Season 7 Creighton Cup Series, Game 2

With the Haymakers up by a game, the Resolutes were feeling the pressure. Were they sufficiently...resolute? Let's find out!

With Cy Young on the mound for the home team and Christy Mathewson for the visitors, I anticipated a low-scoring game. Things were quiet until the bottom of the second when, with two outs, second baseman Bid McPhee singled, stole second, and scored on Young's sharp single. The Haymakers took an early 1-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, a triple by Elmer Flick followed immediately by a Jake Beckley double tied the game. Fred Clarke singled to put runners at the corners, but Frank Grant bounced into a double play to end the threat. The Resolutes scored again, however, during their very next turn at bat. John McGraw singled and stole second; two batters later, Mathewson tripled him home. A sacrifice fly from the bat of Hughie Jennings increased the visitors' lead to 3-1.

The Haymakers got one back in the bottom of the frame. Joe Kelley led off with a double, and Big Sam Thompson plated him with a single later in the inning. Now it was 3-2 and the home team was one swing away from tying the game.

The score remained unchanged into the eighth. Happy Jack Chesbro had taken over for Young. He allowed a one-out single to Flick, who promptly swiped second. Beckley, the next batter, continued his torrid play with another base hit. 

As Flick dashed for third, I had to put on my third-base-coach hat and decide whether to wave him home. Time slowed down as I agonized over the decision. Go with my gut? Nah, go with the numbers! In that situation, Flick had an 85% chance of scoring. I'll take those odds any day. I waved Flick home as Thompson unleashed the throw. The play at the plate...

He's OUT!

Unbelievable! Thompson had gunned down Flick with a perfect throw from right, and the score remained 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth. In that half-inning, Thompson and Deacon White singled. With two on and two out, Bobby Wallace tripled to bring them both home. Now it was a 4-3 lead for the hometown Haymakers heading into the ninth.

The Haymakers needed three outs to secure the come-from-behind win, but Chesbro surrendered a leadoff double to Grant. The speedy infielder later scored on a single by Connie Make to tie the game at four. 

Bottom of the ninth! Hard-throwing lefty Rube Waddell relieved Mathewson. Joe Kelley led off with a single. He attempted to steal second, but Mack threw him out with ease. It was a costly out for the Haymakers, as Jesse Burkett followed with a single that might have scored Kelley.

The ninth ended with the score tied. When they passed the tenth, this contest became the longest playoff game in league history. More innings sped by as the teams struggled to break the deadlock. Chesbro and Waddell were magnificent, each striking out more than a batter per inning. 

The next run didn't come until the top of the fourteenth. With two outs, John McGraw -- last year's Playoff MVP -- singled and stole second. He raced home on another single by Mack, easily beating the throw. 5-4 Resolutes! 

In the bottom of the frame, Thompson and Bresnahan reached base with no outs, but Waddell's defense came to his rescue. The game ended 5-4, and now we'll head to the Resolutes' park with the series tied at one!