Bender whitewashes the South Siders, 3-0 as streak reaches thirteen games
PHILADELPHIA, May 17, 1910 – Five days after pitching the game of his life, Charley Bender strolled to the dirt circle in the middle of the fastidiously manicured diamond at Shibe Park. In front of a quiet, midweek crowd, the Chief tried to duplicate his no-hit masterpiece.
It was not historic, but Bender’s gem this afternoon was dominant, nonetheless. The White Sox were under his complete control; only two fly balls were hit into the outfield and only one runner got past second base. The Athletics, meanwhile, had an abundance of base runners throughout the game against White Sox starting hurler Jim Scott. Despite the heavy traffic on the pillows, the Mackmen could only manage three runs as Scott buckled down in the pinches.
The South Siders had just one hit to show for their trouble through the first three innings – a lazy single by catcher Bruno Block. The Athletics broke through against Scott in the bottom of the third inning. After retiring Topsy Hartsel to commence the frame, Scott had Rube Oldring buried in the count at one ball and two strikes. Senator Scott then froze Oldring with a fastball over the plate.
Strike three? Not so, accoriding to plate arbiter Bill Dinneen. Oldring worked the count full then slammed the pill to right-center field for two bases. Rube should have only gotten to first on the hit, however, when he saw the lackadaisical effort of right fielder Shano Collins in his pursuit of the ball, he took the extra bag. Eddie Collins followed by hooking one to the same exact spot, for the same exact result. Only his drive, brought in the Rube with the game’s initial run. Frank Baker flied out for out number two.
While toiling against Harry Davis, Scott tried to pick off Eddie straying off the keystone sack. He turned and fired toward a covering Russell Blackburne. In his haste, to return to the bag, Collins’s spikes caught the dirt and bounced up – spiking Blackburne’s kneecap. Manager Hugh Duffy, not wanting to take any chances of an infection, immediately removed Lena and replaced him with Lee Tannehill. Davis then drew a walk and Danny Murphy grounded out to Tannehill for the third out.
The Athletics wasted numerous chances to tack on more tallies as the game progressed. Baker and Davis each singled in the bottom of the sixth. Each was thrown out by Block while trying to steal second base. Three more hits were thrown away in the seventh. With two outs and Jack Barry at second and Ira Thomas at first, Oldring hit a spinning grounder in the direction of third baseman Billy Purtell. Purtell could not corral the ball but deflected toward Tannehill. Barry rounded third and was racing for the plate. Tannehill fired a perfect strike to Block for the final out.
The White Sox only real scoring chance came in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, left fielder Patsy Dougherty singled and stole second. Willis Cole grounded to second, sending Dougherty to third base – the first Sox base runner to reach that station. Block then sliced a wicked grounder that was ticketed for right field. Collins raced to his left, scooped the ball, and made the short throw to Davis to retire the side and preserve Bender’s shutout.
The Macks salted the game away in the bottom of the eighth inning. After retiring Collins, Scott surrendered back-to-back singles to Baker and Davis – Baker chugged all the way to third base on Davis’s soak to right field. Down to their final three outs and the way Bender was pitching, the Sox could not afford to allow another run. Duffy ordered Murphy to be passed intentionally, in hopes of securing an inning-ending double play.
Jack Barry blew up Duffy’s strategy by lining a sharp single to left field – Baker scored and the sacks remained loaded. Ira Thomas lofted a fly ball to center fielder Cole which was deep enough to bring home Davis for the second run of the inning. The battered Scott, who was undoubtedly running on fumes, hit Bender with a pitched ball to reload the bases. The struggling Hartsel then struck out to end the inning and Scott’s day of labor.
The Chief retired the visitors from the Windy City in rapid succession in the top of the ninth inning to secure his sixth victory against zero defeats to start the season. The unbeaten streak has now reached a lucky thirteen.
The box is as follows:
NOTES:
- With a record of 17-4 (one tie), the Athletics are off to their best start in franchise history. The +54 run differential is the best in the majors.
- Through his first six starts this season, Charley “Chief” Bender is the best pitcher in baseball. 6-0, six complete games, 56 innings pitched (32 hits, 7 runs), three shutouts.
- Frank Baker and Jack Barry each finished with three hits apiece.
- How dominant was Bender? The Athletics’ fly chasers only needed to record two putouts – left fielder Topsy Hartsel and right fielder Danny Murphy.
- The four game series concludes this afternoon at 4 o’clock.
American League
Yesterday’s scores (May 17, 1910):
- Philadelphia 3, Chicago 0
- Cleveland 2, Washington 1
- Boston 8, Detroit 6
- New York 8, St. Louis 7 (11 innings)
National League
Yesterday’s scores (May 17, 1910):
- St. Louis 10, Philadelphia 3
- Pittsburgh 3, Boston 0
- Brooklyn at Chicago (rain)
- New York at Cincinnati (rain)
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