Minneapolis Millers Game by Game Results: 1941-1950

Minneapolis Millers - Compiled by Stew Thornley

1945 - American Association, 72-81, 5th place - Standings, statistics, and notes follow game-by-game results

Manager: Rosy Ryan

*Scheduled for seven innings

Date

Opponent

Outcome

Record

Notes

W 4/18

Milwaukee Brewers, rain

Th 4/19

Milwaukee

L 5-10

0-1

Losing pitcher-Mike Kash.

F 4/20

Milwaukee, rain

Sa 4/21

Kansas City Blues

W 4-2

1-1

Winning pitcher-Isidoro Leon. HR-Bob Dill. Leon pitches 3-hitter with all-Cuban battery (Jack Aragon catching).

Su 4/22-1

Kansas City, rain

*Su 4/22-2

Kansas City, rain

M 4/23

Kansas City

L 1-5

1-2

LP-Greg Lippold.

W 4/25

at Milwaukee

W 7-4

2-2

WP-Leon.

Th 4/26

at Milwaukee, rain

F 4/27

at Milwaukee

W 12-7

3-2

WP-Bob Albertson. HR-Arne Berge.

Sa 4/28

at Kansas City, rain

Su 4/29-1

at Kansas City

L 3-8

3-3

LP-Kash.

*Su 4/29-2

at Kansas City

W 1-0

4-3

5-hitter by Leon.

M 4/30

at Kansas City

W 5-3

5-3

WP-Len Lillienthal. HR-Babe Barna (1).

Tu 5/1

at St. Paul Saints, rain

W 5/2

St. Paul, rain

Th 5/3

at St. Paul

L 5-10

5-4

LP-Leon.

Sa 5/5

at Columbus Red Birds, rain

Su 5/6-1

at Columbus

L 2-13

5-5

LP-Kash.

*Su 5/6-2

at Columbus

L 6-7

5-6

LP-Leon. HR-Barna (2).

M 5/7

at Toledo Mud Hens, rain

Tu 5/8

at Toledo

L 5-6

5-7

LP-Kash.

W 5/9

at Toledo

L 3-10

5-8

LP-Albertson.

Th 5/10

at Toledo, rain

F 5/11

at Indianapolis Indians

L 1-9

5-9

LP-Leon.

Sa 5/12

at Indianapolis

W 12-7

6-9

WP-Kash. HR-Barna (3).

Su 5/13-1

at Louisville Colonels

W 11-4

7-9

WP-Bernie "Lefty" Morel. Frank Danneker steals 4 bases.

*Su 5/13-2

at Louisville

L 4-8

7-10

LP-Woody Abernathy.

M 5/14

at Louisville

L 6-13

7-11

LP-Albertson.

Tu 5/15

at Louisville, rain

Millers purchase Victor Males, a 27-year-old shortstop who is 4-F, from Louisville.

Th 5/17

Columbus

W 3-2 (11)

8-11

WP-Morel. HR-Danneker.

F 5/18

Columbus

L 4-7

8-12

LP-Abernathy. Joe Lafata gets 4 hits. After recovering from an appendectomy in 1942, Lafata was inducted into the Army and received a medical discharge on February 28, 1945.

Sa 5/19

Columbus

W 8-5

9-12

WP-Lippold HR-Barna (4).

Su 5/20-1

Toledo

L 5-8

9-13

LP-Kash. HR-Barna (5).

*Su 5/20-2

Toledo

W 4-1

10-13

WP-Leon. Danneker steals 22nd base.

M 5/21

Toledo, rain

Tu 5/22

Toledo

L 5-7 (6)

10-14

WP-Abernathy. Called early to allow the Mud Hens to catch a train.

W 5/23

Louisville

L 4-9

10-15

LP-Morel.

Th 5/24

Louisville, rain

F 5/25

Louisville

W 7-0

11-15

5-hitter by Leon.

Sa 5/26

Indianapolis

W 8-4

12-15

WP-Lippold. HR-Dill. Danneker leads triple steal.

