that had won before played against each other.

Prelude to the 1958 World Series: The regular season

Regular-season batting average	.268
Best individual record	Hank Bauer (.266)
Regular-season pitching ERA	3.2
Best individual record	Whitey Ford (2.10)

The 1958 regular season marked another chapter in the storied history of the New York Yankees. The team was determined to reassert its dominance in the American League and compete for the coveted pennant. Led by a roster filled with star power and veteran leadership, the Yankees started a season that would test their mettle and prove their ability to overcome challenges capping the win in the 1958 World Series.

At the heart of the Yankees’ success was their potent offensive lineup, which featured legendary players like Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Enos Slaughter. Mantle, in particular, was a force to be reckoned with. He consistently delivered clutch hits and powered the team’s offense. His ability to hit for both average and power made him a linchpin in the Yankees’ bid for the pennant.

The Yankees’ pitching staff, anchored by Whitey Ford, provided a strong foundation on the mound. Ford’s great command and ability to keep opposing hitters off balance made him a strong force ace and a crucial asset in the team’s quest for the pennant. His leadership on the pitching staff set the tone for the entire rotation well into the 1958 World Series.

Throughout the season, the Yankees engaged in fierce competition with their American League rivals. Each game was a battle, with the team’s resilience and determination on full display. The players’ commitment to excellence, coupled with their deep-rooted desire to reclaim the league’s top spot, drove them to consistently give their best on the field and triumph in the 1958 World Series.

As the regular season progressed, the Yankees faced pivotal moments and critical matchups that would ultimately shape their pennant pursuit. The team’s ability to execute under pressure, capitalize on scoring opportunities, and make key defensive plays contributed to their success in crucial games. Their resolute performances in high-stakes contests showcased their readiness to contend for the pennant.

The culmination of their efforts came as the regular season drew to a close. The Yankees’ consistent play, combined with their ability to secure victories against tough opponents, positioned them as strong contenders for the American League pennant. The dedication of the players, the guidance of the coaching staff, and the unwavering support of the fans converged to create an environment conducive to success.

In the end, the New York Yankees’ pursuit of the 1958 American League pennant was a testament to their commitment to excellence, their resilience in the face of challenges, and their collective desire to reclaim their place atop the league. Through their skillful performances, clutch plays, and unrelenting determination, the Yankees earned the right to proudly hoist the pennant and solidify their status as champions of the American League.

The 1958 World Series

The Opponent	Milwaukee Braves
The Score	New York Yankees (4) Milwaukee Braves (3)
Date	October 1-9
Venues	County Stadium (Milwaukee) Yankee Stadium (New York)
The MVP	Bob Turley
The memorable game	Game 7
Game 1	Result: New York Yankees – 3, Milwaukee Braves – 4   Place: County Stadium The Crowd in attendance: 46,367
Game 2	Result: New York Yankees – 5, Milwaukee Braves – 13 Place: County Stadium The Crowd in attendance: 46,367
Game 3	Result: Milwaukee Braves – 0, New York Yankees – 4 Place: Yankee Stadium The Crowd in attendance: 71,599
Game 4	Result: Milwaukee Braves – 3, New York Yankees – 0 Place: Yankee Stadium The Crowd in attendance:  71,563
Game 5	Result:  Milwaukee Braves – 0, New York Yankees – 7 Place: Yankee Stadium The Crowd in attendance:  65,279
Game 6	Result: New York Yankees – 4, Milwaukee Braves – 3 Place: County Stadium The Crowd in attendance: 46,367
Game 7	Result: New York Yankees – 6, Milwaukee Braves – 2 Place: County Stadium The Crowd in attendance: 46,367

This time, the Yankees weren’t the clear favorites because they had lost two out of the last three championships. This was new and unusual for the Yankees, led by Casey Stengel, and they were eager to make things even. Many sports writers in New York had changed their opinions about the local team. Some even said that the era of baseball’s greatest dynasty might be over.

