Most of the fireworks came in the first inning as the Pirates took the rubber match of their home series against Philadelphia, 9-3. Emil Yde gave the Pirates his second straight strong start as the team pulled to within six games of first.
At first, it didn’t look as if Yde’s outing was going to go well. With one out, a single, a walk and an RBI single by center fielder George Harper put the Phillies up. Yde put the runners on second and third with a wild pickoff throw, and first baseman Chicken Hawks singled to drive them both in.
The Phillies’ lead didn’t last long, as starter Hal Carlson couldn’t get the ball over the plate in the bottom of the first. Carlson faced seven batters and walked five of them, forcing in two runs. Phillies’ manager Art Fletcher replaced Carlson with Art Decatur, but the move didn’t work. A wild pitch let two runs score and Johnny Gooch singled for the Pirates’ only hit of the inning, making the score 5-3.
For the Phillies, there was no more scoring. They loaded the bases with two out in the fourth on a single and two walks, but Yde got a grounder to end the inning. A pair of two-out singles in the sixth didn’t do the Phillies any good, and they couldn’t get a runner past first over the last three innings.
The Pirates meanwhile gave Yde plenty of insurance. They made it 6-3 in the third when Pie Traynor tripled and George Grantham singled. In the eighth, after Max Carey beat out a bunt, Eddie Moore lined a ball to deep center and circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run. It was his second homer of the season. Kiki Cuyler followed that with an infield hit and scored the final run on a double by Glenn Wright.
Yde improved to 2-3. The Pirates had nine hits and nine walks, with Carson Bigbee drawing three of the latter.
After an off-day tomorrow, Boston arrives at Forbes for the first of four games.