Su 5/27-1

Indianapolis, rain

*Su 5/27-2

Indianapolis, rain

M 5/28

St. Paul

L 8-12

12-16

LP-Dick Hearn loses in debut to Ralph Branca. Males gets 2 hits.

Tu 5/29

St. Paul

L 1-14

12-17

LP-Leon.

W 5/30 a.m.

at St. Paul

W 4-3

13-17

WP-Lippold. Millers get 4 in the 8th.

W 5/30 p.m.

St. Paul

L 2-10

13-18

LP-Hale Swanson. HR-Dill. Danneker steals 2 bases (26). Barna suffers a charley horse making a catch; will be out for three weeks with a torn muscle.

Th 5/31

at St. Paul, rain

F 6/1

at Indianapolis

L 5-6

13-19

LP-Abernathy.

Sa 6/2

at Indianapolis

L 3-5

13-20

LP-Leon.

Su 6/3-1

at Indianapolis

L 1-11

13-21

LP-Lippold.

*Su 6/3-2

at Indianapolis

W 7-5

14-21

WP-Swanson.

M 6/4

at Indianapolis

L 4-5

14-22

LP-Kash.

Tu 6/5

at Louisville

L 2-5

14-23

LP-Abernathy. Don Thompson and Jake Lawson strike out 14 batters.

*W 6/6-1

at Louisville

L 5-7

14-24

LP-Swanson. Millers blow 5-0 lead.

W 6/6-2

at Louisville

L 9-10

14-25

LP-Kash. Millers blow 8-3 lead.

Th 6/7

at Louisville, rain

F 6/8

at Louisville

L 4-9

14-26

LP-Hearn.

Sa 6/9

at Toledo

L 4-6

14-27

LP-Albertson.

Su 6/10-1

at Toledo

L 3-4

14-28

LP-Swanson.

*Su 6/10-2

at Toledo

W 8-2

15-28

WP-Leon. HR-Males.

M 6/11

at Toledo, rain

Tu 6/12

at Columbus

W 6-4

16-28

WP-Albertson.

*W 6/13-1

at Columbus

W 6-3

17-28

WP-Lippold. HR-Joe Cicero.

W 6/13-2

at Columbus

L 2-12

17-29

LP-Abernathy.

Th 6/14

at Columbus

W 5-1

18-29

WP-Swanson. Millers trade Leon to Phillies for pitchers Louis Lucier and Charley Sproull.

F 6/15

at Columbus

L 4-9

18-30

LP-Kash.

Sa 6/16

Louisville, postponed

Louisville unable to get coach or Pullman to Minneapolis in time for the game. Minneapolis also had travel difficulties but were able to get a coach from Columbus to Chicago and a Pullman from Chicago to Minneapolis. Meanwhile, the American Association announced that, because of travel challenges, it was canceling the All-Star Game, scheduled for July 25 (with the 25th and 26th to be used to make up postponed games) and to be hosted by the team in first place on July 1.

Su 6/17-1

Louisville

L 2-8

18-31

LP-Lippold.

*Su 6/17-2

Louisville

W 7-1

19-31

WP-Abernathy. HR-Elwood "Woody" Kresel 2.

M 6/18

Louisville

L 1-11

19-32

LP-Swanson. Barna returns as pinch hitter.

*Tu 6/19-1

Louisville

W 3-1

20-32

5-hitter by Lucier in his Millers debut.

Tu 6/19-2

Louisville

W 5-4

21-32

WP-Swanson.

W 6/20

Indianapolis

L 0-5

21-33

First time the Millers are shut out this season.

*Th 6/21-1

Indianapolis

L 5-10

21-34

LP-Lippold. Bob Dill, former Miller, drives in 3 runs for the Indians.

Th 6/21-1

Indianapolis

L 1-14

21-35

LP-Swanson. Hank Nowak homers for the Millers. Dill gets 4 hits, including 2 home runs, and drives in 6 runs.

F 6/22

Indianapolis

W 8-5

22-35

WP-Kash. HR-Barna 2 (7), Joe Savino.

Sa 6/23

Indianapolis

W 8-6

23-35

WP-Swanson. Barna hits a 2-run homer (8) in the 9th to win the game.

