by Scott Fennessy
Cleveland, OH
10/15/1905
The Giants hope to continue their roll in game 5 of the series and send Joe McGinnity against Earl Moore of the Indians. So far this has been a very competitive series, and with the exception of game 3 has been very low scoring.
Neither team scores in the first, but the Giants draw first blood when George Browne hits a triple into the right field corner that Jim Jackson has a little trouble corralling. Mike Bowerman then hits a drive to the dead center that hits high off the wall. Harry Bay had a long way to go and his throw to the cutoff man is good enough to hold the Giants catcher to an RBI double. Moore gets Sammy Strang to pop up, but Bill Dahlen’s grounder to Bill Bradley looked routine, but his throw is high, and pulls George Stovall off the bag for an error as the second run of the inning is in. Moore settles down and the inning is over.
Moore struggles through the third but allows no runs, and is rewarded in the bottom of the inning when He hits a fly ball that Sam Mertes somehow drops for an error. Bay is asked to lay down the bunt and he does. It is perfect and Devlin has no play and runners are on first and second. Cotton Turner gets the same sign and he lays down another beautiful bunt, and McGinnity’s only play is at first, and the tying runs are in scoring position.
Napoleon Lajoie, who has been brilliant in this series then delivers the goods again with a solid single to left center field that scores two runs and the game is tied. After a series of pick off attempts, Lajoie then steals second, and Elmer Flick hits a single to left and Lajoie scores the lead run. McGraw comes to the mound for a chat and McGinnity responds with two quick outs, but the Indians now lead 3-2.
While both pitchers are on the ropes for the remainder of this game, neither team scores again until the Giants come through in the 8th inning. Dan McGann hits a leadoff single to left and steals second on the 3rd pitch. Browne moves him over to third and after Bowerman fouls out to Jay Clarke behind the plate Sammy Strang gets a single to left and the game is tied. Dahlen grounds out to end the inning with the score knotted at 3 apiece.
And the battle would continue with no score until the 13th inning when the visitors finally deliver the knockout blow. McGann draws his second walk of the day to start the inning and moved to second with two out on a grounder and scores when Dahlen hits a single to center. McGinnity is retired to end the inning, and the “Iron Man” looks a bit worn down as he takes the hill for the bottom of the inning. Although Jackson gets a one out single the Indians can’t take advantage and the Giants win their third straight game and are on the verge of claiming the title.
