Here's the National League Report for Saturday, September 14:
Reds 5, Braves 2
The Reds made their return to Boston a victorious one, scoring three times in the top of the eighth to beat the Braves. Greasy Neale's single drove in Sherry Magee with the winning run, and they added two more on a dropped fly ball from Boston left fielder Joe Kelly and a base hit by pinch hitter Hal Chase. Neale went three for four on the day with a pair of runs scored and two RBIs to lead the Cincinnati offense, and Sherry added a pair of hits. The Braves got their runs on an Al Wickland third-inning single and a bases-loaded walk that brought home Ray Powell in the sixth. Dolf Luque shut out the Braves over the final three innings to get the win, while starter Art Nehf took the loss for Boston.
W- Luque (9-5)
L- Nehf (16-17)
Pirates 5, Robins 4 (13 innings)
The Bucs outlast the Robins in a nailbiter at Ebbets Field. Hy Myers' homer tied the game in the bottom of the eighth, and the game stayed tied until little-used reserve outfielder Bill Hinchman tripled in a pair in the top of the thirteenth. The two runners that scored had reached on a Lee King walk and a throwing error by the Robins' Ray Schmandt that had allowed Bill McKechnie to be safe.
The Robins had a golden opportunity to either tie or win the game twice in extra frames, getting runners to the corners in both the eleventh and thirteenth. But they were turned away in the eleventh when Pittsburgh pitcher Cy Slapnicka got Brooklyn catcher Ernie Krueger to foul out and in the thirteenth after having scored once to trim the Pirate lead to 5-4. Again it was Krueger who made the third out, this time on a grounder to McKechnie. Slapnicka got the win and Dick Robertson took the loss for Brooklyn.
W- Slapnicka (2-4)
L- Robertson (3-9)
HR- BRO: Myers (5)
Cardinals 4, Giants 1 (11 innings)
Meanwhile, across the East River, the Giants were finally stalled by the slowly improving Redbirds. The G-Men took a fourth-inning lead on Larry Doyle's double, and starter Jesse Barnes left the game in the hands of Fred Anderson having blanked the Redbirds on eight hits through eight. But Austin McHenry lashed a leadoff double in the St. Louis ninth, and one out later Gene Paulette's triple tied the game.
The Giants got runners to first and third with one out in the bottom of the tenth, but Heinie Zimmerman grounded out and Benny Kauff took a called third strike to end the inning. Long reliever Ferdie Schupp comes on to pitch the St. Louis eleventh, and he's in trouble from the start, as Rogers Hornsby singled on the first pitch and McHenry followed up with a walk. Manager John McGraw left him in the game to face Cliff Heathcote, who lasered one down the left field line to score both Hornsby and McHenry and give the Cards the lead. Heathcote later came home on a Mike Gonzalez sacrifice fly, The Giants went quietly in the eleventh, and the Cubs' magic number is finally down to nine. Bill Sherdel got the win for St. Louis, who will try to make it two in a row on Monday at the Polo Grounds.
W- Sherdel (9-13)
L- Schupp (0-2)
Cubs 4, Phillies 3
The Cubs' magic number to clinch the National League pennant is now eight following their win over the Phils. Leading the way with three hits and a pair of RBIs was Charlie Deal, and former Phil Dode Paskert added two hits and an RBI, with Les Mann driving in the other Chicago run. The Fightins' offense came from a two-run single by Fred Luderus in the sixth and a leadoff home run by Ed Burns in the ninth. But Cubs starter Hippo Vaughn shrugged off both the homer and a later throwing error to finish off the Phils. Philly starter Mike Prendergast took the loss.
The Chicago lead in the National League is now back up to six games, and they'll try to lower their magic number even further when this series continues on Monday here at Baker Bowl.
W- Vaughn (24-12)
L- Prendergast (14-17)
HR- PHI: Burns (1)
The National League standings to the moment:
Cubs: 89-55 (Magic Number: 8)
Giants: 80-58- 6 GB
Pirates: 81-61- 7 GB
Reds: 77-66- 11.5 GB
Braves: 62-73- 22.5 GB
Cardinals: 65-80- 24.5 GB
Phillies: 57-81- 29 GB
Robins: 49-89- 37 GB
Next: After a day off for both leagues on Sunday, September 15, we resume with the American League on September 16.