Su 6/24-1

Columbus

W 8-7

24-35

WP-Albertson. HR-Barna (9), Nowak.

*Su 6/24-2

Columbus

W 14-3

25-35

WP-Nick Picciuto, Lafata.

M 6/25

Columbus

W 9-4

26-35

WP-Hearn. HR-Barna (10). Danneker steals home on the front end of a triple stea.

Tu 6/26

Columbus, rain

Millers trade Berge to the Saints for Bill Webb.

*W 6/27-1

Toledo

W 3-1

27-35

WP-Abernathy. HR-Kresel.

W 6/27-2

Toledo

W 10-4

28-35

WP-Lucier. Danneker steals 2 bases to bring season total to 38.

Th 6/28

Toledo

W 20-3

29-35

WP-Kash. Millers score 11 runs in the 8th. HR-Kresel 2, Danneker 2, Picciuto, Barna (11).

F 6/29

Toledo

W 14-11

30-35

WP-Webb. HR-Barna (12), Males.

Sa 6/30

St. Paul, rain

Su 7/1-1

at St. Paul

W 2-1

31-35

WP-Swanson.

*Su 7/1-2

at St. Paul

W 7-4 (11)

32-35

WP-Albertson. HR-Picciuto. Millers win 11th straight game, longest winning streak this season in the American Association.

M 7/2

St. Paul

L 4-6

32-36

LP-Abernathy. HR-Savino. Branca pitches a 7-hitter to break Millers' winning streak.

T 7/3

at St. Paul, rain

W 7/4 a.m.

St. Paul

W 6-4

33-36

WP-Kash. HR-Danneker.

W 7/4 p.m.

at St. Paul

W 6-1

34-36

WP-Webb.

*F 7/6-1

at Milwaukee

L 2-4

34-37

LP-Swanson.

F 7/6-2

at Milwaukee

L 2-3

34-38

LP-Bob Mistele.

Sa 7/7

at Milwaukee

L 12-13 (11)

34-39

LP-Albertson.

Su 7/8-1

at Milwaukee

L 2-7

34-40

LP-Abernathy.

*Su 7/8-2

at Milwaukee

W 11-4

35-40

WP-Kash. HR-Lafata, Barna (13).

M 7/9

at Milwaukee

L 9-12 (8)

35-41

Called to allow the Millers to catch a train. LP-Hearn. HR-Nowak, Barna (14).

Tu 7/10

at Kansas City

W 3-2

36-41

WP-Swanson.

*W 7/11-1

at Kansas City

W 4-3

37-41

WP-Lucier.

W 7/11-2

at Kansas City

L 5-8

37-42

LP-Mistele.

Th 7/12

at Kansas City

W 3-1

38-42

WP-Abernathy.

F 7/13

at Kansas City

L 1-10 (8)

38-43

Called early to allow the Millers to catch a train. LP-Kash.

Sa 7/14

at St. Paul

L 2-4

38-44

LP-Mistele.

Su 7/15-1

St. Paul

W 4-2

39-44

WP-Swanson. HR-Nowak.

*Su 7/15-2

St. Paul

L 0-9 (9)

39-45

LP-Webb.

M 7/16

St. Paul

L 6-7

39-46

LP-Lucier.

Tu 7/17

Kansas City

W 15-1

40-46

WP-Kash. HR-Danneker 2, Picciuto, Barna (15).

*W 7/18-1

Kansas City

W 4-3 (9)

41-46

WP-Webb. HR-Danneker 2, Barna (16). Danneker's second homer wins game in the last of the 9th.

W 7/18

Kansas City

L 1-10

41-47

LP-Mistele.

Th 7/19

Kansas City

L 4-10

41-48

LP-Swanson.

*F 7/20-1

Kansas City

L 4-8

41-49

LP-Lucier. HR-Lafata.

F 7/20-2

Kansas City

W 7-5

42-49

WP-Lucier. Danneker wins game with 2-run homer in the last of the 9th.

Sa 7/21

Milwaukee

L 4-17

42-50

LP-Mistele.

