|
“DIARY OF A WINNER”
|
THE 1914 "MIRACLE" BRAVES September 14, 1914 ... Dick Rudolph used his head and it was the principal factor which helped the Braves score a 4 to 3 win over Brooklyn and keep themselves two and one half games ahead of the Giants in the National League. There was no let up on the part of the Boston pitcher and if there had been, it would have resulted in a defeat for the Braves, for the support behind him at times was pretty shaky. Dick himself, chucked in an error which allowed one run to be scored and put him in a hole. But whether he makes an error himself or others make it, he never forgets for a moment that he is in their to pitch and sticks to his job. This trait is what has made him a great pitcher and made him show up big today. Brooklyn was first to score putting over a run in the third inning. Jack Dalton doubled to right-center and was sacrificed to third, coming home on Casey Stengel's base hit. Stengel tried to steal second and made it as the ball was thrown to the wrong side of the bag and got away from Maranville. Herbie Moran led off the first inning with a single for Boston and was sacrificed to second. He did not score when Josh Devore singled to left and was left on third when the inning ended. The Braves did not get another hit until the fifth inning, but then they got a bunch of them. Red Smith drew a base on balls to start and the Rabbit beat out a bunt down the first base line to put Smith on second. Red scored on Hank Gowdy's single to center and the Rabbit scored when Rudolph singled to left. Moran then sacrificed to put Gowdy on third and Rudolph on second. Possum Whitted's sacrifice fly to right scored Gowdy and Rudolph went to third after the catch. He scored on Joe Connolly's single to left, to make the score 4 to 1 in the Braves favor. Brooklyn supplied and anxious moment in the seventh. They scored two runs when Lew McCarthy singled past third and Hi Myers, who drove in two runs on Saturday to tie the score, caused more trouble by coming through with a fine base hit to put McCarthy at third. Brooklyn then put on a squeeze play with Dalton laying down a fine bunt down the third-base line. Smith came in fast and fielded the ball, but tossed a little high to Gowdy, who lost it. McCarthy was safely over the plate and Dalton on second before the Braves could straighten things out. Rudolph then pitched for all he was worth. He struck out Daubert, who protested the third strike and got thrown out of the game. Zack Wheat then hit a grounder down the Schmidt was tossed the ball over Rudolph covering the bag. He juggled the throw long enough to allow Wheat to reach base and allow Myers to score. George Cutshaw grounded out to second to end the threat and Braves went on to win 4 to 3. A great play at the plate by Maranville saved a tie score in the eighth inning. An error and a sacrifice put a runner on third base and it was the fielding feature of the game. In the second inning, Casey Stengel looked to have second base stolen, as Hank Gowdy's throw was high and to the wrong side of the bag. The ball broke through the Rabbit's hands and rolled out to centerfield. Probably to hold Stengel at second base, the Rabbit whirled as if he had caught the ball and put both hands on the runner. The play may or may not have fooled Stengel, but it certainly fooled the umpire, Bob Emslie, because he called the base runner out. The Brooklyn players rushed on the field to protest and after consulting with his fellow umpire, Bill Klem, Emslie reversely call. The Rabbit was also charged with two errors during the game. Possum Whitted had a bad day at second base, letting one grounder go through him and making two wild throws. Jeff Pfeffer was on the mound for the Robins. He was quite effective four innings and then had a bad one, when the Braves bunched their hits and scored four runs. He came back in the next inning, but was taken out to make room for a pinch-hitter in the seventh. Pat Ragan and Frank Allen each pitched an inning for Brooklyn and were not scored upon, although Rudolph, the first batter to face Ragan, led off with a double. Rudolph also had a good day at the plate as well as pitching a great game. Hank Gowdy caught a great game but was a little off the mark in throwing to second, the three times that Stengel stole the base. Red Smith played his usual great game at third. |
 |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
 |
 |
