by Scott Fennessy

New York, NY
7/11/1905

The Cubs travel to New York, and begin a critical series against the Giants. This has become a heated rivalry, but the G-Men have become nearly unstoppable, and the Cubs have had a rash of injuries and suddenly their pitching has faltered. When the subject of injuries to the Cubs came up Giants manager John McGraw wanted to hear none of that; noting that MVP candidate Mike Bowerman has missed plenty of time and that Art Devlin has left many games early with nagging injuries and that even reserves Bill Clarke and Theo O’Neal (returning today) have missed significant time. The Cubs have the edge in pitching today as Ed Reulbach faces George Wiltse in what both managers described as “the mood setter”.

The Cubs get off get a one out double by the hot hitting Johnny Evers who now has a 3 game hit streak since coming back from the DL, but he is stranded at third as Wiltse shuts the Cubs down. The Giants are shut down as well and perhaps the mighty Giants will finally run into a bump in the road. The bruins come up empty in the second and the Giants begin to do what they do best and begin to pepper away. George Browne who is having an awesome year gets a one out single to center and steals second easily. Light hitting Sammy Strang singles him home and moves into second on Joe Tinker’s relay. This was big as on the next pitch to Bill Dahlen, it’s a slow roller that Frank Chance has to come in for and throw to Reulbach covering first and he is OUT!. But Reulbach is hurt! Ed has only been back for about 2 weeks for an injury to the same leg he is holding right now. Reulbach is helped off the field and unfortunately it is another heavy blow to the Cubs as he will miss 13 games, meaning another 4-5 starts with a bullpen that has been struggling already and now must put yet another into the rotation.

I said they had the depth to survive this, but I am beginning to wonder now. “Big Jeff” Pfeffer comes in to finish the inning with no further damage. Wiltse continues to roll, and now the Giants are closing for the kill. Pfeffer gets the first two outs with ease, but like so many pitchers lately have found they can strike at any time and they do again. Mike Donlin who has been absolutely the best hitter in baseball the last 2 weeks rips a single to left. McGraw sends him on the first pitch and Donlin waddles towards second as Dan McGann (photo above) slips one into the hole on the right side and runners are on the corners. McGann, who as a first baseman goes has good speed, and with hitters like Donlin, Browne and Bowerman around goes rather unnoticed on this club and sort of reminds me of Mark Grace steals second just under the tag. This opens first base and George Brown shocks the baseball world with a base loading walk. Browne has to work VERY hard to draw a base on balls (even having a 13 at 13) and it is just his 6th walk in 265 plate appearances. Strang comes through with a two run single and runners are on second and third as he takes second on the throw. Dahlen then repeats the process and the game has been broken wide open. Pfeffer finally retires Roger Bresnahan to finally end the inning, but this is now a 5-0 lead for the home team.

Neither pitchers allow any more offense until the Cubs finally waken in the 7th. Frank Schulte gets a single and steals second and moves to third with two out. Wiltse then bounces one in front of Bresnahan and this one bounces all the way to the Giants dugout. Schulte scores and finally they are on the board. Kling flies out and the inning ends.

This only fires up the Giant machine in their half as McGann gets his second hit of the day and then steals second again. Still on second with two out Strang singles scoring him, and moves to second on the throw. Eerily similar to the 3rd inning Dahlen gets an exact replica of Strangs hit and Sammy scores as the Cubs now trail 7-1. Chance has seen enough and Lundgren comes in to finish the frame. He does this, but not until walking two more men to put a big opportunity that somehow gets missed. The Giants get another scoreless inning from Wiltse and in the 8th try to really rub it in. Donlin gets another hit and McGann gets his third hit of the day and steals his third base as well. Browne strikes out and with two out Sammy Strang hits a blast deep down the line in right, Schulte is on his horse, and as he nears the corner makes a terrific diving grab in the corner to make the catch. Had he missed Strang would have had at least a triple, and maybe an inside the park homer.

The Cubs take one last shot at this in the ninth as Chance and Slagle get back to back doubles to put another run on the board, but it is not nearly enough as the Giants win 7-2.

