1905 Chicago Cubs replay update: Cubs sweep Bucs doubleheader

by Scott Fennessy

Chicago, IL
7/7/13

The Cubs and Pirates meet this afternoon in Game 2 of this double header. The Cubs have won two of the first three games, including a very tight early game today that cost them Jake Weimer’s services for 3 starts. Deacon Phillippe for the Pirates is a certified ace and very tough to beat against Ed Reulbach, who has had mixed results since coming off the DL himself.

The Pirates put the pressure from the very first pitch, which Ginger Beaumont rips down the left field line. Jimmy Slagle is over and retrieves it near the corner and a good throw to Evers at short holds Beaumont at second with his 7th double of the year. He has had a great year so far hitting .317. Tom Leach then works a walk and trouble is quickly coming with Honus Wagner at the plate; he rips a solid one hopper at Tinker, over to Evers at short, leaping over Leach with a strong throw to Chance at first for the double play. Not exactly like the poem, but the same results anyway, but Beaumont does take third. Fred Clarke now at the plate and he is having terrific year too, as well as being the most clutch hitter lately, and he delivers again taking a curveball into right field for an RBI single as the rally continues. Dave Brain who had been struggling earlier is starting to show some real pop a the plate lately hits one to deep right center and Maloney and Schulte chase it to the wall, Clarke is going to score from first base and Brain is headed towards third, but Tinkers relay throw is on the money and Brain safely retreats to second with his 8th double of the year. Bill Clancey flies to left and the inning is over 2-0 Pirates. The Cubs waste a lead off double by Maloney and a walk by Schulte with no runs scoring.

The Pirates don’t score in the second, but the Cubs close the gap in their half as Tinker hits a blooper just over Brain’s head into left, and with the hit and run on Slagle puts one through the vacated hole at second and runners are now on the corners with nobody out. Jim Casey hits a slow rolling grounder, and Wagner makes the bare handed grab and throw in one fluid motion and gets Casey at first for the out, but Tinker scores and Slagle moves to third. Billy Maloney draws a two out walk, but Evers is retired to end the threat, but the score is now 2-1 Pirates leading.

Then as usually happens when two great pitchers meet up hitting stops for a bit, and this was no different. The Pirates get a walk by Brain in the 4th, and Phillippe retires 10 straight batters as the bucs come to the plate in the 6th. Wagner leads off with a walk and steals second well ahead of Johnny Kling’s throw. Brain hits a fly to deep right field, Frank Schulte makes the catch, but has no play at home and throws it in to Tinker as the Pirates extend the lead to 3-1. Claude Ritchey draws a tough two out walk but is stranded at first. The Cubs then try to get back in this as Schulte sends a grounder that is just between Wagner and Brain and is sent on the first pitch to Frank Chance. Chance hits one to center and Beaumont makes the play but runners are on the corners with nobody out, and the hit and run on again. Clarke catches a break as Schulte stumbles on his way home and is out after a rundown, with Chance moving to second. Kling then strikes out and Tinker hits a rocket down the first base line for extra bases, but wait! Ritchey makes a great diving stop and just beats Joe to first to end the inning.

The Pirates continue to chip away at Reulbach as Beaumont gets his second hit of the day with a single to left and then steals second just ahead of Tinkers tag as Kling had made a great throw. Leach then gets his second walk of the afternoon as Reulbach is starting to show signs of fatigue. Wagner then hits a pop up that Chance makes a play on in foul territory holding both runners, but Clarke comes through again, a single to right and Beaumont scores easily, but Brain flies to Slagle in left to end the inning, but the Pirates now have a 4-1 lead in the 7th inning and it does not look good right now. The Cubs finally get to Phillippe in their half of the inning though as Slagle gets another hit, his second of the day and moves to third on Casey’s single to center. Reulbach tries to lay the bunt down and is not able to do the job, and with one out runners are still on the corners. Maloney then hits a deep fly to left center, Leach is there but is not in good position to throw, as Slagle scores and Casey moves into second. Johnny Evers then hits one up the box scoring Casey and suddenly the Cubs have cut the lead to 1 but Schulte cannot deliver and the inning is over, with the Pirates leading 4-3.

As the Cubs take the field Chance lingers near the mound and asks Reulbach if he wants to continue the game. He knows already what the answer is, and the mind game works as Reulbach is suddenly fired up and mows the buccos in order, and the Cubs come to hit in the bottom of the 8th. Chance gets a fastball right in his sweet spot and rips this one high and deep to right, Clarke is giving chase and it hits the top of the wall, Clarke makes a good throw but Chance is in with a stand up double. Kling goes down easily with his third strike out of the day. Congrats Johnny, here’s your golden sombrero. Perhaps he needs a day off as he is struggling a bit. Tinker then draws a walk and runners are on first and second. Slagle cannot lay the bund down and eventually strikes out and Jim Casey who has had one of the best turnarounds I have seen in a long time rips a double into left center. Leach gets to the ball and the throw to Wagner, the relay home for the trailing Tinker, and he slides in just under Pietz’s tag and is safe!! Cubs take the lead with a furious late inning rally. Reulbach strikes out to end the inning and Phillippe does strike out the side, but not before melting down over two innings.

Reulbach gets a perfect 9th inning for the win and the Cubs sweep the double header. They still trail the Giants by 5 ½ games but are trying to close the gap. Phillippe was solid early but collapsed at the end and perhaps Clarke should have gone to the pen, but with nobody better he stuck with his ace and unfortunately came up short. For the Cubs Chance, Slagle and Casey each had 3 games and Casey is now up to a 6 game hit streak

Giants 48 14 .774
Cubs 44 17 .721

[photo credit]