- Buccos Beat Perritt; Adams and Doak Draw
- Clarke’s Men Win First 4 to 1, but Cardinals, Through Great Pitching of Pittsburgh Boy, Tie Up the Second Contest in Eleven Innings.
September 3, 1914 Age 23
Special Telegram to Gazette Times Pittsburgh Post Gazette
ST. LOUIS. MO.. Sept. 2. Had the Pirates exhibited the same stride all season as they did today against the Cardinals, they would not be the laughing stock in the National League at present. The Buccos played like a real ball club, much to the disgust of Miller Huggins and thousands of St. Louis rooters, who believe the pennant is in front of the Cards. The Pirates won the first one, 4 to 1 and then, with defeat staring them in the face in the second, rallied in the ninth frame, tied it up and fought to a 1 to 1 tie for 11 innings, when darkness finally earned the decision.
The local fans ask: “What’s the trouble with the Pirates?” Nestled in last place, still the crew of Fred Clarke has won 11 out of 16 games from the Cardinals and here we find St. Louis hobnobbing along with the pennant leaders not so far to the rear that they can’t win the flag with a great spurt down the stretch.
There was a wonderful appearance of speed and fighting spirit to the Pirates today. They say the Pirates have lacked confidence. However, for 20 long innings they were on their feet all the way: the infielders were coaching the pitchers and, in general, the athletes of Clarke had but one thought – that was to lick the cardinals. They succeeded, and now with the tie performance another double-header will be shoved in front of the fans tomorrow.
Great Pitching Features
Great pitching was the feature for the visitors. George McQuillan turned loose a five hit game in the first matinee, with one run, and Babe Adams came back with one more run and but six hits. At least three of the blows off Adams were of the scratch kind and not once did they clout him very hard.
The Cardinals called out two of their pitching prizes to stem the attack of the Pirates. Polly Perritt operated in the first show and Willie Doak, the Pittsburgh boy, in the second. Doak gave a brilliant exhibition on the hill. He had to face three howling Pirates upon the paths in the third inning with not an out, and Kelly, Viox and Koney to enter the swatters’ box. That didn’t swerve Spitter Bill. He retired the side without a run. On top of that he had his spitball breaking all around the plate and he quit the day with a record of 10 strike-outs, quite a record against the battling Pirates.
Doak had it all arranged whereby he was to add one more victory to his great record which has him running second to Bill James in the pitchers’ standing. He had a 1 to 0 lead when Viox opened the ninth with a single to center. Koney walked up, took three looks, and walked back to the bench. Wagner hit a slow roller to Nash who tried to tag Viox going to second, but missed. He did past to Magee in time to get Honus.