|
 |
|
HUGHIE JENNINGS |
FENWAY'S FIRST TEAM
A Tigers' 9th inning rally is held off as Sox win
May 7, 1912
...
The battle scarred Detroit Tigers played their first game at the new Boston
ballpark and were nosed out by the Red Sox 5 to 4. The weather was cold
and raw, but the infield was dry and the outfield, though wet, was not in
poor shape after the heavy rain. With George Mullin and Joe Wood on the
firing line, the fans sat back, feeling certain they'd see a good scrappy game
and indeed it was up to the last man was out. Joe Wood was hit rather easily,
with Jim Delehanty and Oscar Stanage, each turning in three base hits. Wood was
not depending on his speed, but rather enjoyed mixing up his pitches, however he
refused to hand out a free pass.
Mullin also pitched a good game up until the sixth inning, when with the
Tigers in the lead by a score of 2 to 1, he passed the first two men up, Engle
and Speaker. He worked Tris Speaker, the second man to a 3-2 count and then lost
him. Bradley tried to sacrifice, but the ball slipped out of Mullin's hand and
the bases were full. Larry Gardner then grounded one that forced a man at
second, scoring Engle. Duffy Lewis next, flew one out to centerfield that scored
Speaker. Wagner doubled to score Gardner. Finally, Carrigan singled and went to
second on Donie Bush's wild throw, that scored Wagner. That accounted for four
Boston runs and a 5 to 2 lead.
The Red Sox got out of the jam in the seventh, when the first three Tigers,
Patty Baumann, Stanage, and Mullin all singled. Then Wood cut loose and the next
three men went down, while one run crossed the plate, making it 5 to 3.
But manager Hughie Jennings never gave up and his men made a stubborn stand
in the ninth. With one out, Stanage reached on a base hit. Hank Perry was sent
in as a pinch-hitter. He is considered a slugger, but in his first introduction
to Joe Wood, he looked like a runaway windmill, missing on three fastballs. Bush
got a scratch single and Davy Jones was sent in to bat for Ossie Vitt. A pitch
got by Carrigan and both runners were off. Carrigan paid no attention to the man
going to third, but in trying to nip Bush going to second, allowed the runner on
third to score. Manager Jennings then called on Davy Jones to somehow get on
base because Ty Cobb would be next at the plate. But Wood was steady, and threw
a great curveball that Jones was only able a pop up to Gardner and that was the
game. |
.jpg)