This was a typical NY Giant game. Pitching and hitting did it all. The Cubs never had a chance. There is a definite pall in the Cub locker room as they learn about Reulbach going on the shelf again. This season is rapidly slipping away from them and they are now also looking over their shoulders as Pittsburg is rapidly closing on them!

In other news from Boston today congratulations to Tully Sparks of the Philadelphia Phillies as he collects his first career no hitter. The second for the Phillies this year, joining Bill Duggleby. The Phillies join the Cubs and White Sox as teams with more than one pitcher with a no hitter. Vic Willis of the 1901 Dodgers remains the only pitcher with 2 no hitters, and both against the Reds in a two week span. However for Tully he reigns supreme as his was my first ever PERFECT GAME. This was no gimmie though as Irv Young gave as good as he got allowing just one run on 3 hits himself. This was my 8th no hitter of the season. (kind of easy when there are this many A pitchers around)

Giants 49 14 .778
Cubs 44 20 .688

[photo credit]

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by Scott Fennessy

Chicago, IL
7/7/13

The Cubs and Pirates meet this afternoon in Game 2 of this double header. The Cubs have won two of the first three games, including a very tight early game today that cost them Jake Weimer’s services for 3 starts. Deacon Phillippe for the Pirates is a certified ace and very tough to beat against Ed Reulbach, who has had mixed results since coming off the DL himself.

The Pirates put the pressure from the very first pitch, which Ginger Beaumont rips down the left field line. Jimmy Slagle is over and retrieves it near the corner and a good throw to Evers at short holds Beaumont at second with his 7th double of the year. He has had a great year so far hitting .317. Tom Leach then works a walk and trouble is quickly coming with Honus Wagner at the plate; he rips a solid one hopper at Tinker, over to Evers at short, leaping over Leach with a strong throw to Chance at first for the double play. Not exactly like the poem, but the same results anyway, but Beaumont does take third. Fred Clarke now at the plate and he is having terrific year too, as well as being the most clutch hitter lately, and he delivers again taking a curveball into right field for an RBI single as the rally continues. Dave Brain who had been struggling earlier is starting to show some real pop a the plate lately hits one to deep right center and Maloney and Schulte chase it to the wall, Clarke is going to score from first base and Brain is headed towards third, but Tinkers relay throw is on the money and Brain safely retreats to second with his 8th double of the year. Bill Clancey flies to left and the inning is over 2-0 Pirates. The Cubs waste a lead off double by Maloney and a walk by Schulte with no runs scoring.

The Pirates don’t score in the second, but the Cubs close the gap in their half as Tinker hits a blooper just over Brain’s head into left, and with the hit and run on Slagle puts one through the vacated hole at second and runners are now on the corners with nobody out. Jim Casey hits a slow rolling grounder, and Wagner makes the bare handed grab and throw in one fluid motion and gets Casey at first for the out, but Tinker scores and Slagle moves to third. Billy Maloney draws a two out walk, but Evers is retired to end the threat, but the score is now 2-1 Pirates leading.

Then as usually happens when two great pitchers meet up hitting stops for a bit, and this was no different. The Pirates get a walk by Brain in the 4th, and Phillippe retires 10 straight batters as the bucs come to the plate in the 6th. Wagner leads off with a walk and steals second well ahead of Johnny Kling’s throw. Brain hits a fly to deep right field, Frank Schulte makes the catch, but has no play at home and throws it in to Tinker as the Pirates extend the lead to 3-1. Claude Ritchey draws a tough two out walk but is stranded at first. The Cubs then try to get back in this as Schulte sends a grounder that is just between Wagner and Brain and is sent on the first pitch to Frank Chance. Chance hits one to center and Beaumont makes the play but runners are on the corners with nobody out, and the hit and run on again. Clarke catches a break as Schulte stumbles on his way home and is out after a rundown, with Chance moving to second. Kling then strikes out and Tinker hits a rocket down the first base line for extra bases, but wait! Ritchey makes a great diving stop and just beats Joe to first to end the inning.

