Sox Rout A's in Rain Shortened Affair (4/26/15)

It was dirty, it was messy, it was rainy but it was a win. The Boston Red Sox sloshed through the mud to defeat the defending American League champion Philadelphia Athletics 9-2 after 7 rain shortened innings. George Ruth (1-0, 5.02 ERA) went the distance as Heinie Wagner and the offense pounded out 9 runs on just 7 hits to secure the victory at Fenway Park.

                                              Bob Fitzsimmons approves of the win

The Athletics struck first in the top of the second with a run but the Sox exploded for 5 runs in the bottom of the fourth, knocking starter Chick Davies out of the game. The Sox added another run in the fifth to chase Jack Harper and another run in the sixth off Rube Bressier. Another two runs off Rube made the score 9-2 before the rains came. After the Sox finished the bottom of the seventh, the umpires had enough and called the game. Down 7 runs with 2 to play, I doubt Athletics manager Connie Mack was going to complain. The Sox had won it 9-2.

Hero of the Night is Heinie Wagner. He was 2 for 2 and outdid the A's by himself with 3 runs batted in and 2 runs scored.

The Good:

Del Gainer was 1 for 3 with a walk, 2 rbi's and 2 runs scored.

Everett Scott was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.

Hal Janvrin was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Bill Carrigan was 1 for 3 with an rbi.

George Ruth had his first win of the season by tossing a complete game while allowing just 2 runs. He was 0 for 3 at the plate but walked and scored a run.



The Bad:

None



The Ugly:

Happy Hooper was just 1 for 4 but walked scored 3 runs and stole a base.

Tris Speaker was 0 for 3 but walked.

Duffy Lewis was 0 for 2 but walked, scored a run and hit a sac fly.



Honorable Mention:

Mike McNally played second base in the top of the seventh.




Final Thoughts:

Now that's more like it. After getting shut down by Herb Pennock again on Tuesday, the Sox stormed back today (no pun intended) to take this game to get back above .500. April is coming to a close but the Sox didn't come out of the gate firing. Something tells me once Dutch Leonard gets going, he can help tremendously since the other pitchers seemed to be capable of handling themselves in pressure packed situations. Tomorrow the New York Yankees come to down with Ray Keating in tow. Standing in the way will be Rube Foster and the Sox at Fenway Park.

Athletics Beat Rusty Leonard, Pennock Wins Again (4/24/15)

Guess Dutch Leonard (0-1, 9.82 ERA) wasn't ready for prime time this season. Once again Herb Pennock and the Philadelphia Athletics stymied the Boston Red Sox, this time at Fenway Park. The Athletics led by a series of doubles and another error on Hal Janvrin knocked off the Sox 6-3.

                                             Harry Wright doesn't like bad Boston pitching

The Athletics lit up Leonard for 2 runs in the top of the first although the Sox answered with one of their own in the bottom of the first. The Athletics got that run right back in the top of the second to take a 3-1 lead. The A's struck back with 2 runs in the 4th to chase Leonard with George Ruth coming in to give up the 6th run. The Sox got a run in the bottom of the eighth and another in the bottom of the ninth, but that was it. Pennock was now 2-0 against the Sox with another complete game effort.

Jackass of the Night is Dutch Leonard. He looked rusty as hell in his season debut, allowing 5 runs in 3 2/3 innings on 7 hits and 2 walks.

                                                Nice going Dutch you Jackass


The Good:

Heinie Wagner was 1 for 3 with a run scored before being carried out on a stretcher.

Del Gainer walked and was hit with a pitch in four plate appearances plus stole a base.

Everett Scott walked twice and scored a run in four plate appearances.

Bill Carrigan walked in two plate appearances.

Raymond Haley walked and scored a run as a pinch hitter.

Rube Foster pitched 2 shutout innings.



The Bad:

Mike McNally was 0 for 2 after coming in for Wagner.

Hal Janvrin was 0 for 4 with an error that cost a run.

Wally Rehg struck out as a pinch hitter.

Hick Cady was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.



The Ugly:

Harry Hooper was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked twice.

Tris Speaker was just 1 for 4 but walked, stole a base and scored.

Duffy Lewis was just 1 for 4 but walked, stole a base and drove in a run.

George Ruth allowed a run in 3 2/3 innings pitched and struck out at the plate.



Honorable Mention:

Pinch Thomas caught the top of the ninth inning.

Dick Hoblitzell pinch ran for Cady.




Final Thoughts:

That damn Herb Pennock again. Its bad enough Leonard wasn't ready to go but losing to the kid again sucks. The offense just missed getting back in the game but this is the second time Herb has shut them down. The loss drops the Sox to .500 at 4-4, not the start you want if you hope to compete for the AL Pennant, something they haven't won in three years. Thankfully the Sox have another game to take out their frustrations on the Athletics. George Ruth goes for the Sox opposite Chick Davies in the final game of this set at Fenway Park.

Senators Pound Sox (4/21/15)

Gadzooks that was bad! Last year's ace Ray Collins (0-2, 6.43 ERA) got absolutely hammered by the Washington Senators while Joe Boehling set down the Boston Red Sox offense. The Sox committed an incredible 5 errors which set the stage for a convincing 11-3 victory at Griffith Stadium.

                                      Eberhard Anheuser can't stand blowouts

Once again Rip Williams lit up the Red Sox but this time had help from Chick Gandil and a home run by Clyde Milan. The Senators pounded out 11 runs on 9 hits as they smashed Collins into submission. Ralph Comstock got tagged for two runs himself in mop up duty. The only two real highlights for the Sox was a 2 run bomb courtesy of Duffy Lewis and the first hit in the major league debut of Mike McNally. Otherwise the Senators took the series with the 11-3 win.

