1902 World Series (Game 4)

Game 4 (at Philadelphia)

Jack Chesbro takes the mound for the Buccos after a couple days off, we have not seen him since his relief appearance in Game 2. Rube Waddell has been on time & is looking forward to even having a bigger game (than Game 1) to keep Philadelphia's hopes alive. The Athletics have their backs against the wall, and are down 0-3 in this best-of-seven. The A's shortstop Monte Cross has been taken out in favor of Frank Bonner's bat (which is not much better), while Danny Murphy never playing short all season, will start there tonight (the APBA gods gave him a fielding 8). Lave Cross (Monte's brother), despite his excellent Game 2, has been hitless in the other two games. After the top 4 spots in the lineup, the production really drops off, so there has been a little reshuffling with the lineup as well -- Cross has been in the #5 (twice) and #1 slots this series, he will bat #2 after Topsy Hartsel in this one.

We'll see if the Athletics can pull it all together, there is a reason why the Pirates are the overwhelming favorites in this series -- they are simply better.

Bottom of the 1st -- Topsy Hartsel smacks one over Honus Wagner's head in center, Hartsel thinks about stretching this double into a triple, but wisely holds at second --Wagner does have a cannon of an arm.
Lave Cross draws a walk, first & second, no outs, the Pirates will be looking for a double-play. Socks Seybold surprises an unsuspecting infield with a sacrifice bunt, third baseman Tommy Leach nearly throws it over the Pirates' first baseman Kitty Bransfield's head, but Bransfield brings it down, and swipes a tag on Seybold in time -- one out, runners move up. Just early on and you get a sense that the Athletics are not going to go down quietly in this one. Chesbro with the delivery, Harry Davis smacks one down the line to the right, Bransfield dives at first, he's got it, gets up, flips it to Jack Chesbro covering first, two outs, but a run scores as Hartsel crosses the plate for the A's, Cross moves down to third, while Dave Fultz comes to the plate. Fultz batted .302 during the season, with an on-base percentage of .381 -- but he's been quiet with a .250 batting average & OBP this series. Chesbro with the pitch, Fultz grounds it up the middle, the second baseman Claude Ritchey is there, throws it to first, and that's three down. Philadelphia strikes first, 1-0.

Topsy Hartsel goes 3-for-4, 2 doubles.

A little scare happens during the top of the second, as Rube Waddell walks off the mound shaking his arm, the trainers are out, they are in heavy discussion with MGR Connie Mack on the mound as well, it looks like he'll stay in the game, we'll see how this all plays out. There is always rumors that go around about this guy (Waddell), but one thing is for sure, when he's on top of his game -- Watch out! There is almost no equal. Socks Seybold on Waddell's often-eccentric behavior "That's just Rube being Rube"! 

Waddell ends up walking lead-off batter Claude Ritchey. Kitty Bransfield pops up for first out.  Jack O'Connor is up, Waddell throws it pass the catcher Ossie Schrecongost, and Ritchey is digging, he's trying for third, the throw from Schrec and Ritchey is safe; Waddell charged with the wild pitch. O'Connor hits a shallow fly to center, Seybold catches it, and Ritchey tags up, the throw, and he's safe-- just under the tag! Ritchey is not the fastest, nor does Socks Seybold have the strongest arm. Wid Conroy flies out to left-center to Seybold for the final out, but not before this one gets knotted up at one a piece.

Top of the third, Waddell has been a bit erratic, after striking out Pirates' pitcher Jack Chesbro, he plunks Fred Clarke in the ribs, Clarke was down for a minute, as the trainer checked him out -- but he'll be okay to stay in; Clarke didn't look happy as he gives Waddell a glare. Clarke ends up trying to test Ossie Schrecongost's arm behind the plate by stealing second with two outs, and gets thrown out. I guess the ribs are not that bad.