The Pirates continue to chip away at Reulbach as Beaumont gets his second hit of the day with a single to left and then steals second just ahead of Tinkers tag as Kling had made a great throw. Leach then gets his second walk of the afternoon as Reulbach is starting to show signs of fatigue. Wagner then hits a pop up that Chance makes a play on in foul territory holding both runners, but Clarke comes through again, a single to right and Beaumont scores easily, but Brain flies to Slagle in left to end the inning, but the Pirates now have a 4-1 lead in the 7th inning and it does not look good right now. The Cubs finally get to Phillippe in their half of the inning though as Slagle gets another hit, his second of the day and moves to third on Casey’s single to center. Reulbach tries to lay the bunt down and is not able to do the job, and with one out runners are still on the corners. Maloney then hits a deep fly to left center, Leach is there but is not in good position to throw, as Slagle scores and Casey moves into second. Johnny Evers then hits one up the box scoring Casey and suddenly the Cubs have cut the lead to 1 but Schulte cannot deliver and the inning is over, with the Pirates leading 4-3.

As the Cubs take the field Chance lingers near the mound and asks Reulbach if he wants to continue the game. He knows already what the answer is, and the mind game works as Reulbach is suddenly fired up and mows the buccos in order, and the Cubs come to hit in the bottom of the 8th. Chance gets a fastball right in his sweet spot and rips this one high and deep to right, Clarke is giving chase and it hits the top of the wall, Clarke makes a good throw but Chance is in with a stand up double. Kling goes down easily with his third strike out of the day. Congrats Johnny, here’s your golden sombrero. Perhaps he needs a day off as he is struggling a bit. Tinker then draws a walk and runners are on first and second. Slagle cannot lay the bund down and eventually strikes out and Jim Casey who has had one of the best turnarounds I have seen in a long time rips a double into left center. Leach gets to the ball and the throw to Wagner, the relay home for the trailing Tinker, and he slides in just under Pietz’s tag and is safe!! Cubs take the lead with a furious late inning rally. Reulbach strikes out to end the inning and Phillippe does strike out the side, but not before melting down over two innings.

Reulbach gets a perfect 9th inning for the win and the Cubs sweep the double header. They still trail the Giants by 5 ½ games but are trying to close the gap. Phillippe was solid early but collapsed at the end and perhaps Clarke should have gone to the pen, but with nobody better he stuck with his ace and unfortunately came up short. For the Cubs Chance, Slagle and Casey each had 3 games and Casey is now up to a 6 game hit streak

Giants 48 14 .774
Cubs 44 17 .721

[photo credit]

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by Scott Fennessy

The Cubs face the Pirates in game 2 of this series. The bucs have been playing well and look to close ground on the Cubs.

Sam Leever faces Mordecai Brown. Both pitchers have struggled at times, and also looked strong, so I don’t know what to expect.

Brown allows a single to Wagner in the first, and he steals second easily, but does not score. In the bottom of the frame Billy Maloney gets yet another lead off hit with a big double to right center. Still there with two out Frank Chance gets an 0-1 curveball and drops it into shallow left center for an RBI single. Chance steals second for his 32nd of the year, but no further runs score as Leever toughens up, but the score is 0-1 Cubs on top. Brown looks great in the second with a perfect inning, and with one out in their half struggling Art Hofman gets a solid single to right. He is off with the pitch, Casey swinging to protect the runner, Heinie Pietz throws to second and he is SAFE!. Casey then gets a pitch to his liking and pulls one down the left field line; it rolls to the wall and Hofman scores easily, and Casey pulls into second with a double. Leever again settles down and nothing else happens.

