Pirates Withstand Cardinal's Belated Attack and Win, 3 to 2

Content from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat Saturday July 3, 1926

Taylor Douthit lines into double play with three on in eighth.

Bob O'Farrell's single scores two in ninth, but pinch hitter Tiger Flowers remains unlinked (no Baseball-Reference player page) and pops out with the tying run on base—Grover Cleveland Alexander hurls brilliantly.

By JOHN J. SHERIDAN. GLOBE-DEMOCRAT STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

PITTSBURGH, PA., July 2.—The gilt-edged pitching of Ray Kremer and a discouraging break in the form of a double play in the eighth inning blended harmoniously to give the world champion Pirates their second straight victory over the Cardinals here today in the terms of 3 to 2 and thus diminish the Knot Holers grip on second place to one-half a game. By dint of that timely twin killing perpetrated in the eighth by Glenn Wright and Johnny Rawlings, when the Hornsbymen had the bases jammed, Kremer pitched scoreless ball until the ninth when the Birds, fighting like mad, chased over a brace of tallies and left the tying marker on first base.

Until the eighth inning, which we will describe before entering the ninth, the Pittsburgh right-hander was a three-hit hurler, and not a Cardinal had explored any territory beyond second base. But in the semi-final round, after O'Farrell had fanned, little Tommy Thevenow started the local slabbist on what appeared to be certain abolition with a single to center. Swinging for Alexander, Chick Hafey hit the score board in left field for two bases. Thevenow, fearing a catch, was content to stop at third.

Luck Breaks Against Them.

His confidence broken by this situation, the gravest he had had to face, Kremer walked Ray Blades to jam the runways. There was great uneasiness in the stands, but this creepy feeling was quickly allayed when Taylor Douthit's liner went straight at Wright, whose toss to Rawlings easily doubled Hafey, who was off at the crack of the bat from the keystone sack.

Undismayed by this untimely break and the fact that the Pirates increased their lead to three in the eighth off Sylvester Johnson, the Cardinals made a determined effort to at least get a tie in the ninth.

After George Toporcer had been disposed of by Rawlings and George Grantham, Jim Bottomley lined a single to center and Southworth walked. Then came another semitwist of fortune against the Birds. Trying to draw his bat away from a curve that started to break outside, Les Bell's bludgeon accidentally met the ball, which rolled feebly to Kremer, and Les was an easy victim at first, Bottomley and Billy Southworth moving to third and second, whence they scored on O'Farrell's smashing single to center. Bell's tap was scored as a sacrifice, but it was anything but that.

With a lingering hope still left, Acting Manager Bill Killefer inserted Jake Reinhart to run for O'Farrell, and sent Tiger Flowers up to hit for Thevenow. "Jake" did not last long. He swung under the first ball Kremer pitched, and the result was a high foul to Pie Traynor, ending the struggle.

Alex Yields Two Runs.

Opposed to Kremer at the start of the contest was the veteran Grover Cleveland Alexander, who pitched a remarkable contest except for the first and sixth innings. The 'Buccos bunched a pair of blows along with a hit batsman for a run in the opening round, and three consecutive singles for their second marker in the sixth after Aleck had retired the first two batters. The world's champions manufactured their third run and, what proved to be the winner, off Johnson on a triple and sacrifice fly in the eighth.

All told, the Pirates collected ten hits off the combined efforts of Alex and Johnson, seven of them ringing off the aged right arm of the former Cub. The Cardinals were held to seven hits by Kremer, two of them coming in the eighth and another brace in the ninth.

The Cardinals' characteristic punch was missing in the first inning, and Kremer got by without shedding blood, although Douthit singled, with one out. Taylor put the Hornsbymen in scoring position by stealing second cleanly after Toporcer's fly to Paul Waner, but Bottomley, after fouling off a great number, rolled meekly to Rawlings.

The Pirates started off in much the same manner as they did yesterday, except that they scored only one run instead of two. Following Grantham's ill-meant liner, of which Douthit made a circus catch, Waner lined a single to left. Kiki Cuyler was hit by a pitched ball, and Wright's single over second scored Waner and moved Cuyler to third. Alexander bore down at this juncture, extracting a pop to O'Farrell from the hard-hitting Traynor, and then the double steal failed, O'Farrell, Thevenow and O'Farrell erasing Cuyler at the plate.

Southworth popped to Rawlings in short center, Lester Bell, shooting at the left field fence, drove a long fly to Carson Bigbee Barnhart and O'Farrell popped to Grantham in the Cardinal second, while Barnhart was called out on strikes, Rawlings lifted to Douthit and so did Eddie Smith for the Pirates. Unlike the first inning Alexander was working smoothly and his control was remarkable.

