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DUTCH LEONARD |
THE BABE
ARRIVES ...
Dutch Leonard pitches a sharp game against NY
May 8, 1914 ... Playing under extreme difficult conditions at Fenway Park today, the Red Sox dashed over the line by a score of 3 to 0 against the New York Yankees. The crowd was quite small, as the weather was cold and a
light mist was falling for half the game. Later the mist developed into a light rain and the game was finished under trying conditions especially for the infielders.
Both Ray Keating, the Yankee pitcher, and Dutch Leonard were on alert and pitched high-class ball in a sharp tight contest. Keating pitched a great game until the eighth inning when the Red Sox scored their three runs. Until that time Dutch had allowed New York only two hits, both of whom
were thrown out by Bill Carrigan while trying for second base and not one Yankee baserunner reached second.
Not a run was made for seven innings by either team, and the Yankees went out in order in the top of the eighth-inning. When Boston came to bat in their half of the inning the fireworks started. Carrigan lined a beauty to center and was sacrificed to second by Dutch. Clyde Engle rolled a
slow one toward third and Fritz Maisel came in for it fast. He slipped on the wet grass and fell trying to get his man at first, throwing wild and allowing Carrigan to score the first run and Engle to take second. Harry Hooper bounced one a few yards from home plate and beat catcher, Jeff
Sweeney's throw to first. Tris Speaker scored Engle with a sharp single to center, and Larry Gardner scored Hooper with a base hit that blooped over the infield.
In the ninth-inning the Yankees threatened. Bill Reynolds came in to pinch-hit for the Yankees and Dutch sat him down with a strikeout. Maisel hit a grounder that skidded by Engle for a base hit. The next batter, Roy Hartzell, smashed the ball back at Dutch who made a great stop and threw
him out at first, allowing Maisel to get to second base. Leonard was a bit rattled, passing Jimmy Walsh, to put runners at first and second. Harry Williams then hit a grounder to the right of Steve Yerkes, that he failed to get a handle on, to load the bases. Bill Holden, who Dutch and
struck out his previous two times, was next at bat. With the help of Bill Carrigan, who held onto a foul tip, with two strikes, Dutch struck out Holden for the third time to end the game.
There were 11 strikeouts for Dutch in the game. He fanned at least one man in each inning, showing how strong he was with his control. He disposed of five men on strikes in the last three innings. Not only did he pitch a great game, but he fielded his position superbly, both in handling
bunts and in covering first base. He is one of the members of the Red Sox pitching staff who is playing splendid baseball, and he should have won all of the five games he has pitched up-to-date. While Leonard pitched his mystifying brand baseball, it meant very little work for the Red Sox
outfielders. |
