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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE 1914 "MIRACLE" BRAVES July 19, 1914 ... The Braves were down two runs when the ninth-inning started in today's final game against the Reds. But the Reds defense broke down and allowed the Braves to come from behind and smash out a 3 to 2 victory, completing a three-game sweep of the series was Cincinnati. Manager Stallings' men left Cincinnati tonight in a great mood, as they left the cellar of the National League and moved into seventh place. The Pittsburgh Pirates were idle and the Braves are percentage points ahead of them. The contest up until the seventh inning, was a pitcher's battle between Dick Crutcher and Earl Yingling. Both men were doing such great work that the fans had settled down and expected an extra inning game, when the Reds suddenly, in the seventh inning, scored two runs on a walk and two hits. One was a double by pinch-hitter Doc Miller. With Yingling pitching superb ball, a victory for the home team now seemed assured. But the Braves, aroused by the slipup, fought harder in the ninth inning, and after a man got on, the Reds defense fell apart. Three hits and two bad errors netted three runs and the series was safely stowed away. Manager Stallings change to the lineup today, sending Ted Cather to center and Oscar Dugey to left, with Bert Whaling going behind the plate. Through six innings there was no score. Crutcher, who had been doing splendid work up until the seventh inning, faltered and the Reds broke into the lead. He walked George Twombly and Bert Niehoff's ground ball took a bad hop past Johnny Evers and went for a single. On an attempted sacrifice, Heinie Groh forced Twombly at third. Then Fritz Mollwitz sent one past Crutcher and the ball hit Groh who was going to second base and therefore out. Now with two outs, manager Herzog sent in Doc Miller to pinch-hit for Maury Uhler. Doc came through, doubled, and two runs came over. In the eighth-inning, with one out Oscar Dugey made it to second when Harry LaRoss, in center field, muffed his fly ball. Evers walked, but Cather flied out and Maranville fanned. Paul Strand took the mound in the eighth and issued one pass, but yielded no hits. When the last inning started, the Reds were up 2 to 0, and Gowdy went to bat for Schmidt, getting thrown out by Herzog. Charlie Deal came up and singled to center and went to second on Leslie Mann's out at first. Now with two men out, Bert Whaling hit one down to third which Niehoff booted, allowing Deal to score the Braves first run. Whaling took second on the throw to the plate and Josh Devore went in to run for him. Strand came to the plate and doubled him home with the tying run. Now with two outs and the game tied, it looked like extra innings as Dugey hit an easy ground ball to second base. Strand crossed the plate with the go-ahead run as Mollwitz dropped the throw from Heinie Groh. With the Braves up by one run, Bill James took the mound and shutdown the Reds for a phenomenal come from behind victory. Final score was Braves 3 and Cincinnati 2. |
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