Both pitchers get into a rhythm and neither team scores although Wagner got a double over Frank Schulte’s head in right that very nearly left the yard in the 4th, and some scattered singles for both pitchers until the Cubs bat in the 8th inning still leading 2-0. Johnny Kling hits a one hop smash that eats up Claude Ritchey at second and “Noisy” reaches safely on the error. Tinker works Leever hard and eventually takes one for the team, getting hit in the shoulder with a fastball on a 2-2 pitch that got away. The trainer checks him out, and he will be fine. Both runners advance on Hofman’s grounder to Ritchey and Jim Casey hits Leever’s first pitch deep down the line in left, going , going, FOUL BALL, just outside the pole!! He then gets another pitch and hits it to deep center, and Ginger Beaumont awaits, makes the catch in fairly deep territory. The throw is late, and Kling scores the run. Brown then strikes out to end the inning. Brown then gets the Pirates in the 9th and the Cubs get a much needed win 3-0 final.

For the Pirates, they really did not do much although Honus Wagner did go 2 for 4 with a double and a steal. He now has a 6 game hit streak. Sam Leever did pitch well, but as he tired late he got a bit wild hitting two batters and walking one. He only allowed 7 hits in the loss scattered over 8 innings. At the plate he was robbed twice by Frank Schulte on solidly hit balls.

Brown pitched yet another beauty allowing just 3 hits today walking 2 and striking out 3 in route to his 4th shutout of the year and his 11th win of the year. Jimmy Slagle continues to hit well with two more hits and a walk, and now has a 5 game hit streak, and Jim Casey had his hit streak also reach 5 games. Art Hofman went 2 for 3 and while it is hard for me to bench a guy who has finally started to hit well, he is still only hitting .214 while Slagle is raking at a .298 mark. Johnny Evers returns tomorrow and I am hoping this provides the spark needed to try and catch the red hot Giants.

Giants 47 14 .770
Cubs 42 17 .712

[photo credit]

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by Scott Fennessy

The Cubs face the redbirds in game two of today’s twin bill. The Cubs crushed their archrivals 18-4 in the opener, and there was plenty of bad blood coming into the late afternoon game. Mordecai Brown faces Jake Thielman

The Cubs seem to have found their bats again as Maloney leads off the game with a walk and runners were on second and third after Jimmy Slagle singled and stole second. Frank Schulte then crushed one into the right field corner for his 9th triple of the year scoring both runners. Kling pushed Schulte home with a sac fly to end their half 3-0 Cubs.

The Cardinals however have a different plan for game two. John Dunleavy gets a single to start things and steals second. Danny Shay who had 3 errors in the first game hits a shot over the bag at first, but Frank Chance makes a beautiful diving stop, then races to the bag and gets Shay while Dunleavy moves to third. Pepper Clark then gets a sac fly to deep center to score the run. The inning ends with the Cubs on top 3-1.

No more scoring until the third when Slagle singles and moves to second on a grounder. Chance then singles scoring Slagle, and moving to second on the throw home. Chance then moves to third on a wild pitch by Thielman and he scores on another sac fly by Kling, and the cards come to bat trailing by two. Harry Arndt single to start the inning and is there with one out when Art Hoelskoetter hits a grounder to Tinker at second. The throw to Hofman at short gets Arndt but Hoelskoetter beats the throw. Thielman then gets an infield single and runners are on first and second with two out. Dunleavy then gets a swinging bunt that Casey waits to see if it will roll foul. It does not and now the bases are loaded for the dangerous Pepper Clarke. It’s a great at bat as Clarke makes Brown work hard, and finally Brown makes a mistake and Clarke crushes this this one as Maloney can only watch as Clarke hits his fifth homer of the year and his first career grand slam. The inning ends with the cards suddenly on top 8-5 and Brown is chased from the game.

