October 12, 1902
Philadelphia, PA
One would expect a manager who has a 3-0 lead in the championship series to be a bit more relaxed than normal, but Pirates manager Fred Clarke seemed a bit subdued prior to today’s game four matchup in Philadelphia this morning. Clarke will be among those having to face today’s Philadelphia starter Rube Waddell (36-10) with the season on the line.
Clarke has Jack Chesbro, the NL’s leader in victories in a game 1 rematch on the hill, so the fans are expecting a low scoring game, and any mistake can be devastating as they filed into the stadium.
The Pirates got what they wanted right away as Tommy Leach hits a one hopper right at Waddell, but Rube’s throw is off the mark, and fortunately the throw bounces off the wall behind first base and comes right back to Jasper Davis so Leach has to hold at first. Waddell then retires the side and there is no score in the top of the inning.
Chesbro appears overpowering early as he strikes out Fultz and Hartsel to start the inning and Davis hits a routine grounder to Honus Wagner at short to end the inning and we are scoreless through one inning of play.
The visitors are retired in order to start the second inning, and after Chesbro retires the first two batters with ease Ossee Shreckengost hits a solid grounder between Bill Bransfield and Claude Ritchey on the first base side for a single. Danny Murphy walks, but Monte Cross grounds out and the rally dies.
Waddell begins to get in a groove as he strikes out the side on just 12 pitches, mostly fastballs, but Chesbro is grinding through a day where his fastball cannot quite locate, but his other pitchers are still getting the job done, and there is still no score after three innings.
Ginger Beaumont leads off the 4th with a single to left that ends Waddell’s streak of 9 straight retired hitters. Ginger then steals second after a few pick off attempts and is still there with one out when Clarke makes a bold call with a left handed pitcher on the mound and Beamont attempts to steal third! Shreckengost’s throw is rushed and sails over Lafayette Cross’ head and lands in center field and Beaumont scores easily.
Clarke walks and is on second with two outs when John O’Connor, who hit just .220 for the regular season then singles up the middle and the Pirates lead 2-0. That now gives O’Connor 4 hits in the series. Lefty Davis grounds out to Monte Cross and the inning is over and the Pirates are beginning to feel the title in their grasp already.
Jasper Davis, perhaps the best overall hitter on the team gets a single to start the bottom frame, but is stranded at second as the A’s hitters were completely overmatched and could only muster a couple of weak grounders and a popup.
The Pirates got a runner on as Ritchey hit a grounder just to the right of the mound that Waddell knocked down, but fumbled the ball and Claude was safe and Rube has his second error of the game. Ritchey then tries to steal second base, and although the play was very close Claude was called out and he just went nuclear, and the ump throws him out of this game! Claude is now red in the face and it takes two teammates to drag him into the clubhouse and “Sunset” Jimmy Burke will take over at second base.
Phildelphia finally shows some fight after Tullos Hartsel worked Chesbro for a 9 pitch walk after fouling off several pitches and Davis gets his second hit of the day and runners were on the corners when Ralph Seybold ripped a towering fly ball that put Clarke on the warning track in right field that very nearly cleared the yard, but Hartsel scores and the A’s are now just down by one. Chesbro gets the next two hitters with ease and the score is 2-1 after 6.
And suddenly the A’s offense regains its regular season form, as Ossee Shreckengost hits one towards the second base hole near the bag and Burke makes a great backhanded grab, but his throw was rushed and his throw pulled Bransfield off the bag and Philadelphia immediately makes him pay.
Danny Murphy hits a soft single to right and runners are on the corners with no outs. Rube then draws his second walk of the game, and nobody will criticize Chesbro as Rube is a true athlete, who consistently hits a couple of homers a year, and in 1901 was the third best hitter on the entire Cubs roster.
Dave Fultz gets hit by a slider that didn’t break and Shreckengost scores and suddenly the game is tied. Chesbro then hangs a curve ball and Hartsel rips a line drive into the right center field gap and all three runners score as “Topsy” gets a bases clearing triple. Davis then hits the very next pitch to deep center field and there is no play as Hartsel scores and Chesbro is done for the day.
Lafayette Winham comes in to finish the inning and the Pirates come to bat in the 8th inning suddenly losing 6-2. Waddell gets hot again and strikes out 3 of the final 6 hitters to win the ballgame. He finished with 8 total, which was about normal for him during the season. While this was a big win for Philly, but they still trail this series 3-1 and the Pirates face another Lefty in Eddie Plank in game 5 tomorrow.
