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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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FENWAY'S FIRST TEAM July 23, 1912 ... The Red Sox were forced to play to the best of their ability in order to take a game from Cleveland, although the score of 6 to 3 might indicate that the home team had smooth sailing. There was a strong wind blowing which affected the fielding considerably throughout the game. Fred Blanding pitched a good game and fielded his position perfectly as did Joe Wood. Cleveland made one run in the first inning on a pass and two singles, and then a doubleplay by Heinie Wagner and Jake Stahl put the visitors out from making more trouble. The Sox tied the score in the second on Larry Gardner's single, his steal of second, a wild throw by Steve O'Neill and a fumble by Terry Turner. They then took the lead in the third inning, with Joe Wood scoring on a triple and Steve Yerkes' sacrifice fly to left-field, to make it 2 to 1. Boston scored two more runs in the sixth. A miscue by Art Griggs started the trouble, and then with two down, Gardner and Stahl hit the ball to the centerfield bleachers for triples. The Naps pulled closer when they made the score 4 to 2, with one run across in the seventh inning and the Red Sox got off very lucky. With the bases full and two outs, mighty Joe Jackson came to bat. A hit would mean a tie score and a long drive, the sort that Jackson is in the habit of producing at the right moments, would probably be the game. In this inning, Buddy Ryan was at third and seeing that Wood was taking a long time, he edged up until he had a fine lead and shot of the plate. It was plain he had the ball beaten, but Cady was alert and went to meet the ball, taking it before it had reached the batter, and therefore being ruled interference. The ball was knocked out of Cady's hands, but the umpire was forced to give the batter first base and send Ryan back to third. Wood then hit the next man and placed the game in the hands of Joe Jackson. Wood cut the ball into the plate and Jackson sent it like a rifle shot to Gardner, who to the surprise of all the, came up with the ball, which hit the ground two feet in front of him and ran to the base for the force out. Then with George Kahler pitching, the Speed Boys scored two more runs in the same inning on Hick Cady's double, Harry Hooper's single, a double by Steve Yerkes and a single by Duffy Lewis, making it 6 to 2. The Red Sox were keeping a close tab on the scoreboard, showing results of the game in Washington and when the game ended here, the Nationals were in the lead. So was not until they return home, that they learned the Tigers had stuck their fangs into Washington and put the Red Sox eight games to the good. |
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