1905 Chicago Cubs replay update: Cubs beat Pirates in thriller

by Scott Fennessy

9/4/1905
Chicago, IL

Pittsburgh comes to town and the Cubs get a real test to see if they are truly ready to catch the Giants. The Pirates are playing great ball again, and with the Giants facing struggling Phillies, and the lowly Braves afterward in New York, they really need a good showing in this series.

Today’s game features Charles “Deacon” Phillippe. Charles has 27 wins, and is in the top 5 in most pitching categories. He faces Mordecai Brown. Mordecai has had a solid season, but does not have the stuff that his opponent has. Combined with the resurgence of Honus Wagner (.315 average), the solid Ginger Beaumont (.317 average) and recently named starting catcher Homer Hillebrand who has been hitting the ball with authority over the last week this does not look good for the home team.

The Pirates tried hard to score first, but Frank Schulte makes a terrific shoestring catch on a Beaumont fly for the second out. This was big as Wagner extended his hitting streak to 5 games with a single, and stole second on a 1-1 count, but Brown gets Fred Clarke to retire the side.

Both pitchers face challenges over the next couple of innings but prevent any scoring until the Cubs finally break into the scoring column in the 4th. Schulte, who has really returned to his early season form with a single to lead off the inning. Frank Chance then gets a single that puts runners on the corners with no outs, and Johnny Kling at the plate. Chance calls for the hit and run, and it was a good idea, as Kling hits a grounder right at Wagner, but with the runners in motion he only has the one play at first as the first run scores. Chance is still on second with two out when Hans Lobert hits one back up the box and Chance scores the second run of the inning. Phillippe then hits Joe Tinker with a curve ball that never really broke, but Brown strikes out to end the inning with the Cubs on top 2-0.

The score remained the same until the Pirates finally take advantage of the numerous opportunities that Brown had provided. Beaumont drew a 4 pitch walk, which saw Kling come to the mound and talk to his pitcher. Beaumont moved to second on a ground out and Pittsburgh Manager Fred Clarke then guessed first pitch off speed, and that’s just what he got and Clarke pulls it into the corner for an RBI triple, his 14th of the season to cut the lead in half. Brown then gets a fierce visit from Chance as he made his way back towards first and whatever he said worked as Brown gets the final two hitters to end the inning.

Unfortunately for the Pirates, the Cubs immediately get the run back as Phillippe walks McCarthy for the second time and gives light hitting Lobert a belt high fastball, and fortunately for Deacon, Hans does not have much power, but he puts this into the gap in right for an RBI double. Perhaps looking past the struggling Tinker to the pitchers spot Phillippe gives Joe a bit too much pitch and Tinker gets a solid single to score Lobert to extend the lead. Brown pops up to end the inning and the Cubs have extended the lead to 4-1.

Both pitchers are struggling today, but manage to get through the 7th inning with no more runs allowed. The wheels finally come off the wagon for Brown in the 8th when he allows a leadoff single to Beaumont, and a hit and run single to Wagner. Honus then steals his second base of the game and Brown, who has been very wild today walks Clarke to fill the bases. It looked like Mordecai may get out of trouble, but with two outs and the bases loaded he hits Claude Ritchey forcing Beaumont in. Hillebrand then puts one just over Chance’s head and this rolls into the right field corner for a bases clearing triple and suddenly the Pirates have a 5-4 lead. Phillippe is retired to end the rally.

Clarke elects to send a tired Phillippe to start the 8th and instantly regrets it. Lobert walks and promptly steals his second base of the game, giving him 7 for the year in just 21 games. Chance knows this may be his last opportunity, and pinch hits for the struggling Brown, even though his choice of Art Hofman is a bit suspect to this reporter as he comes in hitting just .213. One big weakness the Cubs seem to have is the bench’s lack of production this year, but Chance looks like a genius when Hofman pokes a single to right scoring Lobert and putting Tinker on third. Chance wants to send Hofman on a hit and run and Billy Maloney hits a shallow fly ball that Clarke makes a great running catch on. The throw to first is in time to double up Hofman, but Tinker scores and the Cubs reclaim the lead. Clarke has seen enough, and sends in pitcher Pat Flaherty to get the final out of the inning, which he does.

Carl Lundgren comes in to try and hold off the Pirates, and they give him all he can handle in the 9th as Wagner gets a two out walk and Clarke is hit by a pitch, but Dave Brain grounds to Johnny Evers to end the game and the Cubs get a big win, and are just percentage points behind New York again. For Lundgren it’s his second save of the year. Good enough to be tied for the NL lead with Leon Ames of the Giants.

[photo credit]