Cy Morgan’s pitching and Danny Murphy’s hitting lead the way in a 4-2 victory over the White Sox
PHILADELPHIA, May 18, 1910 – Lucky thirteen! Thanks to the brilliant pitching of Cy Morgan, the Philadelphia Athletics won their thirteenth consecutive game at Shibe Park this afternoon. For the fourth consecutive game, the Chicago White Sox fell victim; this time by a 4-2 score.
Each team played uneven defense during certain parts of the game. Errors directly led to runs for both teams. White Sox starter Ed Walsh, who pitched into the eleventh inning during the first game of this series, pitched well enough to win but was let down by three costly errors – two by his teammates and one of his own doing. Morgan pitched fine ball, walking one and scattering six hits, in leading the Mackmen to victory.
The South Siders opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. Clean up hitter Patsy Dougherty drew a base on balls and raced over to third when Willis Cole lined a clean single to right. Cole took the extra base when right fielder Danny Murphy foolishly tried to throw out the speedy Dougherty heading to third. Bruno Block struck out and Lee Tannehill – playing for an injured Russell Blackburne – grounded out to second baseman Eddie Collins, scoring Dougherty. Charlie Mullen – making his major league debut – grounded to shortstop Jack Barry for the final out.
The Mackmen responded…quickly. Walsh retired Frank Baker and Harry Davis in rapid succession to start the bottom of the second. Murphy then lammed a clean single to left-center field. Barry dribbled a chopper to short and beat shortstop Billy Purtell’s throw, placing runners at first and second.
Jack Lapp also followed with a chopper to short. This time, Purtell unleashed a wild throw, over the head of first baseman Chick Gandil. The rolled for a while in the vast foul territory as right fielder Mullen and Gandil gave chase. By the time Gandil picked up the sphere, Murphy and Barry had scored with Lapp finding safe harbor at second base. Hostilities in this frame ceased when Walsh fanned Morgan for the final out.
The White Sox received a gift in the third. Walsh reached when Barry booted his grounder and moved up to second on a wild pitch with Rollie Zeider at the dish. Zeider grounded back to Morgan who hesitated on where to throw the ball. After his indecision, he finally fired to third to try and nab Walsh. Baker was late with the tag and the Sox had runners at the corners with nobody out.
Another one of Morgan’s spitters eluded Lapp, allowing Walsh to tally and sending Zeider to to second. Cy buckled down and retired Purtell, Gandil, and Dougherty in succession to retire the side. The White Sox, however, were able to tie up the game thanks to the generosity of Morgan and his teammates.
The defensive breakdowns reemerged in the bottom of the fourth inning – leading to the Mackmen taking the lead for good. Walsh walked Baker to lead off the frame. Mack then ordered Davis to sacrifice the big third sacker to second. Davis obliged by bunting one right back to the box. Walsh scooped, turned, and fired to second base. The only problem was that he fired the ball over Tannehill’s head and into center field. Davis and Baker were safe at second and third, respectively.
Murphy promptly whistled a line drive over the second base bag and into the vast center field pasture, scoring both Baker and Davis. The Macks now had a 4-2 lead with prospects for more. Murphy, however, fell asleep at the wheel while at the initial station. Walsh picked him off for the first out of the inning. Barry quickly followed with a single and a steal of second to get himself into scoring position. He remained there as both Lapp and Morgan were whiffed by Big Ed to end the inning.
The game rolled along without any further damage until the top of the ninth inning. Down to their final three outs, Duffy’s charges had one final chance at tying the score. They came within an eyelash. Dougherty fouled out to commence the inning and Cole quickly followed with a single.
Duffy sent Fred Payne up to pinch hit for Block. Payne flied out after a long battle with Morgan. The Athletics were now one out away from a fourteen game unbeaten streak. Tannehill had different plans – he singled to center, putting the tying run on base for Doc White, who was now playing right field in place of Mullen.
The remainder of the nearly 6,000 paying rooters at Shibe Park were now nervous. An extra-base hit and the game would be tied. Morgan was tiring but needed to bear down for the twenty-seventh out. Even though White was a pitcher, he was competent with the lumber. The two battled and Morgan finally laid one in to Doc’s liking.
White swung and sliced a long fly ticketed for the left field corner. The ball kept drifting. Topsy Hartsel wasn’t going to corral it. The remaining fans nervously held their breath as they followed the flight of the little white globule. Home plate umpire Tommy Connolly raced up the third base line to get a better view. The ball finally made landfall. FOUL BALL…by about a foot! That is how close the South Siders came to knotting the contest.
Morgan then unleashed one of his patented spitballs that disintegrated on its way to the pan. White swung and missed as the wet ball found the pocket of Lapp’s mitt. Strike three for a thirteenth consecutive victory.
The box is as follows:
NOTES:
- The Athletics are now 18-4 and enjoy a 3.5 game lead over the New York Yankees.
- The fourteen game unbeaten streak is the longest in franchise history.
- The game dragged on with two spitball pitchers toiling. The first four innings took over an hour to complete. Many of the 6,000 fans didn’t stick around until the end as they wanted to get home before dark.
- With the four-game sweep of the White Sox completed, the Athletics will welcome Hughie Jennings, Ty Cobb, and three-time defending American League champion Detroit Tigers for four games. The series commences at 4 o’clock this afternoon.
American League
Yesterday’s scores (May 18, 1910):
- Philadelphia 4, Chicago 2
- Washington 4, Cleveland 3
- New York 6, St. Louis 3
- Detroit at Boston (rain)
National League
Yesterday’s scores (May 18, 1910):
- St. Louis 5, Philadelphia 2
- Pittsburgh 8, Boston 5
- Chicago 3, Brooklyn 2 (10 innings)
- New York 10, Cincinnati 6
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