1905 Chicago Cubs replay update: Brown helps Cubs to a sweep of the Braves

by Scott Fennessy

Boston, MA 7/22/1905

The Cubs play the Braves and go for the sweep in the series finale.  Mordecai Brown faces Vic Willis today. Brown has been pitching great lately, and while Willis has thrown well this year, he seems to be let down by the serious lack of offense.

Johnny Evers continues to rake as he rips a one out double that splits the gap in right center field. This gives Johnny a 4 game hitting streak. Frank Chance draws a walk and both runners move over on Jim Casey’s ground out. Johnny Kling gets an RBI single and they take a quick 1-0 lead. Willis ends the inning 4 pitches later with no further damage. Brown looks strong with a hitless first inning.

Both pitchers continue to dominate until 1 out in the 5th when Jimmy Slagle gets a leadoff single. Still at first with two out Joe Tinker rips one down the third base line, and it’s in play! This goes to the wall. Ed Delahanty has some trouble with it, and Tinker is in sliding with an RBI triple. Evers gets his second hit of the day and Tinker scores to make it 3-0 Cubs. The inning ends with no further runs scored.
The pitcher’s duel continues with Brown allowing just 4 hits into the 8th, and Willis, while struggling with runners reaching in almost every inning he continues to keep it close. Finally the Braves break the shutout when Fred Tenney, easily the best hitter on the team hits a one out double over Billy Maloney in center, and moving to second on Delahanty’s ground out and scoring on Pat Dolan’s sac fly. The Cubs add their 4th and final run on a Billy Maloney single to lead off the 9th. Maloney is off with the pitch and Pat Moran’s throw sails over Ed Abbaticchio’s head into center field. Billy pops up from his slide and moves to third on the error. While Willis does retire Evers, Frank Schulte hits a deep fly to right field and Dolan makes the catch, but Maloney scores to end the inning.

Brown shuts the Braves down in the 9th and throws a very strong game and the Cubs get the sweep. They now move on to Philadelphia to face the struggling Phillies who got crushed by the red hot Pirates. After a bit of a run, they have had a tough month and slid out of the race very quickly. I am happy to say that I had thought the Giants were beginning to run away and hide the Cubs have come right back into this race. Unfortunately the Pirates, led by baseball’s hottest hitters in Honus Wagner and Ginger Beaumont. “Moon” Gibson, who had been struggling mightily all year, even briefly losing the starters job behind the plate has come on strong with 3 of his 5 homers for the year this week. Deacon Phillippe has been great all year and Charlie Case has been a very big surprise in the rotation as well.

Giants 54 18 .750
Cubs 51 23 .689
Pirates 46 28 .622

[photo credit]