Things calm down and nothing happens until the 7th when the Cubs make their charge. Pinch hitter Jack McCarthy draws a walk. Moving to second on a grounder Slagle singles up the middle and McCarthy scores. Chappie McFarland in in relief and he ends the inning with no further scoring. But the Cardinals want more and get it in the bottom of the frame. Bob Wicker in for Briggs and he gets two quick outs, but Chance boots a ball allowing Jake Beckley to reach base. Hoelskoetter then gets his first extra base hit of the year scoring Beckley, McFarland is not a bad hitter so he stays in and he then rips another double scoring Hoelskoetter. Dunleavy walks to set up the force and Wicker gets out of the inning, but the Cubs trail 10-6. High drama in the 9th as Casey gets his second double of the game to lead the inning off and pinch hitter Hans Loebert comes to the plate. He then slips a single just past Arndt, and Casey scores and Loebert takes second on the throw!. Billy Maloney then gets another single, and Loebert scores from second and now the lead is cut to two. Unfortunately McFarland hangs on and gets the save as the Cardinals win 10-8.

The Cubs offense looked good again and it was nice to see Jim Casey get his first multi extra base hit game of the year. Slagle looks to be staying in the lineup when Evers comes off the DL next week. Unfortunately for Mordecai Brown he has been his own worst enemy as gave up his 6th homer of the year.

The Cardinals took advantage of pitching wildness drawing 3 walks and they put pressure on them every inning. They have played better lately and the beat down in game one may have woke them up at last.

Giants 44 13 .772
Cubs 40 16 .714

[photo credit]

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by Scott Fennessy

The Cubs are back on the road to St. Louis after a demoralizing series loss at home against the Reds. The Cubs face the Redbirds in a double header today. Game 1 features Ed Reulbach against John Taylor

The Cubs come out fired up for this one. Billy Maloney takes Taylor’s first pitch into centerfield for a single. He then steals second easily. Jimmy Slagle draws a walk and runners are on first and second. They are still there with one out. Frank chance hits a hard shot that bounces of Art Hoelskoetter’s chest at third. He tries to grab the ball but can’t get a handle on it and the bases are loaded. E-6. Hoelskoetter has been given the job at third as the Cardinals have made some major lineup changes lately and it does not look good so far. Johnny Kling drops a soft single to left center and Maloney scores the first run of the game. Joe Tinker then hits another hard shot at Hoelskoetter, he gets this one cleanly, fires over to Billy Arndt at second, who leaps over Kling’s takeout slide toss to first and the Cards turn a nifty double play to end the inning. New starting shortstop Danny Shay rips a one out double in the bottom of the first, but they fail to score and the inning ends 1-0 Cubs.

The Cubs continue to attack as Jim Casey gets to first on an error by Shay, and is on second with two out when Maloney who has come on strong lately rips one into the left center gap. Casey scores and Billy is on second with a double. Slagle then hits a bullet just over Beckley at first and Maloney scores. Schulte whiffs to end the inning however, but the Cubs lead 3-0 now. The cards come up empty in their half.

The offense is looking good for the first time in a while as Chance hits one over John Dunleavy’s head and he gets a double to start the action. He then steals third and just beat’s Grady’s throw to third, and is still there with two out. Art Hofman draws a walk and the hit and run is on. Casey hits one to center scoring Chance easily. Hofman to third and runners on the corners. Taylor then uncorks a wild pitch scoring Hofman and Casey to second. But Reulbach pops up to end the inning 4-0 Cubs. The Cardinals go down 1-2-3.

The Cubs are clearly not taking it easy at this point as Maloney leads off with a single and steals second again. One out later Frank Schulte hits one to right scoring Maloney, and moves to second on Chance’s ground out. Kling then hits a single to left scoring Schulte and The redbirds skipper has seen enough. Jim McDougal in to get the final out this inning. The normally dependable Taylor only goes 3.2 innings. The cards try to get back in their half of the inning as Smoot hits an easy play to Maloney in center but somehow he manages to drop the ball for an error. Grady then strokes a single to right and Smoot scores all the way from first. One out later Jake Beckley hits a grounder in the hole scoring Smoot and the cardinals score again. The inning ends 6-2 Cubs leading.

