The Pirates had a good Saturday afternoon crowd of 20,000 at Forbes Field, but they saw their team lose a close one to Chicago by a 4-3 count. The win gave the Cubs the last three of the teams’ four-game series.
Specs Meadows got off to a rough start, giving up four runs in the first two innings. He created his own problem in the top of the first, walking the game’s first two hitters. One out later, catcher Gabby Hartnett belted a three-run home run, his seventh longball of the year and fifth against the Pirates.
The home run ball struck again in the second. Charlie Grimm led off with his first of the year, putting the Cubs up, 4-0.
Meadows got tough after the second. He gave up just five more hits, all singles, while striking out seven for the day.
The Pirates had a difficult time with Cubs’ starter Sheriff Blake. They threatened in the first, getting runners to second and third with one out, but Max Carey got caught trying to steal home.
The Bucs didn’t threaten again until the bottom of the sixth. They got runners to the corners with one out, on singles by Carey and Eddie Moore. Clyde Barnhart double in Carey, then Pie Traynor singled to drive in Moore and Barnhart.
After the sixth, the Pirates managed only one more baserunner. That was a one-out single by Kiki Cuyler in the eighth. Blake retired their last five batters.
Meadows took the loss, his first after two wins. Carey was the only Pirate with two hits. They’re now 3-8.