Bottom of the third, Topsy Hartsel smacks a single to right for his second safety. Jack Chesbro strikes out Lave Cross, by catching the corner. Chesbro to face Socks Seybold, this one is pulled left, it's fair, and this one is good for extra bases, Hartsel is around third... but puts on the breaks -- Seybold pulls into second with a double. Runners on 2nd & 3rd, with one out, as Harry Davis steps into the box to face Chesbro. Davis is only batting .083 in 12 at-bats this series, as Chesbro has a 0.68 ERA this series in 13.1 innings. The Pirates suddenly pull their infield in, for a possible play around the plate, the pitch comes in, Davis grounds it to short, Conroy looks Hartsel back to third, over to first with the throw, two down. Dave Fultz ends up grounding a one-hopper to the mound, Chesbro to first, and the A's come up empty.

The Bucs' Bransfield.

Honus Wagner having a much-better series than in 1901 against the White Sox, draws a walk to lead-off the top of the 4th; Wagner is batting .333 in 12 at-bats, despite all being singles with just one ribbie. Rube Waddell catches Tommy Leach napping at the plate, for his 3rd strike out. Claude Ritchey matches Leach's output by striking out as well, a pair of K's here for Waddell in the fourth. Here is Kitty Bransfield, who is putting together an excellent World Series career in two seasons; Bransfield batted .363 in 30 at-bats in 1901, while he is currently batting .462 (6-for-13) in this one -- a grand total of 17 hits (43 at-bats) for a .395 batting average! Waddell comes with the pitch, and Bransfield pops it up behind the plate. Nothing for the Jolly Rogers!

Lead-off single for Ossie Schrecongost in the bottom of 4th off Chesbro. The Pirates drop their guard, as Danny Murphy bunts one past Kitty Bransfield, Claude Ritchey (the second baseman) with the throw to second in an attempt to get Ossie, and he's safe! Both runners are safe, with no outs -- the Pirates knew Schrecongost was slow, so you would think they might have suspected a bunt coming. Jack Chesbro to face Frank Bonner, the pitch, it's grounded to Conroy at short, no play at second, the throw to first, out -- the runners advance. Chesbro now to face Philadelphia's ace Rube Waddell, and Waddell goes down swinging -- Chesbro is pumped, getting a big K when it was needed most. Topsy Hartsel comes to the plate, who already has two hits, Chesbro delivers, and it's grounded to short for a routine out at first, three down. The A's have now left six men on, early in this one -- you really don't want to waste any opportunities against these Pirates.

A quick 5th inning for both Jack Chesbro (Pirates) and Rube Waddell (A's).

The top of the 6th, after two quick outs, Honus Wagner hits it deep in the shortstop pocket, and Danny Murphy (playing short) throws it in the dirt for 1B-Harry Davis, Wagner is safe! They score this one as a single, but we'll see how this plays out -- remember Murphy is playing out of position, normally playing at second. Waddell to face Tommy Leach, and it's strike three! Leach is hopping mad, no wait! He was hit by the pitch, a second opinion from the first base ump, he was hit by the pitch! Waddell shakes his head in disbelief, the ump verifies that Leach has indeed been hit on his right forearm during the swing, with the evidence of a red welt. Nothing comes of all of it, as Claude Ritchey follows by flying out to center. A bit of drama, going on with this 1-1 game, playing out like a good chess match.

Bottom of the 6th, Ginger Beaumont robs a HR attempt by the A's Ossie Schrecongost at the right field wall. During the top of the 7th, Dave Fultz does the same (by robbing) Jack O'Connor in the very same spot in right. That fan in right is hoping to get a HR ball at some point in this game -- good luck! There has only been one HR in the history of the World Series at this point, Tommy Leach's Game 7 HR in a losing effort to the Chicago White Sox.

Two-out double for Topsy Hartsel in the bottom of the 7th, a gapper that fell between Honus Wagner and Ginger Beaumont in right-center. Lave Cross fails to get him in, as he is caught looking for Jack Chesbro's 4th K of the night. Chesbro and his opponent Rube Waddell are putting together microscopic ERA's in this 1902 World Series.

Enter: Honus Wagner (Pirates).