In Game 1 of the 1958 World Series, Warren Spahn faced off against Whitey Ford, and the opening match ended with a 4-3 victory. Game 2 was a bit different. The Braves’ Lew Burdette, who had already won three complete games in 1957, showed his skill on the pitcher’s mounds when batting. He hit a home run that brought in three runs. This made him finish off a big seven-run push in the first inning. He kept up his strong performance by limiting the Yankees to just two runs and three hits until the ninth inning.

Milwaukee ended up winning in a big way, with a final score of 13-5 in Game 2 of the 1958 World Series. But the third game of the 1958 World Series went differently. Don Larsen and Ryne Duren joined forces to prevent any runs from being scored, which resulted in a 4-0 victory.

The New York team was on the brink of losing the 1958 World Series by three games to one. This meant they were close to the end of a time when they were doing well. On the other side, the Braves were hopeful of winning their second championship in a row in the 1958 World Series.

In the next game of the 1958 World Series, the Yankees scored six runs and got a 7-0 win. The next day, the Yankees continued doing well. They won Game 6 of the 1958 World Series with a score of 4-3, after playing ten innings. This helped them tie up the Series. For the second year in a row, Larsen was picked to start as the Yankees’ pitcher in Game 7, and luckily for the New York Yankees, the Braves’ good fortune ended in the 1958 World Series.

The unexpected comeback didn’t just bring the Yankees back to their former level of success; it also matched a record. They became only the second team to ever come back from being down 3-1 in the World Series and win it all. The only other team to do this was the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates.

Hank Bauer, who had played in nine World Series, led the way with the most runs scored (six), the most hits (ten), the most home runs (four), and the most runs batted in (eight). He was also the best among the Yankees’ strong hitters, with a.323 average. Even though his performance in his first four World Series wasn’t excellent (he only got seven hits out of fifty-seven at-bats, which is a.123 average), he did much better against the Braves in 1957 and 1958. In those two years, he got eighteen hits, hit six home runs, drove in fourteen runs, and had an average of.290.

Game 1: Yankees 3-4 Braves

In Game 1 of the 1958 World Series, Casey Stengel, the coach, chose Whitey Ford, who had won 14 games during the regular season with a good 2.01 ERA, to be the starting pitcher. Even though another player, Bob Turley, had won more games in the regular season (21–7), Ford had a lot of experience and had won five games in previous postseasons. The other team’s coach, Fred Haney, chose his left-handed pitcher, Warren Spahn, who had won 22 games during the regular season.

Bill Skowron got things going by hitting a home run in the fourth inning. However, the Braves responded strongly by scoring two runs in the same inning. Hank Aaron walked and then got to second base because of a mistake by Yogi Berra, who was the catcher. When Joe Adcock hit the ball and got out, Aaron moved from second to third base. Then, Wes Covington hit the ball and got out, which allowed Aaron to stay on third. After that, three players hit singles, one after the other. Del Crandall hit the ball to left field, which helped Aaron score. Andy Pafko hit the ball to the center of the field, and Warren Spahn hit the ball to the area between the left and center fields. This resulted in Crandall and Spahn scoring, and the Braves took the lead by one run.

In the fifth inning, Spahn, the pitcher for the Braves, got Tony Kubek out by making him hit a fly ball that was caught by the player in left field. But then Spahn ended up giving a walk to the pitcher on the other team, Ford. The first player in the Yankees’ lineup, Hank Bauer, hit a fast pitch from Spahn, and it ended up being a home run in the left-field area. This made the score 3-2, with the Yankees in the lead.

Moving on to the eighth inning, the Braves were able to tie the game. Eddie Mathews got to go to first base because he was given a walk. Then, Hank Aaron hit the ball well, and he was able to reach second base. The next player, Wes Covington, hit a deep fly ball to the outfield, and even though it was caught by Mickey Mantle, Aaron was able to move from second base to home plate. This tied the game again.

