We’re having a rainy day in Pittsburgh, so we may or may not get in Game 6. For the Athletics, aiming to tie up the Series at 3 apiece, we have Eddie Plank going to the mound. For the Pirates, it’s Deacon Phillippe, trying to wrap up the Series.
Dave Fultz led off the top of the first for the Athletics with a base hit. He then advanced to second on an error by Pirate shortstop Wid Conroy. Lave Cross then singled the run in. The Athletics continued the threat with Socks Seybold’s walk, but Harry Davis flied out and Danny Murphy grounded into a double play.
The Athletics added two more in the top of the fourth. Danny Murphy got things started with a one-out base hit. Topsy Hartsel singled Murphy over to third. Murphy then scored when Hartsel stole second and advanced to third when Pirates catcher Jack O’Connor threw the ball into center field. Ossie Schreckengost scored the Athletics’ third run when he singled Hartsel in.
Fred Crolius led off the Pirates’ fourth with a long double to left field. It looked for a moment as if Eddie Plank would wiggle out of the jam, as he got Jack O’Connor and Kitty Bransfield on ground balls, but Claude Ritchey then scored the run with a line base hit to right.
The Athletics threatened again in the top of the sixth. With one out, Harry Davis singled to right, and Danny Murphy followed with a base hit up the middle. Topsy Hartsel then loaded the bases with a four-pitch walk. Phillippe managed to get out of the jam however, as Ossie Schreckengost hit a chopper with the Athletics forcing Harry Davis at home for the second out, and Monte Cross hitting a fly ball to end the inning.
The Athletics showed off some clutch hitting in the top of the seventh to very nearly put the game away. With two outs, Lave Cross reached on an error by shortstop Lave Cross. Socks Seybold then singled Cross to third with a sharp base hit up the right field line. Harry Davis then scored both runners, hitting a long double into right center field on an 0-2 pitch.
The Pirates threatened in the bottom of the seventh when Ed Phelps hit a two-out single and Honus Wagner doubled off the right field wall, but Eddie Plank got the final run on a fly ball. They threatened again in the bottom of the eighth when Jack O’Connor reached on a one-base error by Athletics’ shortstop Monte Cross and Kitty Bransfield then singled O’Connor to third. But Eddie Plank got Claude Ritchey on a clutch double play and ended the inning with a ground ball by Wid Conroy. The bottom of the ninth passed quietly with only a pinch hit single by Mike Hopkins, who was quickly erased by a game-ending double play off the bat of Ed Phelps. Plank got the win in Game 6 and Deacon Phillippe took the loss. The game lasted 1:54. There were only 26,051 in the stadium – a number no doubt held down by the dubious weather.
So it all comes down to this: Game 7. The (Simulated) 1902 World Series. For All the Marbles.
Image courtesy of Pixabay by raincarnation40 (no changes).