Rube Waddell strikes out Jack Chesbro for his 6th strikeout of the afternoon. Fred Clarke beats out infield single to second, as Ginger Beaumont steps up to the plate. Beaumont must have missed a sign, as Clarke is caught stealing second (again), in what appeared to be a hit & run opportunity that failed. Ginger Beaumont ends up hitting a two-out double into the right-center gap... oh, how that run opportunity looks huge, right now. That brings up, Honus Wagner, a big moment for Wagner -- Waddell delivers, this one is smashed to left-center, it's good for extra bases, finally the gridlock is broke as the Bucs take the lead, 2-1, with Wagner reaching second. Waddell intentionally walks Tommy Leach, who led the National League with 6 HR's this season. Waddell will face Claude Ritchey, the pitch comes in, as he lines out to second.

The bottom of the 8th, Fred Clarke tries to dive for a line drive hit by Harry Davis, and comes up short as the ball skips by him in left, Honus Wagner gives chase to it, coming in from center, as Davis rounds second, and he's going to reach third, on a one-out triple. Dave Fultz comes to the plate, he squares, Davis is coming in full steam for home plate, and it hits him, Fultz is in pain, and the umpire quickly throws out Jack Chesbro! What in the world?! Fred Clarke comes running in, to argue with the umps, I believe the home plate ump now understands he may have over-reacted, but no over-turning the decision, as he lets Clarke scream his case. Clarke has now settled down, and normally would have been thrown out for an explosion in behavior, I think that alone, is the ump admitting to his mistake. Davis has to go back to third, Fultz is now on first, runners on the corners -- one out. This game is turning into a strange one, and the Bucs will have to go to the pen, who will it be? It appears to be Deacon Phillippe, the right-hander to face the right-handed heavy A's lineup; Phillippe enters with 10 scoreless innings, 2 hits allowed with a win & save for this World Series -- Chesbro & Phillippe have been excellent, Chesbro exited with a 0.49 ERA, and is responsible for the runners. Ossie Schrecongost hits a deep fly to right, it's caught by Beaumont out in right, Davis tags up & scores, as Fultz retreats back to first -- tie game! Phillippe to face Danny Murphy (batting .143), the pitch, and Fultz is off & running, strike, the throw from catcher Jack O'Connor & he's out -- they nail him, for the third out!

Let the madness begin!

Top of the ninth, Rube Waddell still on the mound, as the speedy Kitty Bransfield leads off with a single to right. Jack O'Connor squares and drops a successful bunt towards third, Lave Cross has only one play, and that's at first, one out -- the go-ahead run Bransfield is now on second. Fred Clarke goes to his bench, and sends out Jimmy Burke to hit for Wid Conroy, who is 2-for-4 this series with 2 RBI. Burke hits one deep to right, this one will be caught, Bransfield tags up, Fultz has a weak arm, the throw, and Bransfield is safe in-standing. Two outs, and the batter is Deacon Phillippe, Clarke will wave Phillippe back to the dugout, he will send up former pitcher George Merritt -- Merritt, if you recall has been used before by Clarke, in a clutch situation in the 1901 World Series, which paid off, Merritt of course was a reliever for Clarke, that had a great bat. He only batted 3 times this season, going 1-for-3. This will take Phillippe off the mound for the Bucs, which could help the A's chances if they get out unscathed here in the ninth. Merritt hits a routine grounder to short, and that makes it the third out.


2-2, entering the bottom of the ninth -- The Pirates will send out the right-handed Sam Leever, the hero from Game 2 that helped keep the Pirates in the game, after a disaster of a start by Jesse Tannehill. The Pirates are showing they have a lot of faith in Leever, who is more than capable. Jimmy Burke stays in and plays shortstop, lacking a little glove. Leever with the pitch, and this one is popped up behind the plate, one out. Frank Bonner sends a liner out to center, Honus Wagner on the run, he reaches up and catches it, two away -- bringing up Rube Waddell, the A's starting pitcher, who batted .286 in 112 at-bats. Waddell hits a pop-fly to Fred Clarke in left, he has it, and oh! It pops out of his glove, Clarke looks around, retrieves it, as Waddell will reach second on a error by Clarke in left. Leever will now have to face lefty Topsy Hartsel (.283, 5, 58 for the season), who is only batting .188 for the A's. Leever will intentionally walk him, to face righty Lave Cross. The strategy pays off as Cross pops up in foul territory to Tommy Leach at third.

