Lee Meadows allowed nine hits, all singles, in pitching the Pirates to a 2-0 win over the Braves in Boston. The Giants split a doubleheader with the Reds, giving the Bucs a five and a half game lead in the NL.
The Pirates’ hitters had their own difficulties with Boston starter Bob Smith. They got only six hits and four walks in the game.
The Bucs got the only run they’d need in the first. Eddie Moore walked and Johnny Rawlings singled to start the game, and Kiki Cuyler bunted them up. Clyde Barnhart lined out deep to left to drive in Moore.
Meadows got out of trouble in the bottom of the first. Two singles and an error loaded the bases with one out. Gus Felix tried a squeeze bunt, but Meadows fielded in time to throw to the plate for a force out.
Through the end of the eighth, only three more runners got past first. The Braves got runners to first and second with two out in the second, but Meadows got a fly out. They got runners to first and third with two out in the third, but Meadows got a ground out. Through the eighth, Boston had only three base runners, but two were eliminated by a pickoff and a caught stealing. In the top of the eighth, the Pirates got runners to first and second, but Moore hit into a double play.
The Pirates got an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Rawlings led off with a line drive deep to right-center and circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run. It was his second homer on the year.
In the bottom of the ninth, Meadows gave up a one-out single and another with two outs, but a fly out ended the game. He’s now 17-8. The rubber game in the series is tomorrow.
