The Pirates opened their home series against the Braves with an easy, 11-2 win. Ray Kremer coasted to a seven-hit complete game and catcher Earl Smith provided a lot of the offense.
The Bucs quickly took a commanding lead against Boston starter Bob Smith, scoring two runs each in the second, third and fourth innings. In the second, Boots Grantham tripled to drive in Glenn Wright, then Smith brought in Grantham with an infield hit.
In the third, Max Carey reached on a force play and stole second. It was his 38th steal of the season, tying him with Kiki Cuyler for the team and league lead. Cuyler also walked and Clyde Barnhart followed with an RBI single. That sent Cuyler to third and he scored on a fly ball by Pie Traynor. The Bucs made it 6-0 in the fourth when Smith belted his eighth home run of the season following a walk to Grantham.
Kremer held the Braves scoreless through the first five innings. He got some help in the third when Cuyler threw Kremer’s mound opponent, who’d reached on an error, out at the plate following a double to right.
Boston finally made some noise in the top of the sixth. Kremer gave up three straight, one-out singles, the last one, by Andy High, driving in a run. A sacrifice fly by Boston player-manager Dave Bancroft closed the gap to 6-2.
The Pirates blew the game open with five runs in the bottom of the seventh. Eddie Moore started the frame with a double and, after a sacrifice, Cuyler drew the second of his three walks. Barnhart and Traynor hit run-scoring singles to chase Bob Smith, then Wright hit a sacrifice fly and Grantham singled to drive in a fourth run. Grantham stole second and scored on a single by Oil Smith.
Kremer had little trouble closing out the game after that. He allowed just a single and a hit batsman over the last three innings. The win improved his record to 14-8. His battery mate went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Moore reached base five times on three hits and two walks, and Grantham scored three times.
The Bucs have now won four straight. The Giants were off, so they now trail Pittsburgh by seven games.