We go to extras, just like last time for Rube Waddell, who was out on the mound in Game 1, during the 1-0 loss on the sacrifice fly RBI by Al Davis. Top of the order, Fred Clarke gets his second safety, a single to right -- I don't think we will see him stealing since Oz behind the plate for Philly has picked him off twice now. Ginger Beaumont squares, and he gets hit -- and what's this?! Rube Waddell has been thrown out of the game by the home late umpire, Connie Mack comes running out, and jaws with the umpire, and he's been thrown out of here as well. Are you kidding me? The Philadelphia fans are in a ruckus, bad time for the ump to make things even, did he forget where he was? Mack and Waddell, are heading off to the locker room. There will have to be a delay, as the fans are littering the field, even the players had to come off the field for a good solid five minutes in this one. This game keeps getting stranger by the minute.

Mack's face after, ejections & all hell broke loose in the 10th.

Okay, order has been restored (somewhat), we have runners on 1st & 2nd for the Pirates, no outs -- with the dangerous Honus Wagner up at the plate, facing Fred Mitchell (who replaced the ejected Waddell). I'm sure this was going through Mack's head -- You throw out my best pitcher, while they got Honus coming up?! A player considered by some to be the Majors' first superstar. Mitchell sets, delivers, and it nails him! Mitchell is now ejected! Bases loaded, and some of these fans are heading out of the stadium to the parking lot in disgust, some officers have waived one of the umps over, probably telling them to tell the home ump, to not throw any more players out -- 3 players & one manager ejected overall, but three being from the home team, in a crowd that's invested many emotions into this long game. One thing is for sure, the commissioner's office is going to be getting a lot of angry mail from the city of Philadelphia, and the home umpire is going to have to answer many questions to the press.

The righty Bert Husting has got his warm-ups done, and he will face Tommy Leach. Leach hits a grounder to Frank Bonner at second, he bobbles it, throws quickly to home and they get the force at home, go to town locals! Now Husting will have to pray for a double-play here, he will face the switch-hitting Claude Ritchey. Husting with the pitch, Ritchey piles into this pitch, it could be trouble, Dave Fultz catches it at the wall, Ginger Beaumont is tagging up, the throw comes into the cut-off man at second, they cut it to third, Beaumont scores, Wagner is... safe under the tag! Runners on the corners, with two outs, as the Pirates take a 3-2 lead. Kitty Bransfield steps up to the plate to face Husting -- the delivery, and this one is looped over the shortstop Danny Murphy's head, Wagner scores, Leach holds as second, as Socks Seybold's strong throw comes into third. Husting sets up to face Jack O'Connor, the runners take their lead, cranks & fires, this one is hit past a diving Murphy at short, Topsy Hartsel is running in from left, Leach is heading for home, the throw comes in, Bransfield is heading for third, the throw is cut off, Leach scores, the throw to third, and Bransfield is out by inches, they trade a run for an out. The nightmare of a half-inning is over, but not before the Pirates can tack on three runs, for a 5-2 lead.

Chesbro named World Series MVP.

Sam Leever comes out to pitch again for the Pirates, after sitting on his butt for what must have felt like ages. Socks Seybold lines one at him, to make sure he's awake -- he's awake, as he catches it, for the first out. We almost forgot that the Pirates are trying to win a World Championship here, with all the chaos going on in this one. Leever to face Harry Davis, the pitch, and this one is hit to Jimmy Burke at short, he takes it on the quick hop, the throw to first, and he's out -- two down, as cheers from the Pirates fans (and there is plenty of them here) in the stands are starting to cheer. Dave Fultz is the Athletics' last hope, two outs, down 5-2 -- the pitch comes in from Leever, it's grounded to the second baseman Claude Ritchey, he fields it cleanly, flips to the first baseman Kitty Bransfield, as he leaps in the air! The PITTSBURGH PIRATES HAVE THEIR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! Some A's fans start to throw trash back onto the field again, as Pirates fans celebrate in the stands, the policemen are in high alert to make sure that fans are not fighting with each other, after this battle between interstate rivals.

