Some teams have a knack for finding unique ways to win a ballgame. Such was the case for the Cleveland Indians as a game-ending triple play preserves their 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox in game one of a doubleheader.

The Indians struck first for a run in the fourth on a home run from Odell Hale, who would be an integral part of history later in the game. The Red Sox tied it in the fifth off of Mel Harder as Billy Werber reached on error and scored on a single from Mel Almada. The deficit would be short-lived as the Indians would add a run in the next half inning as Bill Knickerbocker doubled, moved to third on a sacrifice from Earl Averill, and scored on a double from Joe Vosmik. Another RBI-double from Vosmik in the eighth scored Averill after his walk, and two more scored in the top of the ninth after Hale singled and scored on an Ab Wright homer.

With what appeared to be a safe 5-1 lead, Harder began the ninth by giving up a single to right to Ski Melillo. Pinch-hitter Bing Miller singled and a single from Dusty Cooke made it a 5-2 game. A fourth straight single, this one from Werber, ended Harder’s afternoon as reliever Oral Hildebrand came on with the bases loaded. A single from Almada moved everyone up one base and cut the Red Sox’s deficit to 5-3 as Joe Cronin stepped to the plate with a chance to tie it or win it outright. Instead, his line drive to third glanced off of the head of Hale and was caught by the shortstop Knickerbocker. He threw to the second baseman Roy Hughes, who retired Werber, and Hughes threw to Hal Trosky at first to get Almada for the bases loaded trifecta.

The triple play was the 15th in Indians history.