Jackass of the Night is Ray Collins. He allowed NINE runs, albeit 6 earned, in just 6 innings in what was just an absolutely garbage day for the Sox.

                                                         Collins is the Jackass


The Good:

Harry Hooper walked once in two plate appearances before the leaving the game.

Mike McNally was 1 for 2 with a run scored in his major league debut.

Tris Speaker was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Duffy Lewis was 2 for 4 with a home run.

Del Gainer was 1 for 2 with an rbi.

Hal Janvrin was 2 for 3 with a walk.

Rube Foster walked as a pinch hitter.



The Bad:

Wally Rehg was 0 for 2 after coming in for Hooper.

Heinie Wagner was 0 for 2 with an error.

Dick Hoblitzell was 0 for 2.

Bill Carrigan was 0 for 2 with an error.

Raymond Haley was 0 for 2.

Ralph Comstock allowed 2 runs in 2 innings.



The Ugly:

Everett Scott was just 1 for 4 with an error.




Final Thoughts:

Holy smokes what a beatdown. Its bad enough everything the Senators hit found a hole but when you commit FIVE errors, that's when you know you've had a bad day. Maybe the Sox spent too much time at Third Base last night, who knows. The good news is tomorrow is another day and speaking of tomorrow, its the Fenway Park home opener. This year the defending champion Philadelphia Athletics are in town with Ernie Shore getting the start against Weldon Wyckoff.

Rip Williams, Senators Sink Sox (4/19/15)

After yesterday's rainout allowed Walter Johnson enough time to pitch today's game, he lived up to his billing as a great pitcher. Even so, one man nearly singlehandedly beat the Boston Red Sox and it wasn't Johnson. Rip Williams, the Washington Senators 1st basemen, drove in all four of Washington's runs as Johnson shut down the Boston attack. When it was all said and done Washington had won the game 4-2 at Griffith Stadium.

                                             Archduke Ferdinand doesn't like Walter Johnson

The Sox wasted no time scoring when Tris Speaker drove in Harry Hooper in the top of the first inning, then Hooper drove in rookie pitcher Carl Mays in the top of the fifth. The Senators fought back to tie the game when Williams drove in 2 runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ray Collins replaced Mays in the 7th and allowed 2 runs in the bottom of the eighth to give the Senators the lead. Johnson slammed the door in the top of the ninth to give the game to the Senators.

Jackass of the Night is Dick Hoblitzell. He went 0 for 4 and bungled an error in the field.

                                                  Dick the Jackass


The Good:

Harry Hooper was 2 for 3 with a walk, run scored and rbi.

Tris Speaker was 1 for 3 with an rbi.

Pinch Thomas was 1 for 3.

Carl Mays tossed 6 innings of 2 run ball, also he singled and scored at the plate.



The Bad:

Heinie Wagner was 0 for 3.

Duffy Lewis was 0 for 4.

Everett Scott was 0 for 3.

Olaf Henriksen struck out as a pinch hitter.

Ray Collins took the loss allowing 2 runs in 2 innings.



The Ugly:

Hal Janvrin was 1 for 3 but committed 2 costly errors.



Honorable Mention:

Bill Carrigan caught the bottom of the eighth.




Final Thoughts:

Not much you can do against a pitcher the caliber of Johnson, luckily he only pitches once every 4 days. He shut down the Sox offense pretty good and he certainly is something else. The defense coughed up 3 errors which led to two unearned runs. Mays pitched well all things considering and hopefully next time out he'll get some run support. Tomorrow is the final game of the series and Rube Foster gets the ball against Bert Gallia at Griffith Stadium.

Sox Late Rally Sinks A's (4/15/15)

After a pathetic opening day performance by the Boston Red Sox, they redeemed themselves a day later by stunning the defending American League champion Philadelphia Athletics with a late rally in the ninth inning to take home a 5-3 victory at Shibe Park.

                                                 John L Sullivan approves of the win

The Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead but starter Ray Collins faltered and left the game trailing 3-2. Olaf Henriksen pinch hit for Ray and walked, scoring on the rbi single by Harry Hooper. Rookie Carl Mays made his major league debut in the bottom of the seventh inning and shut-out the A's the rest of the way. The Sox added two runs in the top of the ninth with Mays slamming in the door in the bottom of the frame to win their first game 5-3.

Hero of the Night is Carl Mays. In his very first professional game he tossed 3 shut-out innings for his first major league win.

                                             The submarine pitcher is the Hero

The Good:

Heinie Wagner was 2 for 4 with a walk and an rbi.

Tris Speaker was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, a stolen base and a run scored.

Duffy Lewis was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a stolen base.

Dick Hoblitzell was 3 for 5 with an rbi.

Larry Gardner was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored.

Ray Collins got a no-decision as he pitched 6 innings of 3 run ball.

Olaf Henriksen walked and scored as a pinch hitter.



The Bad:

None.



The Ugly:

Harry Hooper was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was an rbi single.

Everett Scott was just 1 for 4.

Bill Carrigan was 0 for 2 but walked and drove in a run.




Final Thoughts:

Now that's more like it. After their freezing cold performance against Herb Pennock and the A's yesterday, this was a nice bounceback win to show that they can hang with the AL champs. After all the Sox and A's are arguably the two best teams in the American League so it may come down to one of them winning the pennant. The Sox have the offense to match the A's but the question is if they have the pitching. It remains to be seen although the big 20 year old lefty George Ruth takes the mound tomorrow in the finale against Rube Bressier at Shibe Park.