What a great feeling for the Pirates after coming so close to sealing the deal last season, winning the 1902 World Series with a sweep of the Philadelphia Athletics. Jack Chesbro wins the World Series MVP, pitching 18.2 innings, with a 1-0 record, shutout, 2 quality starts, with a sparkling 0.98 ERA, with 12 K's. The pitching in general for the Bucs was terrific, Deacon Phillippe was 1-0, with a Save (10.2 scoreless innings, allowing only 2 hits), and Sam Leever won two games in 4.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only one hit. The Pirates' World Series team ERA was 2.13!

The team's lineup batted .290, led by Kitty Bransfield (.471 in 18 AB's), Honus Wagner (.467 in 15 AB's) & MGR Fred Clarke (.400 in 15 AB's).

1902 World Series (Game 3)

The Pirates will send Deacon Phillippe, who pulled out the two-inning save (two days ago) will be sent to the mound, while Philadelphia sticks with their Game 3 starter Bert Husting.

Game 3 (at Philadelphia (A))

Player/MGR Fred Clarke of the Bucs.

The Pirates' bats were not doing much at first, leaving men on base, as Deacon Phillippe kept the Athletics' bats in check, allowing only two hits through 8 innings.

With runners on 2nd & 3rd, with one out during the top of the 5th, with only a 1-0 lead over the A's, Fred Clarke hit a clutch two-run triple off of Bert Husting. Making it a 3-0 game, the Pirates would go on to make it a 8-0 game entering the 9th. The A's end up getting two big triples in the 9th, by Socks Seybold and Ossie Schrecongost, to threaten in the 9th, but would fall short 8-4, in a game that was only close up to Clarke's 5th inning triple.

Fred Clarke goes 2-for-3, 3 RBI, triple & run. Honus Wagner & Jack O'Connor added two hits & a RBI each.

Some Athletics fans wondered why the A's in a moment of desperation didn't go with Rube Waddell. There was a rumor going around late on the train about an incident of a man from the Philadelphia clubhouse or Athletics fan getting belligerent, some wonder if the belligerent man was Waddell himself -- some wonder if it's the press's obsession over his unfortunate reputation, just running with a story. I guess, we won't know for sure.

One thing, we do know is that Rube Waddell confirmed by Connie Mack, will be on the mound in Game 4 for Philadelphia.

1902 World Series (Games 1 & 2)

The 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates ended up losing a heart-breaking World Series to the Chicago White Sox in seven hard-fought games, losing in the bottom of the tenth on a walk-off sacrifice fly by the White Sox' second baseman Sam Mertes.

Now they return, this time with home-field advantage. Overall the same team returns, with some improvements, Ed Doheny and Sam Leever played bigger roles in the starting rotation, and improved dramatically as pitchers from 1901. Leever never got a chance to pitch in the 1901 World Series, unlike Doheny, who made his World Series debut in the bottom of the 9th of Game 7 -- talk about battling nerves.

The Pirates' big three return in Jack Chesbro, Deacon Phillippe & Jesse Tannehill -- this time, the other two players (Doheny & Leever) can take the load off them. Honus Wagner has played more center this season, this year the Bucs have played Wid Conroy at short (who played for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901). Wagner is hoping for a better series this time around.

They will have to face Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics, who are built on power, led by Socks Seybold's 16 HR's, which almost equal the total of the Pirates' 18 HRs (Philadelphia had 38 HR for the season). Despite the power, the teams are quite equal in OPS, but the Pirates have the advantage in pitching with almost an entire run lower in ERA (2.30) & 20 more victories. The A's will have to lean on Rube Waddell's arm in this series, expect three starts.

