The Pirates got a stellar pitching performance from Vic Aldridge and all their scoring came on round-trippers as they beat Washington, 3-2. The win evened the World Series at a game apiece.
For the second game in a row, the Senators scored first on a second-inning home run. Yesterday it was Joe Harris, today it was first baseman Joe Judge clouting one to right field.
The game was mostly quiet after that, until the bottom of the fourth. With two out, Pirate shortstop Glenn Wright tied the game with a blast to left off Washington starter and 20-game winner Stan Coveleskie.
Aldridge had to pitch out of big trouble in the next half-inning to keep the game tied. Two singles started the inning, then a failed attempt to get the out at third on Coveleskie’s sacrifice bunt loaded the bases with nobody out. Aldridge, though, got Sam Rice to bounce back to the mound for a force at home, then Bucky Harris grounded to Wright for another force at the plate. The third out followed on a grounder by Senators’ slugger Goose Goslin.
Through the top of the eighth, the only real threat came when the Pirates got Max Carey to third with two out in the sixth. Wright grounded out to end the inning.
Finally, in the bottom of the eighth, leadoff hitter Eddie Moore reached on an error by the Senators’ star gloveman, shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh. After a ground out, Kiki Cuyler homered to right-center, putting the Pirates up, 3-1. Peckinpaugh made another error later in the inning, his third of the series, but that one didn’t cost Washington.
The top of the ninth started off in familiar fashion, as Washington loaded the bases with nobody out. It happened with a pair of walks sandwiched around a single. Bill McKechnie stuck with Aldridge and the decision paid off. Pinch hitter Bobby Veach, batting for catche Muddy Ruel, hit a sacrifice fly to center to narrow the gap to 3-2. Bucky Harris sent Dutch Ruether up to hit for his fellow pitcher, Coveleskie, but Aldridge struck him out. A groundout by Rice ended it.
The teams are off tomorrow as the series shifts to Washington. The Senators will start Alex Ferguson against the Pirates’ Ray Kremer in game three.
