The 1949 Yankees team was seen as "underdogs" who came from behind to catch and surprise the powerful Red Sox on the last two days of the season, a face off that fueled the beginning of the modern
Yankees–Red Sox rivalry. The Red Sox needed just one win in two games and were to pitch
Mel Parnell in the first game. After trailing 4–0, the Yankees came back to beat Parnell 5–4, as
Johnny Lindell hit an eighth-inning, game-winning,
home run and
Joe Page had a great relief appearance for New York. And so it came down to the last game of the season. It was
Ellis Kinder facing
Vic Raschi. The Yankees led 1–0 after seven innings, having scored in the first. In the eighth inning, manager
Joe McCarthy lifted Kinder for
pinch hitter Tom Wright who walked but was erased in a double play, ending the inning. Then he brought in Mel Parnell in relief, and Parnell yielded a homer to
Tommy Henrich and a single to
Yogi Berra. Parnell was replaced by
Tex Hughson, who had been on the disabled list and said his arm still hurt. But he came on and, with the bases loaded,
Jerry Coleman hit a soft liner that
Al Zarilla in right field tried to make a shoestring catch, but he missed and it went for a triple and three runs scored. In the ninth inning the Red Sox rallied for three runs but still fell short. The post-season proved to be a bit easier, as the Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers four games to one. In 1949, Boston Red Sox owner
Tom Yawkey and Yankees GM
Larry MacPhail verbally agreed to trade DiMaggio for
Ted Williams, but MacPhail refused to include
Yogi Berra.
Phil Rizzuto moved from eighth to first in the batting lineup and finished the season second in voting for the
American League MVP Award.
Season standings Record vs. opponents Notable transactions • April 28, 1949:
Grant Dunlap was returned by the Yankees to the Indians.
Roster ==Player stats==