The ninth inning didn’t bring any runs, so they had to play extra innings. In the extra innings, the Yankees had their three players come up to bat, but they weren’t able to score any runs. Spahn was still pitching for the Braves.

In the 10th inning, it was Ryne Duren’s turn to bat. He had started pitching in the eighth inning. But this time, he grounded out to the pitcher, so he was out. When the Braves came to bat in the bottom of the 10th, Hank Aaron was the first one up. Unfortunately, he struck out. Then, he tried to run to first base after the third strike, but Yogi Berra, who was the catcher for the Yankees, quickly threw the ball to first base, and Aaron was barely thrown out.

After that, Adcock hit a single to the center of the field, which got him safely to first base. But then Covington, who was the next batter, hit a fly ball that was caught by the player in left field, making it the second out. Following Covington, Crandall hit a single by hitting the ball up the middle, and this made Adcock move to second base.

Then, there was a player named Bill Bruton who didn’t start the game but came in later to hit for another player named Pafko. When it was his turn to bat, Bruton hit the ball well, and it went into the area between right field and center field. Because of this hit, Adcock was able to run from second base and score the winning run of the game.

Game 2: Yankees 5-13 Braves

Lew Burdette, who had won 20 games and had an average of 2.91 in the regular season, was chosen to pitch for the Braves in Game 2 of the 1958 World Series. He was famous for winning three games in the 1957 World Series. On the other side, the Yankees picked Bob Turley, who was a right-handed pitcher. He had a record of 21 wins and 7 losses, with an average of 2.91 in the regular season. This was the only time in his career that he won 20 games in a single season.

Burdette didn’t start the game very strongly. He allowed Hank Bauer to hit a single in the first play. Then, when Gil McDougald hit the ball on the ground, Eddie Mathews tried to throw it to first base, but he threw it too far, which meant the runners could advance to second and third bases. Mickey Mantle, a good hitter, was walked intentionally, which means he was allowed to go to first base on purpose. This filled the bases with runners for Elston Howard, who was the fourth batter and a strong hitter.

When Howard hit the ball on the ground, it made Mantle get out at second base, but Bauer was able to score from third base, giving the Yankees their first run of the game. Then, Burdette, the pitcher, got the next batter, Yogi Berra, to hit the ball on the ground, and the Braves were able to turn it into a double play to end the inning. The double play was made by Red Schoendienst, who threw the ball to Johnny Logan, and then to Frank Torre at first base.

Bob Turley struggled at the beginning of the game and only managed to pitch for a third of an inning. The Braves quickly scored seven runs in the first inning. This all started with Bill Bruton hitting a home run right at the beginning of the inning, which was surprising because he had only hit three home runs during the whole season.

Then, Schoendienst hit the ball and ended up on second base. After that, Hank Aaron was given a walk, which meant he got to go to first base. Wes Covington, who was a reliable player, hit the ball and drove a run in from right-center field. Because Turley was having a hard time, Duke Maas came in to pitch in the middle of the inning. Maas got Frank Torre, a Braves player, to hit the ball, and it was caught by the player in right field, which was the second out.

After that, Del Crandall was given a walk, which loaded the bases with players from the Braves. Then Johnny Logan came up and hit a single, which allowed two runs to be scored by the Braves.

The score was already 4-1, and the pitcher, Burdette, did something remarkable by hitting a home run that brought in three runs. Howard, who was playing in left field, thought he could catch the ball, but he ended up crashing into the fence. This was a special moment because Burdette became only the sixth pitcher in World Series history to hit a home run.

After this play, Norm Siebern came in to replace Howard, and Johnny Kucks came in to pitch for the Yankees to try to stop the other team from scoring more. The tenth batter of the inning, Bill Bruton, hit the ball to the shortstop, but even though he got out, the Braves had already done a lot of damage. With all these runs scored, the Braves were now winning by a score of 7-1.

