Champtown Chatter
By EDWARD F. BALINGER.
ENCOURAGING.
The Pirates awakened and wielded their sticks, They socked the old pill on its smeller; By flogging the Cubs to the tune of eight-six Our Champs have escaped from the cellar.
CHICAGO, April 26.—After wringing the necks of the hard-boiled Cardinals, getting one tie and one victory from the Reds and then grabbing the Sunday fracas with the Pirates, these Bruins were boasting they would make it six straight this afternoon. The Pirates, however, appear to be acclimatizing themselves to this Arctic stuff for they showed some greatly improved ball playing today and climbed above the Braves while the latter were idle.
George Grantham tonight was married to Miss Ruby Lois Gates of Kingman, Ariz. After the ceremony, which was performed by a Chicago minister, the bride and groom received the well wishes of B. McKechnie and the champions.
The third clash of the series finds the Corsairs abounding in renewed courage, notwithstanding the unpleasant thought that Grover Alexander is to face them tomorrow. The famous veteran will be opposed by one of his former buddies, Vic Aldridge.
Today's weather was cheerful to those who gazed out from the windows of a well heated house, but once in the open air and the gazer quickly discovered that spring is here in name only. About 8,000 fans wore their heavies to the game and shivered incessantly.
Floyd Scott, who played left field in the last two innings, was responsible for the last run of the game. Bigbee stood on third and he decided to test the youngster's throwing arm. When Wright raised a short fly to left in the ninth, Scotty came in and caught the ball, but his heave to the plate was punk and Skeeter scored with ease on the sacrifice.
Joseph James Kelly, the youthful outfielder who made such a big noise in the International League, did not have any fielding chances in right field, but he might have handled Traynor's single in the sixth. It was a high fly which fell safe far back of first base and Joe should have at least tried to get it. He is here under an optional agreement and unless he can do better than he did today, he may be shipped back to Toronto.
Moore made no hits in his three trips to the plate, but he came near it in the third inning when Cooney stopped his smash in sensational fashion and then was saved from a wild throw as Grimm stretched out and reached the ball with his gloved hand.
Grimm sidestepped a double play in the second inning when Wright dropped the ball after taking Moore's quick toss which forced Freigau. Umpire Quigley ruled that the forceout was clean as the ball had slipped from Glenn's fingers as he drew it back to heave to McInnis. Wilson could not have been prevented from scoring, even if both runners had been retired.
Cuyler straightened out three curves this afternoon, getting a single and a double off Cooper and a single off Cooney. Freigau also collected three blows, all singles.
Carey's lone hit might have been a triple but for a bit of clever fielding by Heathcote. Wilson raced in and tried to pick the fly off his shoes, but it struck the sod in front of him and went back to left center. Cliff had raced down at full speed and he managed to spear the ball on the second bound and by a quick shot to Adams, held the drive to a single. It was the wallop that decided the game.
When Traynor singled to right in the ninth, Heathcote, who had been shifted to that garden, made a wonderful heave to third base, but Bigbee, by a thrilling slide, was safe on a close play.
Barnhart probably saved the Pirates by a great catch in the seventh inning. Wilson sent a mighty slam over left center. Clyde, traveling at full speed, drew up just in time to pick the fly off the edge of a small protruding bleacher. Had he failed the Cubs might have added at least two runs to their total. Barnie also backed up against the distant wall and robbed Cooper of an extra base drive at the beginning of the third and this feat likewise averted an additional rally.
Source: The Pittsburgh Post, Tues, April 27, 1926
