by Scott Fennessy
Cleveland, OH
10/13/1905
The World Series comes to shifts to Ohio and the Giants appear to be on their heels. The press was not allowed into the Giants club car on the entire train ride to Cleveland. It was not necessary. They could stand outside the door and hear McGraw’s rantings.
This important game sees George Wiltse, a solid #3 and innings eater face Robert Rhoades. Rhoades is a decent pitcher, but has been at times out pitched by Otto Hess, whom many felt should be today’s starter. Hess has been solid in a swing role and led the AL in saves with 3, and pitched well in spot starts due to injuries, or when Lajoie felt Rhoades needed to miss a start.
The Giants come out swinging and Art Devlin rips a double to left on the first pitch. Sam Mertes then hits a rocket down the first base line that a diving George Stovall can’t stop. It rolls to the corner and Mertes has a triple, and the Giants lead for the first time in this series. Mike Donlin, who had been shut down in New York hits one through the hole between short and third and Mertes scores easily. Rhoades has to work hard afterwards but does not allow any more runs, but the visitors have a 3-0 lead.
The Indians get one back in the bottom of the inning when Bay leads off with a single and moves to third on the hit and run. Lajoie sends the runners again and he hits a grounder to second and Bay scores as he is retired at first. Wiltse gets the next two hitters and it is a 3-1 lead now.
Both pitchers take control for a while until the Giants bats come back in the sixth inning. Dan McGann hits a single over Lajoie’s head and George Browne rips a double to left to score the run. Mike Bowerman then hits one that looked to be through the middle, but Lajoie makes a great play, but trying to make the throw while doing a jumping pivot makes his throw off the mark and Browne scores as Bowerman slides into second just under Turner’s tag. After two quick outs Wiltse then strokes a single to right to score Bowerman and officially end Rhoades’ day. Hess comes in and gets the final out.
The score was still 6-2 Giants in the ninth when they get to Hess at last as Mertes singles and steals second base. Donlin gets his third hit of the day with an RBI single. The inning ends with no more runs, and after the tribe goes down in order the Giants pick up the win 6-2.
This was more of what I expected of the Giants coming into this series. Donlin had three hits, and as a team they collected 5 extra base hits. Wiltse is a bit of an oddity as a hitter. He has 14’s on his card at 13, 42, 45, 56, and 64. He seems to hit them all the time. He drew 27 walks and only struck out 4 times as he has no 13’s. I don’t think I have ever seen a pitcher without at least one. This was the first time in 7 starts he did not draw a walk.
