by Scott Fennessy
The Cubs face the redbirds in game two of today’s twin bill. The Cubs crushed their archrivals 18-4 in the opener, and there was plenty of bad blood coming into the late afternoon game. Mordecai Brown faces Jake Thielman
The Cubs seem to have found their bats again as Maloney leads off the game with a walk and runners were on second and third after Jimmy Slagle singled and stole second. Frank Schulte then crushed one into the right field corner for his 9th triple of the year scoring both runners. Kling pushed Schulte home with a sac fly to end their half 3-0 Cubs.
The Cardinals however have a different plan for game two. John Dunleavy gets a single to start things and steals second. Danny Shay who had 3 errors in the first game hits a shot over the bag at first, but Frank Chance makes a beautiful diving stop, then races to the bag and gets Shay while Dunleavy moves to third. Pepper Clark then gets a sac fly to deep center to score the run. The inning ends with the Cubs on top 3-1.
No more scoring until the third when Slagle singles and moves to second on a grounder. Chance then singles scoring Slagle, and moving to second on the throw home. Chance then moves to third on a wild pitch by Thielman and he scores on another sac fly by Kling, and the cards come to bat trailing by two. Harry Arndt single to start the inning and is there with one out when Art Hoelskoetter hits a grounder to Tinker at second. The throw to Hofman at short gets Arndt but Hoelskoetter beats the throw. Thielman then gets an infield single and runners are on first and second with two out. Dunleavy then gets a swinging bunt that Casey waits to see if it will roll foul. It does not and now the bases are loaded for the dangerous Pepper Clarke. It’s a great at bat as Clarke makes Brown work hard, and finally Brown makes a mistake and Clarke crushes this this one as Maloney can only watch as Clarke hits his fifth homer of the year and his first career grand slam. The inning ends with the cards suddenly on top 8-5 and Brown is chased from the game.
Things calm down and nothing happens until the 7th when the Cubs make their charge. Pinch hitter Jack McCarthy draws a walk. Moving to second on a grounder Slagle singles up the middle and McCarthy scores. Chappie McFarland in in relief and he ends the inning with no further scoring. But the Cardinals want more and get it in the bottom of the frame. Bob Wicker in for Briggs and he gets two quick outs, but Chance boots a ball allowing Jake Beckley to reach base. Hoelskoetter then gets his first extra base hit of the year scoring Beckley, McFarland is not a bad hitter so he stays in and he then rips another double scoring Hoelskoetter. Dunleavy walks to set up the force and Wicker gets out of the inning, but the Cubs trail 10-6. High drama in the 9th as Casey gets his second double of the game to lead the inning off and pinch hitter Hans Loebert comes to the plate. He then slips a single just past Arndt, and Casey scores and Loebert takes second on the throw!. Billy Maloney then gets another single, and Loebert scores from second and now the lead is cut to two. Unfortunately McFarland hangs on and gets the save as the Cardinals win 10-8.
The Cubs offense looked good again and it was nice to see Jim Casey get his first multi extra base hit game of the year. Slagle looks to be staying in the lineup when Evers comes off the DL next week. Unfortunately for Mordecai Brown he has been his own worst enemy as gave up his 6th homer of the year.
The Cardinals took advantage of pitching wildness drawing 3 walks and they put pressure on them every inning. They have played better lately and the beat down in game one may have woke them up at last.
Giants 44 13 .772
Cubs 40 16 .714
![[photo credit]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Josh_Clarke.jpg){kind=link}