A 3-2 loss to the Wolverines in eleven innings. Detroit is able to outlast Washington in a well played contest. The highlights are the three great catches by Ned Hanlon. Charlie “Pretzels” Getzien the win, his second in the series, Dupee Shaw gets the loss. Umpire York. Line-up, Hines-Cf, Carroll-Lf, Start-1b, Baker-Rf, Knowles-2b, Gilligan-C, Force-SS, Gladmon-3b, Shaw-P.
The second game between the Nationals and Detroit’s was the most intensely interesting and brilliant exhibition of ball playing that has been witnessed at Capitol Park this season, and the visitors had all they could do to defeat the local club in an eleven inning contest, which resulted in their favor by the close score of 3 to 2. The boys from Detroit do not do serve any special praise for their victory, however, as they were favored by a lucky combination of hits and bad judgment on the part of one of the National players, and although they came out victorious, it was anybody’s game and should have been won by the local team. The Detroit’s took the first turn at the bat, and were easily retired in order. Paul Hines led off with a hit for the Nationals, but the next three batters were putout without difficulty. In the second inning the visitors, earned two runs. The Nationals did not succeed in getting a man round the bases until the fifth inning, at which point, after one man was out, Davy Force drove the ball along the right field foul line for three bases, and made an earned run on Buck Gladmon’s single over second. Thus the game ran on 2 to 1 In the visitors’ favor until the last half of the ninth inning, when, on Cliff Carroll’s base hit, a passed ball, and Phil Baker’s hit for an earned base over second, the home club tied the score, notwithstanding the fact that Jack Rowe, the shortstop of the Detroit’s, resorted to the unmanly tactics for which he is so famous, namely, knocking Carroll down while running from second to third, in order to prevent Cliff from making his run, but which ruffianly act was detected by Umpire York, and Carroll’s score was not owed to count amid much kicking from the Detroit nine. The tenth inning opened up with the visitors first at the bat. Rowe went out at first on an assist of Knowles. Deacon White reached his base safely on Force’s error, and then Charlie Bennett came to the bat, and was sent to his base on what the umpire said was six balls, but which decision was vigorously protested by the National nine, who claimed that there were only five balls called on Bennett. The umpire appealed to the scorers in the grand stand. The official scorer said five balls and two strikes, at which decision Ned Hanlon, the captain of the Detroit’s, kicked. Then the several other scorers were asked, and amid a general tumult the New York World and the Detroit Free Press correspondents declared it was six balls and one strike, which statement seemed to have more weight than the decision of the official scorer, and Bennett was allowed to remain on first base on called balls, although it was perfectly clear to those who had kept account of the balls pitched that two strikes and five balls was the correct statement. This decision, however, gained the visitors no advantage, as Force, Knowles, and Joe Start executed a neat double play on Getzien’s hit to short, and thereby retired the side. In the home club’s half of the tenth inning they were enabled to do nothing toward making a run, but In the eleventh the Detroit’s scored the winning run on Sam Crane’s two bagger and Dan Brouthers’s single. The contest was exciting all the way through, and the Nationals played a great game that should have entitled them to victory and probably would have, had Hines played center field with the judgment that Hanlon showed. Paul’s playing a deep field for a batter like Sam Crane and allowing him to make a two base hit on a short fly back of second was the poorest kind of judgment, and reflects little credit on Paul Hines’s ability to accurately judge the batters of opposing clubs. Knowles’s play at second, Force at short, Start at first, and the battery work of Shaw and Gilligan were the features of the Nationals’ play, while for the visitors Hanlon and Bennett carried off the honors, The umpiring of York was fine, with the exception of giving Bennett his base on five balls instead of six, and he is without doubt the best umpire Washington has seen this season.
The Washington Critic adds “The Detroit’s are straining every nerve now to keep the lead. It was therefore determined not to put Baldwin in the box, as Pretzels Getzien bad proved so effective on Wednesday, and the result showed the wisdom of the decision, for the Nationals made only six base hits. The Detroit’s failed to hit Dupee Shaw as heavily as they hit Bob Barr, making only six base-hits. The Detroit’s fondly imagined that they could count with a certainty on securing the Washington series, but they are finding that they have to work as hard as when playing any club in the League. Our nine is certainly playing a good fielding game, and were it not for the fatal defect in their batting the public would see the number of “games won” by Washington take a decided jump. Davy Force hit one of his old-timers and vastly increased his already great popularity with the crowd. Joe Start and Jimmy Knowles, contrary to the rule, failed to make a hit. Buck Gladmon broke his record and made a hit. He is the weakest spot in the nine. The umpire made a gross error in sending Charlie Bennett to first on five balls and two strikes in the tenth inning. The writer kept account of the strikes and balls and the umpire was clearly in error. Mr. York’s desire to be fair was manifest, but he should have decided one way or the other quicker.”
