1905 Chicago Cubs replay update: Reds put the Cubs in Chech

by Scott Fennessy

6/27/1905 Chicago, IL

The Cubs face the Reds in game 3 of this series. The Reds have played very tough this series and are showing the first real signs of life this year. Today Charlie Chech goes for Cincinnati, and he has pitched better than his 3-12 record would indicate. He has an ERA in the low 3’s and a WHIP just over 1. Mordecai Brown coming off of two consecutive great starts is on the bump for the north siders.

In the first inning Miller Huggins draws a walk. Miller’s kind of funny in that while he does not draw a lot of walks, he does not strike out a lot either. This was his 9th BB of the season, and he only has 9 K’s for the year now. He’s off to the races, and Jim Seymour hits a rocket that firstbaseman Frank Chance makes a great leaping grab, and steps on first to double Huggins and end the inning. Great D “Husker”!!

For the Cubs in the first Chech gets two quick outs, but then Frank Schulte pulls one just over Kelley’s reach at first, this one rolls to the wall, and Sebring is up with it, and the throw is in, but not until “Wildfire” has his 7th double of the year. Frank’s had a terrific month and keeps things alive in the inning. Chance however hits a weak grounder to Corcoran at short, the toss to Huggins for the force and the inning ends with no score.

In the third the Reds start a two out rally when Chech, who is a decent hitter for a pitcher, works a walk. Brown then gets two careful with the red hot Fritz Odwell and he sends a single to center. Maloney puts the toss to Hofman at short and we have runners on the corners with two out. Huggins makes Brown throw a lot of pitches in this at bat, but eventually grounds to Jim Casey at third and the inning is over. Chech gets a perfect inning and at the end of 3 no score.

Nothing happening still as the Reds bat in the top of the 5th. Tommy Corcoran, who has really struggled this year gets an off-speed pitch and puts one just past Tinker and the Reds get the leadoff batter aboard. Brown makes several throws to first, but eventually faces Catcher George Schlei. George has had a tough year so far, he got off to a horrible start, then was seriously injured and spent over a month on the DL, but has looked ok since his return. Schlei gets a fastball inside, but he can’t get out of the way and is hit. The trainer comes out and he looks ok and trots to first. Chech tries to lay down a bunt but fouls the first two off and is forced to swing at the 0-2 pitch. But as I said earlier he’s a good hitter, and he puts one right up the middle, Maloney comes in the throw is to home, Hofman cuts the throw and Corcoran scores the first run of the day and we have runners on first and second with nobody out. Brown then gets Odwell to hit a hard grounder to the left side; Hofman gets to it, and his momentum won’t allow him to make the throw to first, but he makes a try for the runner at third and Casey puts his leg between the runner and third base and Schlei’s out!! Great play again by the Chicago infield. Runners on first and second again with one out. Brown can get out of the inning with a double play ball and the weak hitting Huggins up. Unfortunately that’s not the case as Brown gets too much of the plate and Huggins puts this one into left center. The ball one hops the wall as Slagle gets the ball and throws to Casey at third, but Chech scores and the Reds now have a two run lead. Seymour then hits a tough play to Tinker at second and he makes a great play to get Seymour, and Huggins moves to third. Brown then blows outfielder Jimmy Sebring away to end the inning. Unfortunately Chech is throwing his best game of the year, and the red legs lead 2-0 at the end of 5.

Brown comes out to start the 6th and Steinfeldt is there to greet him. Harry crushes one deep to left for his second homer of the year and the reds now lead 3-0. Chance walks over to the mound as this is becoming a regular occurrence lately for the starters and Brown tightens up and gets the next three hitters, although Schlei did give him a lot of trouble again.

No further action until the bottom of the 9th. Jimmy Slagle draws a walk to start the inning, and moves to second on a grounder by Schulte. Chance then hits a soft fly down the right field line and Sebring flat out boots this. It rolls away and by the time he gets to the ball Slagle scores the first run of the game and Chance is on second with just one out. Still a chance to win this one. Unfortunately Chech gets the last two hitters with ease and the game is over 3-1 Reds victory.

For the Reds, other than the Steinfeldt homer nobody looked great, but everybody contributed, and Brown had to throw a lot of pitches to get his outs. Charlie Chech was the star for the Reds today, allowing just 4 hits and gets just his 4th win of the year.

For the Cubs, while Brown did get the loss, and was challenged constantly by the batters, he did just allow 5 hits in the loss. Schulte got two hits today and continues to pace the attack lately. Unfortunately word from New York is in and the Giants destroyed the Braves 16-1 today. The damage was done early as the G Men rolled a 6 spot in the third and never looked back. Art Devlin, Mike Donlin, George Browne and Roger Bresnahan led the way for the hitters, and Joe McGinnity was terrific on the mound, and picked up his 15th win of the year.

Giants 40 13 .755
Cubs 39 14 .736

[photo credit]