Chicago Cubs 1905 replay update: the slide downward continues for the Cubs

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]