Milwaukee increased their lead in the second inning when Covington hit another single that brought Eddie Mathews home to score. The game slowed down a bit after that. Mickey Mantle managed to hit a home run over the center-field fence in the fourth inning, which was the only other time anyone scored until the seventh inning. In the seventh, the Braves scored two more times, and then they scored three more times in the eighth.

However, the Yankees didn’t give up. In the top of the ninth inning, when the game was almost over, they scored three runs against a tired Burdette. Hank Bauer began with a home run, and then Gil McDougald hit a single to left field. After that, Mantle hit his second home run of the game, this time into the left-center field bleachers, and the score became 13-5.

Even though the Yankees tried to make a comeback, Burdette managed to finish strong by getting Berra, Skowron, and Richardson out in order. This secured the win for the Braves and gave them a 2-0 lead in the series.

Game 3: Yankees 4-0 Braves

When the teams moved to the Bronx for Games 3 to 5 of the 1958 World Series, the Yankees were playing on their field and wanted to get their first win in the Series. Milwaukee had a tough time hitting the ball because Don Larsen pitched well, and Ryne Duren, who came in later to pitch, also helped keep Milwaukee from scoring.

The Yankees needed this victory to have a chance at catching up to the Braves, who were leading so far in the 1958 World Series. Hank Bauer was the star for the Yankees, getting three hits out of four at-bats and driving in four runs. He also scored one run himself. Bauer’s hits were important: he singled to bring in Norm Siebern and Gil McDougald in the fifth inning, which also extended his streak of hitting well in the Series to 17 games. Then, in the seventh inning, he hit a two-run home run that flew 400 feet and landed in the left-field stands.

Don Larsen, the Yankees’ ace in the 1958 World Series, played a big role by pitching for seven innings and only giving up six hits. He struck out eight batters and walked three. Ryne Duren finished the game for the Yankees, and this was his first time saving a game. He pitched two innings without allowing the Braves to score, even though he walked three batters and struck out one.

Bob Rush, who was pitching for the Braves, did a good job, but unfortunately, he lost the game. This loss helped the Yankees get back into the 1958 World Series and stay in contention.

Game 4: Yankees 0-3 Braves

Warren Spahn had a great game, which was important for his team. He won Game 4 of the 1958 World Series with a score of 3-0. He did this by pitching well and only allowing the Yankees to get two hits. On the other side, the Yankees’ best pitcher, Whitey Ford, wasn’t able to stop the Braves from scoring.

In the game, the Yankees had Norm Siebern playing in left field instead of Elston Howard, who was injured. Siebern had a hard time because the sun was shining brightly in the afternoon. He lost track of the ball while it was in the air during the sixth and eighth innings, and this led to two of the three runs that the Braves scored.

The game was expected to have a big showdown between the pitchers, which means both teams’ pitchers were expected to do well. However, in the top of the sixth inning, things changed. Red Schoendienst hit the ball far and fast into the area between left-center field. The ball went between Mickey Mantle, who was playing center field, and Siebern, who was playing in left field. This hit was so good that Schoendienst ended up on third base.

Then, Tony Kubek, who had made 28 mistakes during the season, wasn’t able to stop a hit from Johnny Logan. The ball went through his legs, and this mistake allowed the first run of the game to be scored by the Braves.

In the seventh inning, Spahn, who was a pitcher for the Braves, hit the ball into a spot where no one could catch it, and this brought Del Crandall home to score. Crandall was on third base because Andy Pafko had hit the ball into a good spot and ended up on second base.

In the eighth inning, something similar happened again. Johnny Logan hit the ball, and Norm Siebern, playing in left field, lost track of it because of the sun. The umpires decided that Logan’s hit counted as a double because the ball landed outside the field of play. Right after that, Eddie Mathews hit the ball off the wall between right field and center field, which allowed Logan to score. This was the last run of Game 4 of the 1958 World Series.