Thoughts?
Reds 5, Braves 2
The Reds made their return to Boston a victorious one, scoring three times in the top of the eighth to beat the Braves. Greasy Neale's single drove in Sherry Magee with the winning run, and they added two more on a dropped fly ball from Boston left fielder Joe Kelly and a base hit by pinch hitter Hal Chase. Neale went three for four on the day with a pair of runs scored and two RBIs to lead the Cincinnati offense, and Sherry added a pair of hits. The Braves got their runs on an Al Wickland third-inning single and a bases-loaded walk that brought home Ray Powell in the sixth. Dolf Luque shut out the Braves over the final three innings to get the win, while starter Art Nehf took the loss for Boston.
W- Luque (9-5)
L- Nehf (16-17)
Pirates 5, Robins 4 (13 innings)
The Bucs outlast the Robins in a nailbiter at Ebbets Field. Hy Myers' homer tied the game in the bottom of the eighth, and the game stayed tied until little-used reserve outfielder Bill Hinchman tripled in a pair in the top of the thirteenth. The two runners that scored had reached on a Lee King walk and a throwing error by the Robins' Ray Schmandt that had allowed Bill McKechnie to be safe.
The Robins had a golden opportunity to either tie or win the game twice in extra frames, getting runners to the corners in both the eleventh and thirteenth. But they were turned away in the eleventh when Pittsburgh pitcher Cy Slapnicka got Brooklyn catcher Ernie Krueger to foul out and in the thirteenth after having scored once to trim the Pirate lead to 5-4. Again it was Krueger who made the third out, this time on a grounder to McKechnie. Slapnicka got the win and Dick Robertson took the loss for Brooklyn.
W- Slapnicka (2-4)
L- Robertson (3-9)
HR- BRO: Myers (5)
Cardinals 4, Giants 1 (11 innings)
Meanwhile, across the East River, the Giants were finally stalled by the slowly improving Redbirds. The G-Men took a fourth-inning lead on Larry Doyle's double, and starter Jesse Barnes left the game in the hands of Fred Anderson having blanked the Redbirds on eight hits through eight. But Austin McHenry lashed a leadoff double in the St. Louis ninth, and one out later Gene Paulette's triple tied the game.
The Giants got runners to first and third with one out in the bottom of the tenth, but Heinie Zimmerman grounded out and Benny Kauff took a called third strike to end the inning. Long reliever Ferdie Schupp comes on to pitch the St. Louis eleventh, and he's in trouble from the start, as Rogers Hornsby singled on the first pitch and McHenry followed up with a walk. Manager John McGraw left him in the game to face Cliff Heathcote, who lasered one down the left field line to score both Hornsby and McHenry and give the Cards the lead. Heathcote later came home on a Mike Gonzalez sacrifice fly, The Giants went quietly in the eleventh, and the Cubs' magic number is finally down to nine. Bill Sherdel got the win for St. Louis, who will try to make it two in a row on Monday at the Polo Grounds.
W- Sherdel (9-13)
L- Schupp (0-2)
Cubs 4, Phillies 3
The Cubs' magic number to clinch the National League pennant is now eight following their win over the Phils. Leading the way with three hits and a pair of RBIs was Charlie Deal, and former Phil Dode Paskert added two hits and an RBI, with Les Mann driving in the other Chicago run. The Fightins' offense came from a two-run single by Fred Luderus in the sixth and a leadoff home run by Ed Burns in the ninth. But Cubs starter Hippo Vaughn shrugged off both the homer and a later throwing error to finish off the Phils. Philly starter Mike Prendergast took the loss.
The Chicago lead in the National League is now back up to six games, and they'll try to lower their magic number even further when this series continues on Monday here at Baker Bowl.
W- Vaughn (24-12)
L- Prendergast (14-17)
HR- PHI: Burns (1)
The National League standings to the moment:
Cubs: 89-55 (Magic Number: 8)
Giants: 80-58- 6 GB
Pirates: 81-61- 7 GB
Reds: 77-66- 11.5 GB
Braves: 62-73- 22.5 GB
Cardinals: 65-80- 24.5 GB
Phillies: 57-81- 29 GB
Robins: 49-89- 37 GB
Next: After a day off for both leagues on Sunday, September 15, we resume with the American League on September 16.
Thoughts?