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THE 1914 "MIRACLE" BRAVES
Bill Sweeney gives the Cubs
a walk-off win
May 23, 1914 ... Former Boston Brave, Bill Sweeney, connected for a single with Heinie Zimmerman on second base and one out in the ninth-inning, to give the Chicago Cubs a walk off
victory over the Boston Braves by a score of 2 to 1. It was a game that was highlighted by a pitching duel between Dick Rudolph and Jimmy Lavender.
Outside of the second inning, Dick Rudolph hurled great ball, although he was not given clean backing. Maranville put Vic Saier on first base in the first inning and Heinie Zimmerman in the third inning, with errors. Both proceeded to steal second base, only to be marooned on the base paths.
Going into the ninth-inning with the score knotted at one apiece, Rabbit Maranville booted a ground ball by Zimmerman. After Frank Schulte sacrificed Zimmerman to second, Sweeney broke up the contest with a drive to left field. All this happened after the Braves squandered several chances to
put the game away.
In the seventh inning the Braves had a swell opportunity to pile up a commanding lead. Down 1 to 0, Lavender and Zimmerman collaborated in giving Boston a run. Connolly was passed and Gilbert sacrificed, going to second when Zimmerman threw the ball into the box seats. Lavender walked Butch
Schmidt to load the bases. Otto Hess came up to hit for Jack Martin, but he struck out. Gowdy did send a fly ball out to Tommy Leach that scored Connolly with the tie run, but Schmidt decided to steal second base with Gilbert on the bag. He obviously was doubled up to end that scoring
threat.
Wilbur Good and Zimmerman were the only other man to see first base up to the eighth-inning. Both teams got men on base in the eighth but failed to break a 1 to 1 tie. Leslie Mann singled to start the Braves half, but never past second base, while Hank Gowdy cut off Good's chance by nailing
him on an attempt to pilfer second base.
Things look good for the Braves in the ninth-inning as Joe Connolly opened up with a single and then errors by Saier and Corriden loaded the bases for Boston with only one out. Gowdy forced Connolly at the plate and then Mann bounced one back to the pitcher to end the threat.
Schulte gave the Cubs their start in the second inning by opening of with a triple down the first base line. Sweeney followed this up with a single to score the first run. This ended their scoring until the ninth-inning, for the game evolved into a pitching duel. Both Rudolph and Lavender
rolled shut out ball, although the Braves robbed themselves of a great chance to tie the game by bad base running. |