Game 1 (at Pittsburgh)

Philadelphia hopes that Rube Waddell's whacky & unpredictable off-the-field (and sometimes on-the-field) antics don't pull the entire team down, at the same time, for this team to beat the heavily favored Pirates, it will be his shoulders they will ride. Waddell (24-7, 2.05 ERA & 210 K's) will face off against Jack Chesbro (28-6, 2.17 ERA & 136 K's).

The A's Rube Waddell.

The game ends up being every bit of the anticipated pitcher's duel, during the bottom of the 7th, both teams scoreless, the Pirates break Rube Waddell's no-hitter bid with lead-off single by Ginger Beaumont. The Athletics are not doing much better, only managing to produce two hits -- both by Dave Fultz up to this point. Beaumont ends up being thrown out stealing second (with a strong throw by Ossie Schrecongost), while Honus Wagner strikes out, for strike out #9 for Waddell through seven.

Al Davis comes in to pinch-hit for Wid Conroy, and reaches first on a two-out swinging bunt, moving the base runner Claude Ritchey to second. Manager/LF Fred Clarke sends Jimmy Burke up to the plate to pinch-hit for the weak-hitting catcher Harry Smith. Waddell strikes out Burke for his 11th K, and ends the threat. Wagner moves to short, as Al Davis comes in to play the outfield, while Jack O'Connor comes in to play catcher.

Bottom of the 9th, Pirates let their starting pitcher Jack Chesbro hit, and he strikes out against Rube Waddell. Ginger Beaumont draws his 2nd walk, and only the 2nd walk allowed by Waddell -- Beaumont is the winning run, if Pittsburgh can capitalize off this. Fred Clarke fails to make contact on the pitch by Waddell, Beaumont is off & running, this time he is safe stealing second. Clarke steps back into the box, Waddell delivers, and Clarke strikes out against Waddell -- that's 13 K's for Waddell. Waddell & the Athletics will have no part with Honus Wagner, as they intentionally walk him to face Tommy Leach (the first & only player to hit a HR in a World Series game). Leach goes down looking. What a magnificent masterpiece Waddell is showcasing.

Jack Chesbro of Pittsburgh.

This one goes to extras with Philadelphia going 1-2-3 in the top of the 10th. Kitty Bransfield leads off the bottom of the 10th, beating out an infield single to deep second. Claude Ritchey follows with a soft single to right, the speedy Bransfield makes it to third on Socks Seybold's weak arm in right. Al Davis comes to the plate, the Athletics are playing for the run at the plate, the pitch, this one is hit to deep left, Topsy Hartsel catches it, Bransfield tags up, the throw, the play at the plate & he's safe! A walk-off sacrifice fly by Davis, as the Pirates win this one, 1-0!

Rube Waddell, despite the loss, pitches a masterpiece, by striking out 14 Pirates, and by allowing only 4 hits through 9.1 innings. Jack Chesbro was no slouch, pitching 10 innings, allowing only 2 hits, and striking out 8 Athletics. Making it a combination of 22 K's & 6 hits allowed by the two starters, never have we seen such a duel in World Series history. Chesbro records his first career victory, during his World Series career.

Game 2 (at Pittsburgh)

The Pirates came out and did what they wanted to do, and that was defeat the Athletics' top gun in Rube Waddell, they will still have to beat Eddie Plank, but the Pirates are in the driver's seat with a stiff 1-0 series lead. The Pirates will send southpaw Jesse Tannehill to the mound.

Tannehill gets the first batters in the order easily, but then gives up back-to-back walks to Socks Seybold and Harry Davis. Lave Cross smacks a double over the out-stretched glove of Honus Wagner into the right-center gap, Ginger Beaumont comes up with it, Seybold scores, the third base coach waves in Davis, testing Beaumont's strong arm & pays the price, for the final out, but Philadelphia scores one run, for 1-0 lead.

Lave Cross had the hot stick.