Game 5: Yankees 7-0 Braves

The pitchers who started Game 2 of the 1958 World Series, with Bob Turley losing and Lew Burdette winning, had very different outcomes this time. Elston Howard, who was playing in left field, also came back to the team after being replaced by Norm Siebern, who wasn’t playing well.

The beginning of the game didn’t look good for the Yankees because the first six batters they sent to the plate quickly got out without much excitement. The Braves, on the other hand, didn’t do much better, as they only managed to get a walk and a single by Schoendienst in the third inning.

It was in the bottom of the third inning when the Yankees finally got on the scoreboard. Gil McDougald, who played as the second baseman, hit a home run that went over the left-field foul pole and hit the screen.

Bob Turley, the pitcher for the Yankees, was doing well in the 1958 World Series. He retired the Braves’ batters in order during the fourth and fifth innings. Then, in the sixth inning, the Yankees’ batting exploded, and they scored six runs. Turley’s pitching helped keep the Braves from scoring more. However, when it was Burdette’s turn to pitch for the Braves in the sixth inning, he struggled. He could only get one out and gave up five runs before he was taken out of the game and replaced by Juan Pizarro.

Hank Bauer was the first batter to hit, and he managed to hit the ball safely to the left side of the field for a single. After that, Jerry Lumpe came up to bat, but he wasn’t able to hit the ball well and ended up striking out. However, Mickey Mantle was able to hit the ball into the area between left and center field, and this allowed Bauer to move to third base. Then, Yogi Berra hit the ball into the right-field corner, and this brought Bauer home to score. Mantle also advanced to third base.

Elston Howard was the next batter, and the other team’s coach decided to intentionally give him a walk. This loaded the bases, which means all three bases were occupied by Yankees players. Despite this pressure, Moose Skowron was able to handle it well. He hit the ball, and it wasn’t a very long hit, but it was good enough to get to the right field, and this allowed Mantle to score.

After Burdette, who had allowed all the players on the bases, Pizarro came in as the new pitcher. When Pizarro started pitching, Gil McDougald hit the ball well, and it went all the way into the Milwaukee bullpen. This hit allowed two runs to be scored. There were runners on both second and third bases, and even though Tony Kubek struck out, he still managed to reach first base because of an action by Del Crandall. Then, Turley, who was still the pitcher, got a chance to bat, and he hit the ball well. The hit was good enough for Turley to run to first base, and this allowed the sixth run, which was Skowron, and the seventh run, which was McDougald, to be scored.

Even though Hank Bauer struck out, and it was the third time this happened in the inning, the Yankees were able to score a total of six runs. The Braves had chances to score in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, but they weren’t able to get any runs across. This gave the Yankees a 7-0 win. Even though the Braves were still leading the series 3-2, this victory kept the Yankees in the 1958 World Series.

Game 6: Yankees 4-3 Braves

Milwaukee had to win at least two games while playing at home to win the 1958 World Series. However, their manager, Fred Haney, seemed concerned, as if his team was in a tough situation. Instead of giving their pitcher Spahn the usual three days’ rest before starting him, they brought him back to play a day earlier than usual. Spahn was 37 years old, but he was experienced and strong, like a warhorse.

This also meant that Burdette would do a similar thing if the series reached a seventh game. In doing so, Haney chose not to use the experienced Bob Rush, who had a really good record of 4 wins and 2 losses, along with a low earned run average of 1.81, in the last two months of the regular season. Rush also performed well in Game 3 of the 1958 World Series, even though his team lost.

At the beginning of the game, Spahn quickly got two players out. Then Hank Bauer, who turned out to be the best hitter in the series with a .323 batting average, four home runs, and eight runs batted in, came up to bat. He hit his fourth home run into the left-field stands, giving his team a 1-0 lead. In response, the Braves scored a point in the same inning. Red Schoendienst hit a single, Johnny Logan sacrificed himself by bunting, and then Hank Aaron hit a single to left field that brought Schoendienst home. After that, Spahn did well and didn’t allow the Yankees to get any hits in the second inning.