Su 7/22-1

Milwaukee

L 0-11

42-51

LP-Abernathy.

*Su 7/22-2

Milwaukee

L 1-9

42-52

LP-Kash.

M 7/23

Milwaukee

L 13-15

42-53

LP-Kash. Millers tie game 12-12 with 10 runs in the 8th but lose in the 9th. HR-Barna (17), Kresal.

Tu 7/24

Milwaukee

W 6-2

43-53

WP-Webb. HR-Barna (18), Savino (grand slam).

W 7/25

Milwaukee

L 4-6

43-54

LP-Mistele. HR-Barna (19).

F 7/27

at Columbus

L 5-6

43-55

LP-Abernathy.

Sa 7/28

at Columbus

L 6-8

43-56

LP-Swanson.

Su 7/29-1

at Columbus

W 6-2

44-56

WP-Webb.

*Su 7/29-2

at Columbus

W 5-1

45-56

WP-Kash.

M 7/30

at Toledo

W 9-3

46-56

WP-Mistele. HR-Kresal, Danneker.

*Tu 7/31-1

at Toledo

L 4-5

46-57

LP-Lucier.

Tu 7/31-2

at Toledo

L 3-5

46-58

LP-Bill Sisler.

*W 8/1-1

at Toledo

W 3-1

47-58

WP-Abernathy.

W 8/1-2

at Toledo

L 7-12

47-59

LP-Sisler.

Th 8/2

at Toledo

L 2-5

47-60

LP-Mistele.

*Sa 8/4-1

at Louisville

W 7-0

48-60

WP-Kash.

Sa 8/4-2

at Louisville

W 3-2

49-60

WP-Lucier.

Su 8/5-1

at Louisville

L 2-4

49-61

LP-Abernathy.

*Su 8/5-2

at Louisville

L 0-4

49-62

LP-Webb.

M 8/6

at Indianapolis

W 8-1 (6, rain)

50-62

WP-Swanson.

Tu 8/7

at Indianapolis

L 1-7

50-63

LP-Mistele.

W 8/8

at Indianapolis

W 3-2

51-63

WP-Kash.

Th 8/9

at Indianapolis

L 5-13

51-64

LP-Lucier.

Sa 8/11

Toledo

L 4-8

51-65

LP-Lucier. HR-Lafata, Barna (20).

Su 8/12-1

Toledo

W 15-7

52-65

WP-Webb. HR-Webb, Danneker.

*Su 8/12-2

Toledo

L 5-7 (10)

52-66

LP-Swanson.

M 8/14

Toledo, rain

*Tu 8/14-1

Columbus

W 3-2

53-66

WP-Lucier. HR-Barna (21).

Tu 8/14-2

Columbus

L 7-8

53-67

LP-Kash. Red Birds score 4 in the 9th.

W 8/15

Columbus

W 3-2

54-67

WP-Swanson.

Th 8/16

Columbus

W 6-1

55-67

WP-Abernathy.

F 8/17

Columbus

W 14-13

56-67

WP-Swanson.

*Sa 8/18-1

Indianapolis

W 3-1

57-67

WP-Kash. HR-Lafata.

Sa 8/18-2

Indianapolis

W 5-4

58-67

WP-Mistele.

Su 8/19-1

Indianapolis

W 8-5

59-67

WP-Lucier.

*Su 8/19-2

Indianapolis

L 2-10

59-68

LP-Albertson.

M 8/20

Indianapolis

L 3-11

59-69

LP-Webb.

Tu 8/21

Louisville

W 12-3

60-69

WP-Swanson. HR-Picciuto.

W 8/22

Louisville

L 4-11

60-70

LP-Kash. HR-Barna (22).

Th 8/23

Louisville

W 6-4 (12)

61-70

WP-Abernathy. HR-Nowak.

F 8/24

Louisville

W 2-0

62-70

WP-Lucier. HR-Nowak.

Sa 8/25

at St. Paul

L 1-5

62-71

LP-Mistele.

Su 8/26-1

at St. Paul

W 2-0

63-71

WP-Swanson. HR-Picciuto.