Pirates Helpless in Third.

The veteran Red Bird right hander continued his brilliant effectiveness in the third, striking out Kremer, his second victim via this route in the three rounds, making Grantham roll to Bottomley and himself tossing out the dangerous Waner. The Knotholers had been just as helpless before Kremer in their part of the third, Thevenow popping to Rawlings, Alexander skieing to Cuyler and Blades elevating to Waner.

The Birds' second scoring opportunity came in the fourth when Toporcer doubled down the left field line after Douthit had opened the inning by striking out. George clung to the middle bag as Traynor made a fine stop and throw to retire Bottomley, while Southworth's choicest was a pop to Wright. The Bucs obtained their third blow off Aleck in their portion of the round. It was a single to right by Traynor, coming, however, after two were out so "Pie" died at first as Barnhart lifted to Thevenow.

Cuyler retired the Cardinals single-handed in the fifth, Bell, O'Farrell and Thevenow flying to the Bucco middle gardener. It appeared as though Thevenow would have the same distinction for the Cardinals, but after Rawlings and Smith had both grounded his way, Kremer spoiled things by socking a single to center, then Grantham grounded to Toporcer.

Bucs Score With Two Out.

After Alexander and Blades fanned and Douthit lined to Cuyler in the Cardinal sixth, the world champions took a two-run lead on three straight hits after two were out. Waner lined to Douthit and Cuyler tapped to Bell when Alexander suddenly lost his effectiveness. There was a single to center by Wright, Traynor's second straight hit, a blow to right, and a single to center by Barnhart, which admitted Wright. Rawlings brought the agony to a close with a grounder to Thevenow, who got rid of Barnhart unassisted.

Just as he had done in the fourth inning, Toporcer hung up the hopeful sign for the Cards in the seventh by singling sharply to right, but Bottomley flied to Waner, Southworth popped to Rawlings and Bell lined to Cuyler, Toporcer thus dying on first. It was three up and three down for the champions, Smith lofting to Douthit, Kremer rolling to Thevenow and Grantham popping to Toporcer.

Encouraged by the unkind twist of fortune which befell the Cards in their eighth, the Bucs combed Johnson, who became the Knothole hurler, following Alexander's departure, for a run in their half of the inning, on Waner's long triple past Blades and Cuyler's sacrifice fly to Southworth. Then, after Wright was out, Thevenow to Bottomley, Traynor and Barnhart singled in succession, but Johnson subdued Rawlings on a foul to O'Farrell.

The Cardinals' ninth inning rally, which fell short by a run of tying the count, has already been related.

Official box score from the Cardinals' 3–2 loss to the Pirates on July 2, 1926, highlighted by Ray Kremer's complete-game victory and Grover Cleveland Alexander's strong outing in defeat.

Keen or Bell Today

The best the Cardinals can get out of the four-game series with the Buccos now is an even break. Either Vic Keen or Herman Bell will try to do this for the Birds tomorrow afternoon. Keen's arm is bothering him a trifle, and if it shows no improvement today, the assignment will be allotted to Bell, Manager pro tem. Killefer announced after the game. It probably will be Vic Aldridge for the Corsairs.

Joe Bush, former Senator, Brownie, Yankee, Red Sox and Athletic, who was signed by Pittsburgh this week following his unconditional release from Washington, donned a Pirate uniform for the first time today and took a brisk workout. He wore his familiar red "sweat shirt." It is likely that "Bullet Joe" will start soon, probably Sunday in Chicago against the Cubs.

Douthit's catch of Grantham's terrific liner in the first inning was a scream. The husky center fielder went far to his left and turned a complete sommersault after making the grab. It robbed the Buc first-sacker of a three-base hit and possibly a home run.

A few minutes after this sterling play, Blades attempted to grab Waner's liner, but missed by inches, injuring his shoulder slightly. The wounded member responded quickly to first-aid treatment and Ray remained in the game.

In the second inning Tommy Thevenow made a heroic effort to catch Rawlings's long foul, got his hands to the ball, but dropped it. It was not scored as an error, because Tom had to make a long run to get under the ball.

"Pie" Traynor made a fine stop and throw to retire Bottomley in the fourth. The ball evidently had taken a bad hop as it hit in front of the Pirate third-sacker, but he leaped up and brought it down with his gloved hand. Had the hit gone through Toporcer could easily have scored from second. Just another bad break.

O'Farrell injured a digit on his right hand from a foul tip off Kremer's bat in the seventh. There was a sigh of relief from the Cardinal bench when he "shook off" the mishap.