Athletics easily take second game from Washington, 8-2
WASHINGTON, April 15, 1910 – “Let’s get ’em tomorrow, boys. That Johnson kid can’t throw ’em everyday.” Surely, that must have been the rallying cry in Philadelphia’s clubhouse after being handcuffed by Washington’s young star on Opening Day.
The Mackmen unloaded on Senators pitchers Doc Reisling and Bob Groom. Connie’s choice to toe the rubber, Chief Bender, shaky in spots, was good enough to keep Jimmy McAleer’s boys at an arms-length away. While the Athletics did damage with the lumber, Washington’s pitchers were let down by some shoddy defense along the way.
Topsy Hartsel led off the game with a booming triple to the left field wall. Rube Oldring immediately followed with a long single to center field – scoring Hartsel. Two batters in, and Mack’s troops already had more runs than yesterday. Fans hadn’t even settled in with their frankfurters and scorecards, and the Athletics were already kicking up a fuss.
With a run in and Oldring on first with nobody out, superstar second baseman Eddie Collins walked to the plate. Swing away? Hardly. Mr. Mack, ever the tactician, wanted Collins to sacrifice Oldring to second. Success. Frank Baker followed by floating a single over shortstop George McBride’s head to give the Athletics an early 2-0 lead. Harry Davis and Danny Murphy ended Reisling’s misery by grounding out to end the inning.
The Senators had the look of a team who meant business in evening up the score in their half of the first inning. Clyde Milan and Germany Schaefer led off with back-to-back singles. Much like Mack, McAleer asked his three-hole hitter to lay down a sacrifice. Unlike Collins, Jack Lelivelt was unable to do the job. He fouled off Bender’s first offering. On the next pitch, Lelivelt bunted through the ball as “Deerfoot” Milan wandered too far off second base. The Athletics’ air-tight defense went to work.
While Milan was trying to get an extra step in trying to reach his next destination, he failed to notice slick-fielding shortstop Jack Barry make a beeline for the second base bag. Without a moment’s hesitation, rifle-armed catcher Paddy Livingston sprang from his crouch and fired the pill to Barry. A perfect strike. Milan never stood a chance. McAleer must have neglected to remind his men that Livingston led the American League in throwing out 56% of potential base stealers last season. Paddy was never shy about showing off that arm. The threat had been averted.
The Athletics got right back to work in the top of the second inning. Sensing that Reisling was not long for this game, McAleer had rail-thin righty Bob Groom warming up. With one out, Livingston slammed the first pitch he saw to the left-center field gap for a three-base hit. Bender promptly followed with a single to right and the Athletics enjoyed a 3-0 cushion. McAleer had seen enough; Reisling was off to the showers. Groom ambled in and negated the rally in quick fashion.
Once again, the Senators had a chance at scoring some runs in their half of the inning. Once again, the Athletics snuffed them out. Doc Gessler led off with a clean single. After Bob Unglaub was retired, McBride doubled to right, sending Gessler to third. Washington was in business with runners at second and third and one out. Gabby Street hit a bounding ball to Baker at third base. Instead of retiring the slow-footed Street at first, Baker went home with his throw where Livingston was waiting with the tag. Groom was retired for the third out and damage was avoided.
The White Elephants posted another tally in their half of the fourth. Murphy led off with a double and Barry followed with a grounder to shortstop. McBride foolishly tried to get Murphy going for third base. In his haste, he bobbled the ball and both runners were safe. With the infield drawn-in, Livingston grounded to McBride who held Murphy at third and started a 6-4-3 twin-killing. Bender grounded to second base where Schaefer fumbled his chance – Murphy scored and Bender was safe at first.
Groom should have been in the dugout at this point. Instead, because of lackadaisical defense, the Athletics kept the pressure on. Hartsel walked, Oldring singled, and just like that, the bases were loaded for Collins. Already up 4-0, the Mackmen were ready to blow the roof off the barn. However, Bender decided to take a nap at third base. Street made a snap throw to third baseman Kid Elberfeld who slapped the tag on the big pitcher to end hostilities.
The Athletics salted the game away, for all intents and purposes, in the top of the sixth inning. Barry led off with a base on balls. Livingston tried to sacrifice but popped out to first baseman Bob Unglaub who made a stellar, running catch. Bender singled, sending Barry to third. Hartsel followed with a long double, scoring both men. Hartsel took third as the ball escaped from Street’s mitt on the throw home. Oldring followed with a sacrifice fly to center field and just like that, it was 7-0.
The visitors added another run in the ninth. Collins singled, stole second, and scored on Murphy’s two-out double. The Senators avoided being white-washed in the bottom half. Gessler received a free pass with one out and came around to score on Unglaub’s double to left. McBride followed with a triple to left field scoring another run. McBride got greedy, however, and decided for the four-bagger of the inside-the-park variety. He didn’t take into account Hartsel’s arm. Topsy made an accurate throw to Livingston who tagged the avaricious McBride. Street ended the affair by grounding meekly to Baker.
Connie Mack was elated after the game, “We looked a whole lot better today, didn’t we?” Indeed they did. Although, not having to face the “Weiser Wonder” certainly helped.
The box is as follows:
NOTES:
- The rubber game against Washington is at 4 o’clock this afternoon.
- Jack Coombs (Athletics) and Dixie Walker (Senators) are the expected starters today.
- The Mackmen will take the train back to Philadelphia this evening and rest on Sunday before opening the home season against New York on Monday.
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