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BABE RUTH |
THE LAST ONE FOR 86 YEARS
Babe's fourth homer, in four days, goes to waste
June 5, 1918 ...
Up on their toes and battling desperately for every inch, the Cleveland Indians today defeated the Boston Red Sox 5 to 4 in 10 innings. Each team took a turn at settling the game, while twice the score was tied.
The principal reason game was not won by the Indians in nine innings was that Johnny Enzmann apparently had the desire to strikeout Babe Ruth. Prior to the game Enzmann had received instructions on how to pitch to the powerful slugger. The first two times Ruth faced him he
obeyed the instructions and Ruth was turned back, but the third time, Ruth refused to go after Enzmann's pitches and the Indians pitcher started to throw nearer where Ruth wanted them. Enzmann shot one in Ruth's favorite spot and all the Babe did, was lift it high over the right field screen for a home run, placing Boston
in the lead 3 to 1.
The margin was cut down to 3-2 in the same inning by a brief but well executed attack by Sam Chapman, Tris Speaker and Bill Wambsganss. Secondbaseman Dave Sheen of the Red Sox dropped an easy pop fly in the seventh that permitted Cleveland to tie the game.
Johnny Enzmann pitched an excellent game prior to the ninth inning when the Red Sox filled the bases with none out. Jim Bagby was then called from the bullpen to avert a disaster.
In the 10th inning, after Wambsganss had been thrown out, Braggo Roth singled to left. He stole second and went to third on catcher, Wally Schang's bad throw. Joe Wood was passed, and Eddie Miller walked, filling the bases. Joe Bush threw a high pitch to Terry
Turner and the veteran tried to bunt, but failed. Schang threw to third in an effort to catch Roth, and his second bad throw of the inning bounced off Roth into the Boston bench, allowing him to cross the plate with the winning run. |