Danny Murphy smacks a Texas Leaguer to left to lead-off the top of the second for Philly. Ossie Schrecongost takes one deep to left, but not deep enough as Fred Clarke squeezes it right at the wall.
Monte Cross steps to the plate, one of the Cross brothers, and hits into an inning-ending double-play.

Top of the 3rd -- Lead-off single for the Athletics' starting pitcher Eddie Plank to right field off of Tannehill. Plank reaches second on a nicely, laid down sacrifice bunt by Dave Fultz. Jesse Tannehill strikes out Topsy Hartsel for out number two. Tannehill intentionally walks Socks Seybold, they don't want to flirt with his home run power, taking their chances with Harry Davis. Davis pops up to third.

Lave Cross opens up the top of the 4th, by leading off with a stretched double, nearly getting nailed at second on a throw by Honus Wagner; Cross's second double of the game. The Pirates' Jesse Tannehill keeps giving up lead-off hits, he will now face Danny Murphy. Murphy smacks a single to right, Wagner reaches it in the corner, Cross decides to stay at third -- 1st & 3rd, no outs. Ossie Schrecongost sneaks a single past second & first, to right, one runner scores, as Murphy reaches third. The Pirates have arms warming up in the bullpen, as Ossie's hit was the 6th hit allowed by Tannehill already. Monte Cross comes to the plate, Pittsburgh draws in the infield, the pitch, this one gets by Wid Conroy into left, Murphy scores, and Schrec will hold second. 1st & 2nd, still no outs, as the A's starter Eddie Plank (already with a hit) comes to the plate. Plank succeeds with a sacrifice bunt towards first, moving the runners up, one out. Fred Clarke comes jogging over from the outfield to meet at the mound, signals over towards the dugout, as Sam Leever comes running out from the bullpen -- he's a righty, and will have better luck than Tannehill would have had against the current hitter Dave Fultz, Leever is looking to get the Bucs out of this mess. Fultz pops up behind first to Bransfield, two down. Topsy Hartsel hits the ball between Claude Ritchey's legs, one run scores, another follows, score this one as a E-4 on Ritchey, runner on first. Socks Seybold gives a pitch a ride, but it falls short at the warning track to Clarke in left for the final out of the inning, but not before the Athletics put the Pirates in a early 5-0 deficit.

The Bucs call on Leever.

Ginger Beaumont hits one to deep center, but caught at the wall by the A's Dave Fultz. Fred Clarke hits a single to left, which is followed by a beautifully executed hit & run by Honus Wagner, there is suddenly men on the corners for the Bucs, with only one out. Eddie Plank will have to settle down, and refocus as Tommy Leach steps to the plate. Leach grounds it to the mound, Plank looks Clarke back to third, throws to first, second out, as Wagner moves up to second. Kitty Bransfield smacks a two-run single to right, as the Bucs are finally on the board. The Pirates try to stir up some more magic, and call on Jimmy Burke from the bench for Claude Ritchey. Plank comes to the plate, Bransfield is off with the pitch, Burke lines it over Harry Davis's head at first, Socks Seybold has a long way to go after this one, Bransfield scores easily, and Burke makes it over to second with a double. The Pirates' Fred Clarke, makes Wid Conroy come back from the on-deck circle over towards the dugout, but then changes his mind, and sends Conroy to the plate. Conroy finds his pitch and sends a fly ball over Seybold's head in right, hitting the base of the wall, Burke scores, and now Conroy is going to third, the relay throw comes into third, and he's... safe! Safe on a very close play, and now the tying run is on third, the folks in Philadelphia getting this news updated through the morse code wire, has got to be sick to their stomachs suddenly. The Pirates will send in pinch-hitter Fred Crolius for Harry Smith. Plank was cruising through three innings, and the doors just came off their hinges, so much has happened since Leach grounded to the mound for the second out. Here comes Crolius, the pitch from Plank, Crolius has got some serious wood on this one, but got under it just by a hair as Seybold makes the catch, ending this 4th inning, four-run nightmare. The Pirates still trail 5-4, but now it's a ball-game.