The Cubs keep the foot on the gas as Casey gets his second hit of the tame with a single to left and Pepper Clarke misses the cutoff man and the ball sails out of play and Casey is awarded second on the error. Reulbach hits a single putting Casey on third and Maloney hits a ball to deep left center and Casey scores easily. Slagle strikes out to end the inning but the Cubs are on top 7-2. The birds are not done yet though as pinch hitter George McBride (who is one of several that just lost their starting job) hits a solid single to center and steals second easily. Two out later Clarke hits a single scoring McBride. Homer Smoot then singles putting runners on the corner and Grady hits a single to right scoring Clarke, Smoot heads towards third, Schulte’s throw to Tinker, and the relay to Casey at third and hes OUT. Inning over 7-4 Cubs and this is getting pretty wild.

The Cubs score in their 6th straight inning as Aloysius Egan comes in. Schulte and Chance get back to back singles and are on second and third with two out when Tinker hits one at Arndt and he boots it. Schulte scores but Chance holds at third. Two out and runners on second and third when Casey gets another single scoring Chance, Clarke makes a great throw and Tinker holds at third. Reulbach strikes out to end the inning but will take the hill with a 9-4 lead.

The action finally calms down and we find the Cubs at bat in the 8th and Win Kellum is in relief. Tinker leads off with a walk and that’s not good. Hofman gets his first hit of the day and runners are on the corners, and stay that way with 1 out when Reulbach gets his second hit of the game scoring Tinker. Maloney gets hit by Kellum and there is some bad blood in the air now as the cards feel the Cubs are rubbing their nose in it. Slagle then hits one at the normally sure handed Beckley at first and he boots this one and now the bases are loaded. That won’t last long though as Schulte rips one into the gap scoring two more runs. Chance strikes out but Kling keeps the inning going with a single scoring two more runs and the Cubs have batted around. Tinker is up again and gets a single and runners are on the corners. Hofman then gets his second single of the inning scoring Kling, and the parade continues. Casey now facing reliever Chappie McFarland who has just been demoted to the bullpen hits one at Shay and he boots this one for his second error of the game and two more runs are in. Reulbach then get his third hit of the day and scores yet another run. Mercifully Maloney flies out to end the inning as the Cubs score 9 and have a 17-4 lead.

The Cubs then squeeze out another run on a Chance single follow by Shortstop Shay’s third error and the 7th for the game. A new record (unfortunately) The Cards go down 1-2-3 in the 9th and the Cubs get an 18-4 win.

For the Cardinals it looked like the new lineup did better, but this was a game they never had a chance on.

For the Cubs, it was a much needed win. Billy Maloney had 4 hits, 2 RBI, 4 Runs scored and 4 steals. Schulte, Chance, Kling, Casey and Reulbach all had 3 hits each.

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by Scott Fennessy

Chicago, IL
7/1/1905

Well the month of July has finally arrived. The Cubs start the month mired in their worst stretch of this year, combined with the Giants brutalization on the bottom feeders of the league they find themselves in second place 2 ½ games behind. As Orval Overall and Jake Weimer get ready to face each other the fans are expecting a big pitcher’s duel. The skies are dark and ominous.

Both pitchers get 1-2-3 innings to start, as the rain begins to sprinkle in the first. The umpires let this one continue into the second when shortstop Shad Berry subbing for the slumping Tom Corcoran gets a one out single. Gabby Street is in for the equally struggling George Schlei behind the plate. Gabby has only seen the field one time this year so he is obviously excited. The hit and run is on, Tinker over for the expected throw, but Street makes good contact and it’s into right field and runners on the corners as the rain really is starting to come down now. Overall steps to the plate, but what’s this? The umpires have decided this game will have to be played another day as the downpour ensues and this one is over.

Well this would not be much of an update if I just left things at that would it? What I do in rainouts that are not past the 5th inning is I play the game on the same day scheduled, but I take the first pitcher not in the rotation and they get the scratch start. So for the Reds Tom Walker goes and for the Cubs it’s Carl Lundgren.