Ford, who was also pitching after only two days of rest, started to struggle in the second part of the game. He managed to strike out Del Crandall, but then Wes Covington hit a single to the center of the field, and Mickey Mantle, who was playing in center field, couldn’t catch the ball properly. This allowed Covington to safely reach the base. After that, Andy Pafko hit a single to the right side of the field, and Covington advanced to third base. Then, Spahn hit a single to the area between right field and center field, which scored Covington and gave his team a 2–1 lead.

Ford was tired and ended up walking Schoendienst, which filled all the bases with players. At this point, Casey Stengel, the manager, decided it was time to make a change and called in relief pitcher Art Ditmar from the bullpen. Ditmar only faced one batter, Logan, who hit the ball into the air, and Elston Howard caught it. Then, Howard made a perfect throw to Yogi Berra at home plate, and they managed to get Pafko out, who was trying to score a run by tagging up after a fly ball.

After this, Spahn hit a single that brought in a run, but that would be the last run Ford allowed in the World Series for a long time, specifically 33 and two-thirds innings.

Ford was tired and walked Schoendienst, which filled all the bases with players. At this point, Casey Stengel, the manager, decided to make a change and called in Art Ditmar, a reliever, from the bullpen. Ditmar only faced one batter, Logan, who hit the ball into the air. Elston Howard caught the ball and then threw it perfectly to Yogi Berra at home plate. This move managed to get Pafko out, who was trying to score a run by tagging up after a fly ball.

After this, Spahn hit a single that brought in a run. But this would be the last run that Ford allowed in the World Series for a long time, specifically 33 and two-thirds innings.

Milwaukee was winning the game until the sixth inning when the Yankees caught up and tied the score because of a mistake in replacing players on defense. Bill Bruton came into the game to play center field instead of Pafko. Then, Mantle hit a single just out of the reach of shortstop Logan’s glove. Right after that, Howard hit a single to the center. But Bruton made a mistake and didn’t catch the ball properly, so Mantle got to third base because of the error. Then, Berra hit a fly ball to the center, and after the ball was caught, Mantle scored a run, which made the score two.

Spahn was still the pitcher for the Braves as they started the 10th inning, even though he had already thrown 290 innings in the regular season and 28 more in the playoffs up to that point. Gil McDougald, who was also playing well in the series, was the first to bat and hit a fast pitch from Spahn over the left-field fence for a home run. Bauer almost hit another home run right after, but Bruton, who was playing deep in center field, managed to catch the ball.

Mantle hit the ball to the second baseman and got out, which was the second out of the inning. But then Howard and Berra hit singles, so now there were players on first and third bases. Haney, the manager, decided to bring in Don McMahon to replace Spahn as the pitcher. Moose Skowron then hit a single to the right side of the field, and Howard managed to run home, giving their team a two-run lead. The pitcher, Ryne Duren, stayed in the game to hit, but he struck out, which ended the inning.

The Braves tried to catch up in the bottom of the 10th inning, but they couldn’t do enough to beat the Yankees’ lead. Logan walked and was on first base with two outs. Then he went to second base, not because of a stolen base but because the Yankees’ defense didn’t try to stop him. Aaron, who was always reliable, hit a single to the left side of the field, and Logan managed to run home, making the Braves closer to tying the game. 

After that, Joe Adcock hit a single, which made Aaron go to third base. Bob Turley came in to replace Duren as the pitcher, and Felix Mantilla replaced Adcock as a runner. With two players on base and two outs, Frank Torre came in to bat for Del Crandall. Torre hit the ball, but McDougald, the Yankees’ player in the outfield, caught it right at the edge of the grass, ending the game and making it necessary to play Game 7 of the 1958 World Series.