Jimmy Burke remains in the game, and will play at second, while Jack O'Connor takes over at catcher.

Honus Wagner leads off the bottom of the sixth, with his second safety of the day. Tommy Leach follows by hitting a ball just over a leaping Monte Cross at short, as the ball goes to left. Runners on 1st & 2nd, with no outs for Kitty Bransfield. Plank still in the game delivers the pitch, Bransfield spanks it past the second baseman, Seybold is running in for it, Wagner scores, the throw comes in, and Leach will make third. Runners now on the corners, with no outs, and we are all tied up.

That will be it for Eddie Plank, some of the Athletics fans in the stands that happened to travel across state, have been scratching their heads for some time, wondering why Plank was still out there. Manager Connie Mack calls on Fred Mitchell, the righty to face second baseman Jimmy Burke, Mack is hoping for a K right now. The Pirates will counter with Jimmy Sebring for a lefty vs righty match-up. Sebring grounds it to Lave Cross, who will only be able to get the out at first, Leach holds third. One out, runners on 2nd & 3rd for shortstop Wid Conroy. Mitchell catches the corner, strike three, a big K for Mitchell & the A's -- making it two outs. Jack O'Connor beats out an infield single hit deep behind first, beating Mitchell to the bag, Leach scores the go-ahead run as Bransfield reaches third. The Pirates call on Warren McLaughlin to come in and pinch-hit for Sam Leever, they really want that insurance run on third. Leever goes 2 2/3 innings on no runs & one hit. McLaughlin pops up behind first to end the inning. The Pirates now lead 6-5, after trailing 5-0.

The Bucs' Bransfield.

Honus Wagner moves in from right to play second, Al Davis comes in off the bench to play left, as Fred Clarke moves from left to right, with Ginger Beaumont still anchoring center field. Plus the Pirates will call on righty Jack Chesbro, who just came off a 10-inning complete game victory, he will certainly only pitch an inning, they wanted to take care of the batch of righties coming up for the Athletics, here in the top of the 7th. Besides giving up a hit to Lave Cross, who collected his 4th hit of the ballgame, Chesbro did everything that was asked of him.

Lead-off single past first baseman Harry Davis for Ginger Beaumont. Fred Mitchell comes to the plate, it's a strike to Fred Clarke, Beaumont is off & running, the throw from Schrecongost, and he's... safe! A steal for Beaumont. Mitchell with the pitch, Clarke punches it to left, it drops, Beaumont is heading for home on Topsy Hartsel's throw, Lave Cross cuts off the throw, and throws it to second to throw out Clarke, but he rings up a single & RBI. Honus Wagner grounds it to third, as Lave Cross's throw gets Wagner at first, second out. Tommy Leach grounds out to end inning, but the Pirates add some insurance, and now have a 7-5 lead.

Deacon Phillippe comes in to pitch in the top of the 8th. With two outs, Philadelphia yanks Fred Mitchell out of the game for pinch-hitter Frank Bonner, who piles into a pitch to right, but his HR is robbed by a leaping Fred Clarke! Clarke doing everything he can, to get his team this victory.

The Athletics call on their slated Game 3 starter in Bert Husting for the bottom of the 8th. Kitty Bransfield leads off by hitting his 4th hit of the ballgame, a single to right. Al Davis smacks a single to right, and moves the speedy Bransfield over to third. Runners on the corners, no outs, for Wid Conroy. Husting with the pitch, Conroy pops out to second. Jack O'Connor comes to the plate, and ends up hitting into a inning-ending double-play.

Deacon Phillippe stays in the game, closes it out for a two-inning save, with a 1-2-3 ninth. Sam Leever is credited with the win, while Eddie Plank picks up the loss. Kitty Bransfield goes 4-for-4 with 3 RBI, while Philadelphia's Lave Cross goes 4-for-4 with 2 RBI.

The Pirates now own 2-0 lead in the World Series, as they will travel through the mountains across state on train to Philadelphia for at least two games.