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JOE WOOD |
WORLD CHAMPS AGAIN
Joe Wood gets hit but pitches
a nice game,
as the Sox beat
the Yanks in 18 innings
June 1, 1915
...
The Red Sox put up
three runs in the first three innings easily, but they struggled to
get the winning run in for twelve more innings, eventually winning
the game, 4 to 3. The Yankees tied up the game in the fourth
inning, and the struggle continued until the street lights were
coming on.
There was brilliant
fielding on both sides of the diamond. The Yankees pulled off three
clutch double plays when it looked like the Red Sox would jump out
into the lead.
The ones who
shouldered the hard part of the afternoon's battle, were pitchers Joe
Wood and Ray Keating. Wood was hit more than Keating, but he
found a way to reach down and throw tough pitches when he needed to.
He looked stronger as the game moved on and probably could have
pitched until midnight. The Red Sox started the game by
getting two quick runs on Harry Hooper's double and Roy Hartzell's muff of Tris
Speaker's fly ball. The Yankees countered in their half of the inning and tied
up the game. Then in the Red Sox third inning they took the lead on singles by
Hooper and Lewis, followed by a sacrifice by Heinie Wagner. But the Yankees tied
the score again in the fourth on Wally Pipp's base hit and Wagner's bobble of a
ground ball.
Then began the tustle that lasted another nine innings. Keating pitched great
ball because the Sox had a chance to score in every inning from the 3rd to the
18th and failed.
Joe Wood pitched with deliberation and exasperated the Yankee fans who
proceeded to try and rattle him at every point during the game. Without paying
the slightest attention to his critics, Joe would get the ball back from the
catcher, walk the few paces back to the mound, and deliver the ball effectively
to get the Yankee batters. The Red Sox were playing like a well oiled machine.
Whenever a ball was hit to center, Wood with turn around and walk back to the
mound without even looking, as he knew Speaker would get whatever was hit out to
him.
Keating was his
equal until the 13th inning. He walked Tris Speaker, who stole
second and made it to third base on a ground out by Duffy Lewis.
Dick Hoblitzell then came through with the clutch hit to finally give
the Red Sox the lead. With two outs in the bottom of the 13th,
Wood gave up a hit to Luke Boone, but Pinch Thomas threw him out with
a strike to Heinie Wagner, as he unsuccessfully tried to steal
second, thus ending the game. |