Both pitchers look good through two innings and the Cubs new look lineup is not looking very strong against the Reds grade C starter. I am worried as the Reds have been playing well and sure enough as the Reds subs get things going to start the third. Street gets a solid single to left. Pitcher Walker fails to lay the bunt down, so he gets a 0-2 fastball (I bet manager Chance was pretty unhappy) and walker delivers and runners are on the corners as Hofman cuts the throw at second. Secondbaseman Al Bridwell who has been great off the bench has been given a chance to start in this series and he plates the first run of the day with a solid single up the middle. Billy Maloney is over quickly and Walker holds at second. Fritz Odwell pops to Casey at third and runners on first and second with one out. Jim Seymour who has been on a small roll lately hits a one hop bullet right at Chance at first, over to Hofman at second, the relay to Chance back at first and DOUBLE PLAY. Inning over with just one run allowed for Lundgren.

Nothing happens until the bottom of the 4th, with Walker still tossing the no hitter Jimmy Slagle gets the leadoff walk. (Hofman better be careful as Slagle has played well this year and may just take his job soon). Frank Schulte hits a grounder moving him to second and Frank Chance delivers. A solid single up the middle. Chance takes second on the throw home. Johnny Kling who has been moved up to the 5 spot then puts another single to right center and Sebring throws home, Chance slides in as Street tries to block the plate, but Chance slides into the 5 hole and scores the lead run!!. Tinker then gets another single, Kling moving to third and Walker’s on the ropes. Unfortunately Hofman and Casey let him off the hook, but the Cubs take a 2-1 lead.

The Reds prove their toughness again as they come storming right back in the 5th with Barry getting the leadoff walk. Shad’s playing for the starting role and is starting to look to have it. Street delivers on the hit and run again, and runners on the corners and nobody out. Chance and Kling take a trip to the mound and try and sort this mess out. Unfortunately it does not work as Bridwell gets a single to right. Barry scores, Street just beats Tinker’s relay throw and runners still on the corners. The hit and run is on, and Bridwell gets a great jump. Odwell puts a charge into this and Schulte is near the track….. and he makes the catch. Bridwell hustles back to first, but Walker tags and scores another for cincy. That was close as Odwell leads the majors in home runs this year. Lundgren gets out of the inning, but the Reds retake the lead 4-2.

We move to the bottom of the 6th, and one out. Walker tries to fool Kling with a changeup, and while he was fooled, he was sitting on a curveball so he held back and he gets all of this one. Home run number 4 on the year for him and the lead is cut to one. Lundgren finally gets going and the Cubs waste a bases loaded inning in the 7th. The Cubs have had Walker all day but cannot finish him off, as Kling leads off the 7th with a single to right. Moving to second on Tinker’s hit and run grounder he moves to third on Hofman’s sac fly. Jim Casey then ties the game with a grounder between Bridwell and Kelley on the right side. Both teams come up short and we go to extra innings!

Both pitchers get their second wind and nothing happens until the 12th. Street gets a one out single. His third of the day. Moving to second on a ground out Bridwell comes up with his third hit of the day and the Reds have the potential winning run across the plate Chance goes to the mound to stall for time but Bob Wicker is not ready so Chance elects to leave a tired Lundgren on the hill. Odwell gets a fastball and crushes it to left center for his 9th of the year and this was a no doubter. Wicker finally is ready and gets the third out after all the horses have left the barn.

Walker convinces the manager to let him go for the win and it looks like the Cubs are back in this as Schulte gets a leadoff single and moves to third on Chance’s second hit of the day. Chance steals second. Tinker gets a run across on a grounder, but Hofman hits a fly to left and Odwell pulls it in for the big win. The Reds win 7-5.

For the Reds the bench came up big today, going a combined 7 for 14 with 3 RBI. Walker should have lost, but sometimes you play bad and win. Lundgren did not do bad, and actually had retired 9 straight batters leading to Street’s one out single that started the fatal rally.

For the Cubs, the hits were there, but Walker simply ground this one out. Kling continues to rake and 4 hitters each had 2 hits, but they just could not bunch them together enough. Making this loss even worse, is that word in from Brooklyn, where the Giants beat the Dodgers 6-2. This is the first time in 5 games they failed to reach double digits.

Giants 44 13 .772
Cubs 39 15 .722

[photo credit]

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