The fifth set of 4-game series starts today, with the premiere match up featuring New York and St. Louis, tied for first place.
Detroit blanked Newark 5-0 in its first road game of the season. Newark finally cooled off. Pete Alexander threw a complete game 4-hitter, Ralph Kiner blasted his league leading 8th home run, Double Duty Radcliffe had 3 hits, and Dewey Creacy added 2 hits.
Birmingham also won its first road game, crushing Pittsburgh 13-3. After spotting Pittsburgh a 2 run lead in the first inning, Birmingham dominated from that point on even though they only outhit Pittsburgh 13-12. Josh Gibson homered twice, and he and Babe Ruth went back-to-back for the first time in the 4th inning. Babe Ruth also stole a base. Neil Robinson and Spoony Palm each had 2 hits in the loss for Pittsburgh.
St. Louis started winless Christy Matthewson against New York’s ERA leader Ed Walsh, so a New York win was expected. Matthewson only gave up 1 unearned run, and St. Louis took a 2-1 lead into the 9th inning. Then Dennis Eckersley walked Harry Heilmann and gave up a 2-run bomb to Eddie Murray to blow the save and give New York a 3-2 win. Bonnie Serrell singled in New York’s other run in the fifth inning.
Kansas City took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 7th inning, but lost to Washington 5-2. Frank Duncan delivered the key blow in the bottom of the 7th with a 2-run single. Duncan, who had 2 hits, would later score on Hughie Jennings single. Ray Dandridge added 2 hits in the victory. Ghost Marcelle had 2 hits for Kansas City.
Today’s Player Focus post is on catcher Frank Duncan, a great with the Kansas City Monarchs who also went on to manage the Monarchs to a World Series title.
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Results
DSG 5 at NWK 0
BIR 13 at PCG 3
NYC 3 at STL 2
KMG 2 at WHG 5
Summaries
DETROIT AT NEWARK
Stars........... 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 1 - 5 13 0 Eagles.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 4 1 Win:Alexander(4-1) Loss:Johnson(2-3) Homeruns- R.Kiner(8th)
Pete Alexander blanked Newark in a very well-pitched complete game at the ballpark where the Detroit Stars beat the Newark Eagles by the score of 5 to 0.
Alexander(4-1) gave Detroit a solid outing. He surrendered only 4 hits and 4 walks in 9 innings lowering his ERA from 3.55 to 2.79. Detroit finished with 13 hits in the victory.
Walter Johnson(2-3) suffered the loss. He allowed a few too many baserunners giving up 13 hits and 2 walks in 9 innings.
BIRMINGHAM AT PITTSBURGH
Black Barons.... 0 1 5 4 0 2 0 1 0 - 13 13 1 Crawfords....... 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 3 12 2 Win:Rusie(3-0) Loss:Maddux(2-2) Homeruns- B.Ruth(2nd), J.Gibson-2(3rd), R.Yount(2nd)
Amos Rusie tossed a complete game and Babe Ruth lofted one into the ‘cheap seats’ and had 5 RBI as the Birmingham Black Barons smashed the overmatched Pittsburgh Crawfords, 13 to 3.
Ruth had a big day against Pittsburgh. He stroked a one-base hit bringing home two baserunners in the 3rd inning, smacked a three-run homer in the 4th inning and lined a base-hit in the 6th inning. Birmingham rapped out 13 hits for the afternoon.
Rusie(3-0) was the winner allowing 3 runs for the game. Greg Maddux(2-2) was tagged with the loss. He was touched for 5 hits and 2 walks in 2 and 1/3 innings.
‘I felt great out there today’ Ruth said. ‘I was seeing the ball perfectly, and I was right on it with my swing.
NEW YORK AT ST. LOUIS
Black Yankees... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 - 3 7 1 Stars........... 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 2 1 Win:Walsh(4-0) Loss:Eckersley(0-1) Save:Fingers(6th) Homeruns- E.Murray(3rd)
Ed Walsh came through with a solid 8 innings and Harry Heilmann had 2 base hits at the ballpark as the New York Black Yankees came back dramatically to top the St. Louis Stars by the score of 3 to 2.
New York came through with the game-winning runs in the 9th inning scoring 2 runs. Heilmann led off the inning for New York when he drew a walk. Eddie Murray stepped up next and he cleared the fences for a two-run home run. Overall New York out-hit St. Louis 7 to 2.
Walsh(4-0) got credit for the victory, pitching 8 innings and allowing 2 runs. Rollie Fingers preserved the game for Walsh, recording his his 6th save. Dennis Eckersley(0-1) was the losing pitcher in relief.
Eckersley was feeling apologetic in the locker room, ‘I sure let that one get away. What a miserable feeling to let the guys down; and our fans. One minute things are looking great, then. BOOM, it’s over with! I just hope I get a chance to redeem myself real soon!’
KANSAS CITY AT WASHINGTON
Monarchs........ 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 - 2 8 1 Homestead Grays. 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 - 5 11 0 Win:Joss(1-0) Loss:Feller(1-3) Homeruns- J.Mize(3rd)
Catcher Frank Duncan had 2 base hits and 2 RBI as the Washington Homestead Grays defeated the ice-cold Kansas City Monarchs 5 to 2 at Griffith Stadium.
Addie Joss(1-0) won the game with a masterful relief performance. No one was able to reach base in his 2 and 1/3 innings. The teams had been locked in a scoreless duel until the 6th inning.
Bob Feller(1-3) ended up with the loss. He pitched 6 and 1/3 innings and surrendered 8 hits and 2 walks.