1905 Chicago Cubs replay update: Chance makes a difference in Cubs’ win

by Scott Fennessy

Chicago, IL
8/4/1905

The Cubs continue their chase of the Giants with the Pirates closing a still somewhat large gap, but are playing well. The Cubs get some big news today as Ed Reulbach will return to the team today, and reclaim his spot at the head of the rotation. This is big news as they come into play just 6 games behind the Giants who are in Pittsburgh and lost a heart breaker to the buccos 4-1, as the normally solid Joe McGinnity allowed 4 runs in the 8th with two out, highlighted by a 2 run double by the immortal Honus Wagner. Deacon Phillippe allowed just 5 hits in the win, his 18th of the year.

For today’s action, Irv Young, who has had some really tough luck against the Cubs this year losing two really tough games against Jake Weimer, and a rare blow out against today’s Cub hurler Mordecai Brown. Brown has been great during this stretch where he had to be the rock of the rotation.

Fred Tenney, who is the team’s best hitter at .275 coming in draws a one out walk, and manager Pat Moran sends the runner. Harry Wolverton hits a shot, but first baseman Frank Chance makes a great leaping snag, and steps on the bag for the inning ending double play.

The Cubs get a leadoff walk from the struggling Billy Maloney, who had moved over to second with two out on a grounder and manager Chance at the plate. “Husker” rips a single to center; Maloney rounds third, Virgin Cannell’s throw is cut by Young and Maloney scores. Chance then steals second, but is stranded at second as the inning comes to a close with the bruins leading 1-0.

Both pitchers go into shutdown mode, although the Braves miss two opportunities. In the 5th when Tenney ripped a leadoff double to start the 5th but Brown immediately got the next three hitters. And the same thing happens in the 6th when Ed Abbaticchio leads off with a two bagger. Young is simply overpowering the hitters, going almost exclusively with the fastball and has racked up several strikeouts.

The Cubs finally strike again in the 7th with two out when Tenney lets Johnny Evers grounder under his glove. Chance, who is now among the leaders in most offensive categories gets another fastball and this time he goes the opposite way and this rolls to the wall. Ed Delahanty is after it, but Evers scores and Chance slides in with a triple. The inning ends with the Cubs now leading 2-0.

The Braves finally crack the scoreboard in the 8th, when Tenney hits a routine grounder and third baseman Jim Casey’s throw sails over Chance’s head and fortunately just misses going into the dugout, so Fred will have to stay at first. This does not change anything though, as Tenney simply steals the base on the first pitch. Wolverton then connects on a curve ball, and this drops just in between Maloney and Frank Schulte for an RBI single, and suddenly the score is 2-1 Cubs, and given Young’s terrific ability, this is not over just yet. Brown does get the final out with no other runners scoring.

The Cubs should have broken this one open in the bottom of the 8th, but the two out rally dies with Schulte and Chance on second and third, and Brown goes to the mound with the game on the line. The visitors have no intentions of laying down for him and if nothing else to prove their appreciation of their ace’s effort. Tom Needham draws a leadoff walk, but with a slow runner and batter Moran decides he will bunt him over to avoid the double play. He lays down the bunt, but it’s too hard and Brown gets the lead runner at second, Moran reaching first on the fielder’s choice and now there is one out. Cannell’s grounder moves him to second, and now it’s all on the line with light hitting Bill Lauterborn at the plate. Brown wants to end this quickly and sends a fastball that catches a bit of the plate, and Bill rocks this into left center field. Jimmy Slagle is over, and cuts this off before it splits the outfielders. Moran rounds third, the throw to Evers, and the relay home and he is OUT!!

The final out of the game at home, fortunately for Moran he is the manager, so he only has to answer to himself, but once again Irv Young loses another heartbreaker to the Cubs. This time 2-1. 3 Finger Brown did not have his best stuff today, allowing 5 hits, and walking 4 more, but despite having runners in scoring position in almost every inning he always found a way out of trouble. Great defense on a couple of plays (yeah fielding one) Once again victim to a bad team Irv Young allows just two runs on 4 hits while striking out 7. If he pitched for the Giants he would probably be undefeated this season.

Chance had another 3 hits today and stole two more, and drove in both runs. He was involved with almost everything good that happened today.

Giants 61 22 .735
Cubs 58 26 .690
Pirates 50 32 .610