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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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FENWAY'S FIRST TEAM May 10, 1912 ... The Tigers took a thriller from the Red Sox when Sam Crawford hit a home run with two men on base in the top of the ninth. The third game of the series went to the Detroit Tigers by a score of 6 to 5. Unfortunately, fielding or lack of fielding by the Red Sox caused the downfall of pitcher Buck O'Brien, who with proper support would have held the Tigers to two runs or fewer. The grounds and the sun were also instrumental in Buck's demise. Up to last inning his work was exceptional, as he navigated his team out of several bad situations. Ed Willett, who pitched for the Tigers, was wild but effective. A single by O'Brien, sending in the tying run, was the only hit made off him for six innings. Clyde Engle was responsible for the two first inning runs, made by the Tigers, by fumbling two ground balls. Donie Bush opened the game for the Tigers with a ground ball that Engle fumbled. Oscar Vitt rolled one down to Engle, and he too got a gift on a error. O'Brien then walked Ty Cobb to fill the bases, and Sam Crawford smashed one to center to score two runs. Down 2 to 0, the Red Sox had an up hill fight, but came back with one run in their half of the first inning. Harry Hooper drew a pass, but was forced by Engle. Hugh Bradley was hit by a pitched ball and Larry Gardner walked to fill the bases. Willet then passed Duffy Lewis, to force across a run. In the fourth, with one man out Heinie Wagner walked, then Bill Carrigan reached first on Paddy Baumann's wild throw, that let Wagner get around to third base, where he scored on O'Brien's base hit to tie up the game at 2 to 2. Both teams went down for the next two innings, but in the top of the seventh, Bush lined a base hit to right that got by Hooper on a bad bounce, allowing him to get the third. Vitt then singled him in, to give the Tigers a 3 to 1 lead. But the Red Sox came back in their half of the seventh inning when Hooper walked, Engle singled and Speaker brought in Hooper with a base hit, to tie up the game once again. That brought it into the ninth-inning with the score even. Bush struck out to start it for Detroit, but Vitt dropped a Texas Leaguer into right field. Cobb then hit the first ball he saw into right field also, sending Vitt to third. Crawford then smashed the ball past Cobb, who was on his way to second. The ball skidded along the ground and passed a few yards to Hooper's right. The drive was good for a home run and the Tigers were three runs up on the Red Sox. The Red Sox gave it a great try and the bottom of the ninth but fell short. Engle walked, Speaker singled, Gardner laced a double to right to score both the base runners, but then Duffy Lewis rolled one down the first to end the game. |
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