1905 Chicago Cubs replay update: Brooklyn wins in extras

by Scott Fennessy

Brooklyn NY, 7/17/1905

The Cubs face the Dodgers in game two of this three game set. Herb Briggs goes for the Cubs against Bill Scanlan. For some reason every time this guy pitches former Cub Bob Scanlan’s name comes to mind. Odd.

This one turned out to be a pitcher’s duel with a rare B vs. B starter game. Neither team scores until half way through the game, with both teams missing opportunities. The Cubs with a Jim Casey leadoff double in the 3rd, and the Dodgers with runners on the corners in the 3rd, and then having catcher Lou Ritter being thrown out at home on a no out single and Briggs pitched great to get out of the inning unscathed.

Unfortunately for Briggs, this was a game where he only made a few mistakes and they all came back to hurt him. Shortstop Phil Lewis, who was only hitting .182 coming into this takes the first pitch of the 5th to deep center field, and Billy Maloney can only watch as it clears the wall for a 1-0 lead for the Dodgers.
Scanlan, who is also pitching one of his better games of the year lets the Cubs back into this in the 6th with a two out rally. Frank Schulte gets a single to left, and Frank Chance then calls for the hit and run with himself at the plate and riding a 4 game hitting streak takes Scanlan’s pitch deep to right and it is off the wall. The throw comes in, but not in time to keep “Wildfire” from tying the game. Jimmy Slagle draws a tough walk, but Johnny Kling grounds out to end the inning.

Both pitchers continue to pitch well, but the bats are starting to come around and both teams miss opportunities again until the 9th when Joe Tinker gets his second hit of the day and his second steal of the game shortly after. Still on second with two out Maloney hits a fly to left that Harry Lumley must have lost somewhere on the way as he flat out drops this one for an error and Tinker scores to give the Cubs a big run. Evers singles and Maloney is held at third as Chance did not want the inning to end with an out at the plate. That would be critical as Schulte pops to Harry Gessler at first and the inning is over. Emil Batch gets a solid single for the home team in the bottom of the inning. He is off with the pitch and Bob Hall puts one right through the vacated hole and runners are on the corners with nobody out. Going for the kill they send the runners again, and Tom Owens hits a “dying quail” to right and Schulte will have to make a great play for this to not tie the game, AND HE MAKES A GREAT DIVING CATCH!! The throw to first and Hall is double off. Unfortunately Batch scores and the game is tied again, but after Lewis grounds out to end the inning it was a big save for the Cubs.

Unfortunately this only delays the inevitable as the Cubs waste another chance with a runner on first and nobody out and get three quick outs. Scanlan ends up helping himself in the 10th as he gets a soft single to left and after Gessler bunts foul twice he is now forced to swing and gets away with his bad bunting with a single to right and runners are on the corners. Scanlan and Gessler play a game of cat and mouse at first for a way, but eventually he steals second and sets up the winning run as Jimmy Sheckard hits a fly to deep center field and Maloney makes a good running grab, but Scanlan tags and scores the winning run himself and the Dodgers win 3-2 in 10 innings.

Tough loss for Briggs who actually pitched well, but missed opportunities kept the lowly Dodgers in this until they finally cracked through for a rare win.

Giants 52 15 .776
Cubs 46 23 .667
Pirates 40 28 .588

[photo credit]