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From the archives | May 27

Norm Zauchin’s 10 RBIs lead Red Sox in rout

Norm Zauchin, the Red Sox first baseman whose bat had previously resembled a pop gun, suddenly found he was aiming a cannon last night as he put on a tremendous batting display with three homers, a double and 10 runs-batted-in as the Red Sox leveled the Washington Nationals, 16 to 0.

The Sox put on their offensive display without Ted Williams. Williams was in uniform but the weather was too cool for him to play. He was not needed as a pinch hitter. Manager Mike Higgins said Williams will start today’s game.

Zauchin’s performance before 15,775 was amazing, to say the least, since he included a two-run homer, a grand slam and a three-run home in the greatest individual display of batting since Rudy York toiled for the locals and drive in 11 runs in one game (1946).

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Zauchin fell one RBI short of the all-time American League record and two short of the all-time National League record established in ‘24 by Jim Bottomley.

Here’s what Zauchin did:

First inning: Hit a two-run homer off Bob Porterfield.

Second inning: Hit a grand slam home run against reliever Dean Stone.

Fourth inning: Doubled against the left field wall, knocking in one run against Ted Abernathy.

Fifth inning: Hit a three-run homer over everything in left field against the same Abernathy.

Zauchin was not retired until the seventh inning when Pablo Ramos struck him out.

Brewer Gives 6 Hits

Not to be overlooked in the evening’s work was a six-hit shutout by Tom Brewer, the young right hander who won his first game after losing six straight.

Brewer had allowed only one run to Washington in 19 previous innings, and failed to win a game.

But Zauchin and his mates more than made up for it with a 13-hit barrage that included a homer and triple by Grady Hatton.

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The 16 runs the Red Sox scored marked their highest of the season and signaled the end of a dismal, no-hit show that saw them lose six of their last seven games.

They banged out 13 hits against a quartet of Washington pitchers and the fact that Brewer pitched shutout ball was lost in the shuffle of the excitement of the 25-year-old Zauchin’s slugging.

When he came to bat in the seventh, Zauchin was shooting for several marks. He could have tied the all-time RBI mark for one game had he parked one with Jackie Jensen on base.

Then, too, he would have tied the all-time homer mark for one game had he hit another one.

But he was obviously over-anxious, and when Ramos did fan him he swing at what appeared to be a high, outside pitch.

York and Tony Lazzeri (Yankees) each drove in 11 in an American League game.

The way the Sox manhandled the Nationals made everybody forget that Williams sat out the game.

The Sox scored three runs in the first, six in the second, three in the fourth, three in the fifth and added one in the sixth on Hatton’s homer into the bull pen in right field.

. . .

Brewer’s work was excellent. He had no need to try for a shutout, but he wanted it and stopped the Nats in the ninth when a walk and a double put him in hot water with only one out.

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. . .

Faye Throneberry, Eddit Joost, Harry Agganis and Milt Bolling all took batting practice. ... Throneberry still has trouble throwing and most of his efforts have been underhand. ... Washington Manager Charley Dressen was asking about some of the younger Red Sox players, with an eye to making a deal. ... He’s anxious to land a shortstop and was inquiring most solicitously about Bolling.