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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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FENWAY'S FIRST TEAM June 4, 1912 ... The Naps made it three out of four, as they again defeated the Sox 5-1, bumping Hugh Bedient for five hits in the fourth inning, resulting in four runs. That Boston did not win was due in large respect to Vean Gregg who pitched one of his best games. Although the Sox got nine hits off him, he would have pitched a shutout if Bill Carrigan, pinch-hitting for Les Nunamaker with Heinie Wagner on first, knocked out a double to score the Red Sox only run. He struck out every member of the Red Sox except Steve Yerkes and Tris Speaker. In addition to his fine pitching, Gregg knocked out two hits to help his cause as a sent two runs across the plate. Vean Gregg allowed nine hits, but also struck out 11 for Cleveland. Bedient pitched a good game until the fourth inning when Joe Jackson hit one to the flag pole in center for a home run. The next three men got base hits and young Red Sox pitcher was taken out in favor of Eddie Cicotte. The Red Sox started after Gregg as though they meant to drive him out to cover but he crawled out of the small hole that he had created. Clyde Engle, who was substituting for Harry Hooper, grounded one to Neil Ball for the first out, but Steve Yerkes and Tris Speaker both singled. After Duffy Lewis fanned, Larry Gardner was walked to fill the bases. Jake Stahl hit a hard grounder that got him at first by just an eyelash to end the threat in the first inning. Cleveland did better in their half of the inning Jack Graney walked and Joe Jackson hit one down to Jake Stahl that he fumbled, allowing Jackson to get the first and Graney to take third on the error. Lajoie brought him home with a sacrifice fly for the home team's first run. Both teams had mild threats in the second and third innings but in the fourth inning Cleveland interrupted for four runs. Jackson was up first and caught one of Bedient's fastball squarely and the ball sailed far out over Tris Speaker's head in center field, rolling all the way to the flagpole. Speaker made a great run for the ball as it just sailed over his glove. Lajoie followed with a single to left and Birmingham, failing to sacrifice, also knocked out a single. Peckinpaugh came up next and also tried to sacrifice, but finally gave up with two strikes and he too got a base hit. Now with the bases full, manager Stahl decided to bring in Cicotte. The first batter he faced was Neil Ball, who sacrificed perfectly to score Lajoie. Steve O'Neill fanned, but right after him Gregg came through with his second hit of the game that brought in two runs. Peckinpaugh got by Nunamaker on a pretty duck and slide to avoid the tag at home. The Red Sox got one back in the seventh when Wagner singled and Carrigan doubled. Gregg then fanned both Engle and Cicotte to get out of the jam. In the ninth-inning Stahl and Carrigan were both victims of the strikeout and Wagner grounded out to Ball to end the game and give Vean Gregg a nice 5 to 1 victory. Tris Speaker was 3-4 in the losing effort. It was “Lajoie Day” and the fans presented Larry with an immense horseshoe containing 1000 silver dollars ($100 for each of his 10 years in Cleveland). The celebration took place just before the game. |
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