*Su 8/26-2

at St. Paul

L 6-7

63-72

LP-Webb.

M 8/27

St. Paul

W 4-1

64-72

WP-Abernathy. HR-Barna (23).

Tu 8/28

at St. Paul

W 15-10

65-72

WP-Webb.

*W 8/29-1

Milwaukee

L 4-6 (9)

65-73

LP-Kash. HR-Picciuto.

W 8/29-2

Milwaukee

W 5-1

66-73

WP-Lucier. HR-Barna (24).

Th 8/30

Milwaukee

W 2-1

67-73

WP-Swanson. HR-Barna (25).

F 8/31

Milwaukee

W 7-3

68-73

WP-Abernathy.

Sa 9/1

Kansas City

L 3-4

68-74

LP-Mistele.

Su 9/2-1

Kansas City

L 2-14

68-75

LP-Webb.

*Su 9/2-2

Kansas City

L 1-8

68-76

LP-Kash. HR-Nowak.

M 9/3 a.m.

at St. Paul

L 1-16

68-77

LP-Swanson. Saints shortstop Bill Hart hits 4 home runs and drives in 9 runs.

M 9/3 p.m.

St. Paul

W 12-11

69-77

WP-Kash. HR-Danneker, Cicero.

T 9/4

St. Paul

W 6-3

70-77

WP-Mistele. HR-Nowak.

W 9/5

at Milwaukee

L 3-5

70-78

LP-Abernathy. HR-Blazo.

Th 9/6

at Milwaukee

L 3-8

70-79

LP-Webb. HR-Males.

F 9/7

at Milwaukee

L 5-10

70-80

LP-Swanson.

Sa 9/8

at Kansas City

W 10-8

71-80

WP-Kash.

Su 9/9-1

at Kansas City

W 3-2

72-80

WP-Abernathy.

*Su 9/9-2

at Kansas City

L 6-8

72-81

LP-Kash.

Manager

Milwaukee

Nick Cullop

Indianapolis

Bill Burwell

Louisville

Harry "Nemo" Leibold

St. Paul

Ray Blades

Minneapolis

Rosy Ryan

Toledo

Ollie Marquardt

Kansas City

Casey Stengel

Columbus

Charley Root

Statistics

Player

Games

Batting Average

Home Runs

Runs Batted In

Position

Hank Nowak

150

.329

Babe Barna

132

.309

Frank Danneker

142

.308

George Savino^*

106

.298

Juan Ruiz

.290

Joe Cicero

.283

Joe Lafata

146

.273

Bob Dill^*

135

.269

Mike Blazo

.269

3b-c

Eddie Morgan^*

.265

1b-rf

Nick Picciuto

.262

Arne Berge^*

.260

1b-2b-3b

Jack Aragon^*

.247

Elwood “Woody” Kresal

.224

Vic Males^*

137

.223

Bruce Sloan

.219

Arnold Lehrman

.218

Lou Cardinal^*

.217

Tomas Maulini

.194

Virginio Arteaga

.182

Nick Jackimchuk

.179

Onisio Gonzalez

.000

Rey Erickson

.000

Pitcher

ERA

Len Lillienthal

2.25

Isidoro Leon

4.40

Woody Abernathy

190

4.59

Harold A. "Hale" Swanson

165

4.75

Mike Kash

223

4.96

Lou Lucier

109

5.04

Bill Webb

148

5.72

Bernie “Lefty” Morel

5.82

Bob Mistele^*

138

6.20

Dick Hearn

6.71

Bob Albertson

128

7.52

Greg Lippold

8.82

Bill Sisler

31.50

Johnny Chambers

Harold “Chief” Wonson

Jose Carabello

*Savino, Aragon, and Males’s statistics include games played with Louisville in 1945, Dill and Morgan’s statistics include games with Indianapolis, Berge, Cardinal, and Webb’s statistics include games with St. Paul, and Mistele’s statistics include games with Milwaukee.

Babe Barna led the American Association with 25 home runs, Hank Nowak led the Association with 110 runs, Frank Danneker led the Association with 50 stolen bases, and Mike Kash led the Association with 16 losses.