Game 7: Yankees 6-2 Braves

Once again, just like the past four years, the 1958 World Series went to the last and deciding game. Casey Stengel, the manager of the Yankees, picked Don Larsen to start Game 7. But Larsen didn’t do well in the previous Game 7 of the 1957 World Series, as he only played for two and a third innings. And now, in 1958, he also only played for the second and third innings. On the other side, the Braves had Lew Burdette, who had pitched the whole game and won in Game 2, but in Game 5, he gave up six runs and lost. This was his third time pitching in the 1958 World Series.

The Yankees didn’t score in the first inning, but the Braves got one run due to Larsen not having full control of his throws. Red Schoendienst started with a hit to left field. Then, Bill Bruton got a walk, and Frank Torre sacrificed to move both runners forward. Jerry Lumpe passed the ball to Gil McDougald, who was covering first base. Hank Aaron also got a walk, which loaded the bases and made things look good for the Braves. Wes Covington hit the ball to the first baseman and got out, but Schoendienst managed to score a run during this play. Eddie Mathews got a special walk where they wanted him to be on base, but Del Crandall struck out, which ended the Braves’ threat to score more.

In the third inning, two players hit singles for the Braves, which made manager Casey Stengel decide to replace Larsen with Bob Turley, even though Turley didn’t have much time to rest. Turley, who was a strong right-handed pitcher, managed to get out of a tough situation where the bases were loaded, and he pitched well for the rest of the game. Just like in Game 6, the score was tied at two after six innings.

But then, in this critical moment, Del Crandall hit a home run into the left-field stands with two outs. This gave the Braves’ fans a reason to cheer and hope for another championship title.

However, that feeling of hope didn’t last long because, in the top of the eighth inning, when it was the Yankees’ turn to bat, something unexpected happened. Even though Lew Burdette, who had been pitching for a while and was getting tired, wanted to win the game with another complete performance, the Yankees managed to start a surprising rally with two outs.

After McDougald got out by hitting a fly ball and Mantle didn’t swing at a pitch that was called a strike, Berra hit the ball, and it bounced off the wall in the corner of the right-field area.

Then, Howard hit a ground ball that went to the center field and managed to score a run. After that, Andy Carey hit the ball, and it touched Eddie Mathews’ glove but still counted as a single. Right after, Bill Skowron hit an important home run to the area between left and center field. This homer broke the game open and completed a good comeback for the Yankees in the finale of the 1958 World Series.

Apart from Eddie Mathews walking as the first batter and Joe Adcock getting a single with two outs in the ninth inning, the Milwaukee team didn’t make much noise. They didn’t score any more runs, and this allowed the Yankees to win their 18th World Championship.

Hank Bauer, a player with a lot of experience in the World Series (he played in nine of them), was successful in this one. He scored the most runs (six), got the most hits (ten), hit the most home runs (four), and drove in the most runs (eight) for his team. He also had the highest batting average of all the players on his team, with .323.

Even though his performance wasn’t outstanding in his first four World Series (he only got 7 hits out of 57 at-bats and had an average of.123), he did much better against the Braves in 1957 and 1958. In these two years combined, he got 18 hits, hit six home runs, got 14 runs batted in, and had an average of.290.

However, Bob Turley, who wasn’t a starting pitcher but came in to help later in the game, became the most valuable player in the 1958 World Series. He won 2 out of 3 games he played and also got a save. Up until 2023, this was the last time that four consecutive World Series went to the maximum 7 games, happening from 1955 to 1958.

Off the winning path

The 1958 World Series is a great part of baseball history, showing how competitive and strong the New York Yankees were. Their coach, Casey Stengel, led them with a lot of respect. The Yankees were good at playing baseball, and they showed their skills, determination, and teamwork. The 1958 World Series wasn’t just a big game; it represented the love for baseball and the strong connection between the team and their fans. The Yankees’ history from 1958 still matters in baseball to this day.

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