by Scott Fennessy
8/18/1905
New York, NY
The Cubs won a big one against the Giants yesterday, but the task is no less easy today as Jake Weimer faces Joe McGinnity. McGinnity beat the Cubs in his last chance, and I am expecting a duel of epic proportions.
The Cubs strike early as they have re-discovered the formula of scoring in the first inning. Johnny Evers drew a one out walk, but is gunned down by Mike Bowerman with a solid throw, but slumping Frank Schulte gets a solid single to right, and steals second on the first pitch. With Frank Chance at the plate and in the midst of another torrid streak McGinnity does not notice the tremendous lead Schulte gets, and when “wildfire” starts for third Bowerman has no chance at all, and his hurried throw sails over Art Devlin’s head and into left, allowing Schulte to score the first run easily. Chance eventually strikes out to end the top of the inning, and with a 1-2-3 first by Weimer the score is 1-0 visitors.
Things go much better for “Iron Man” McGinnity as he gets a perfect second inning, and the Giants are off and running in the bottom of the frame. Dan McGann hits one that bounces off of Jim Casey’s chest, and his throw pulls Chance off the bag, and while it’s a tough error, it allows the leadoff man to reach. Moving over to second on George Browne’s grounder Bowerman atones for his earlier error and gets an RBI single to tie the game. John McGraw and Chance have both adopted the same game plan for this one and it is “run, run, run” as the slow footed New York catcher is off with the pitch and just slides in under Evers tag. Sammy Strang then rips a one hopper off the wall in left to score Bowerman with the lead run as he pulls in with just his fifth double of the season. Weimer settles down and stops the rally, but the inning ends with the Giants on top now 2-1.
Chance however has his team fired up and the tables are immediately turned as Joe Tinker gets a bloop single just out of Bill Dahlen’s reach at short and he steals second as poor Mike Bowerman is really under siege today. Moving to third on Weimer’s sac bunt Billy Maloney then gets a hanging curve and this one is hit hard to left center and Billy is off to the races, and ends up with an RBI triple to tie the game at 2. While Billy may not have much power (only 1 home run) he now has 12 triples this year and it was a big hit. Evers then draws a walk and runners are on the corners. Evers is off with the pitch, and McGinnity suddenly looks mortal today as Schulte comes to the plate, and this one is crushed too. This one had a little too much loft, or it may have cleared the wall; but instead it bounces off the wall into Mike Donlin’s glove and while it was close at second Frank’s in with a double and the Cubs have two more runs.
McGraw comes to the mound to try and settle his pitcher, and it does not do much, as Chance then gets a single to center, and Schulte scores as the ball is cut off. Chance then steals second, and is still there with one out when the returning Johnny Kling draws a tough 7 pitch walk to put runners on the corners as Luther Taylor is now warming up in the Giants bullpen. Jimmy Slagle is then hit by a curve ball that had too much break. Despite spending a fair amount of time on the bench to start the season it is now the 8th time this year he has been drilled. Tinker fans to end the inning, but the Cubs are back on top with a 5-2 lead.
Pitching finally takes command as nothing much happens until the 7th when Bill Dahlen gets a leadoff double for New York and is bunted over to third by McGinnity who had to talk McGraw into letting him finish this game. Devlin, who has been a big Cub-Killer this season hits one deep to center, and Maloney had to go a long way to get this one, but it scores Dahlen with the third run for the G-Men. Weimer gets the third out, but this is now a two run game with a deadly opponent on the ropes.
Neither team scores again, and the Cubs pull this one out. Probably the best fought game between these two. While neither pitcher looked sharp, they never appeared overmatched, with the exception being McGinnity’s wild ride in the third inning. Chance stole three bases, Schulte two and Tinker one more for the Cubs. The Giants stole 4 as a team themselves. Suddenly the lead has been cut to just 2 ½ games.
Meanwhile in Detroit, the big story is the surge by “Wahoo” Sam Crawford. After having his 15 game hit streak snapped in Cleveland, he is now up to 5 on his current one, and leads the AL with a .302 average. While that would not mean much in the NL, it is enough to be the only .300 hitter at present, and gives him approximately a comfortable 35 point lead over his nearest competitor.
Giants 68 27 .716
Cubs 67 30 .691
