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BILL JAMES |
THE 1914 "MIRACLE" BRAVES
Bill James duels Rube Benton and shuts out Cincinnati
July 17, 1914
... In a brilliant pitching duel between Bill James
and Rube Benton, the Braves won out by a close 1 to 0 score. James
allowed just four hits and was never in trouble. With the exception
of one inning, the eighth, when two lucky hits gave the Reds a chance
to tie the score, James iron nerve forced the batters to hit right at
his fielders. Benton gave up six hits, three of
which were bunched together and resulted in the winning run for Boston. In the
third inning, Benton lost his bearings, but a little carelessness on the bases
spoiled what seemed to be a good chance to score. After Leslie Mann had been set
down on a fly ball to Herbie Moran, Hank Gowdy walked. He was sacrificed to
second by James and Devore also was walked. Benton then uncorked a wild pitch on
which Gowdy raced to third. With Evers at bat, Devore took too big a lead off
first and Rube's quick throw over to Fritz Mollwitz got him.
In the fourth inning Johnny Evers singled but was forced by
Joe Connolly, whose attempt to sacrifice, didn't work. Rabbit Maranville beat
out a slow grounder down to first and Butch Schmidt knocked out a single to
score Connolly with the one and only run of the game. The Reds got a man is far
as third in that inning on an error, but there was no damage done. With two
down, George Twombly hit a ball that got by Mann in center field. Twombly made
it to third where he died.
Gowdy singled in the fifth inning but never got beyond first
base. Evers started the sixth with a clean single, but the next batters were
laid out on infield plays. A double play choked off a small rally in the seventh
as Charlie Deal hit to short and was safe on Buck Herzog's low throw. After Mann
flied out, Gowdy beat out a grounder to Heinie Groh, who tagged Deal and threw
to first, doubling up Gowdy.
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RUBE BENTON |
In the eighth, Benton walked Evers and Connolly, after two
batters had been disposed of. Maranville then sent a drive out to centerfield
which had all the earmarks of extra bases, but Maury Uhler tracked it down for
the out.
In the eighth-inning Doc Miller was sent in as a pinch-hitter
for Cincinnati and made good with a single. After Tex Erwin's pop out to
Maranville, Marty Berghammer was sent in to bat for Benton. Harry LaRoss, who
was sent in as a pinch runner for Miller, stole second base and took third on
Gowdy's poor throw which went into the outfield. However he was thrown out at
the plate on Berghammer's ground ball down to Maranville. Berghammer was thrown
out stealing to end the threat.
James got the Reds in the ninth inning to complete his 1 to 0
shutout.
Manager Stallings said that he was very pleased with the
condition of his team and with the exception of Johnny Evers, who was spiked on
the shin in the first St. Louis game, everyone is healthy and ready to go. He
believes that his team is fighting for every game and they will start moving
upward. He feels that his squad is too good to remain in last place. |
