The San Francisco call., 1898-05-29
BATTLE OF
 THE GIANTS Oakland and Fresno in a
 Hot Game. A FALLDOWN AND A RALLY HOW EASY-GoING PROVED A PITCHERS UNDOING.
BY JOE CORBETT.

After fourteen innings of unceasing effort and patience. coupled with an unfair umpire, the Oaklands tolled and hustled In last Sundays game with Fresno only, as reports have 1t, to be robbed of a game which they declare would have been won by them had 1t been allowed to continue. With the thoughts of this defeat fresh in their memory, they yesterday appeared on the diamond at Recreation Park with the grim determination of wtping out that unfortunate defeat and demon stratfng in an unmistakable manner that Fresno, while good team, Is far from being such a much"
 MT. M. Pluvius Rainmaker, who on Friday displayed perfect control over Recreation Park, listened to the pray CTS of those Oaklanders, and in conse- quence day perfect in every respect for baseball was the result.
 MT. Russell, according to schedule, occupied the pitchers box. It was he who kept those ''raisin-e eaters" on Queer street. for the fourteen innings last Sunday, and it was he who was seen at an early hour this morning
 rehearsing his speed" in anticipation Of the honor and glory that would rest upon his broad and well-proportioned shoulders should his curves prove an enigma.
 Umpire Sweeney, who was engaged for this particular game, and who will also from now on be on the regular staff, calculated Play ball'' at exactly o'clock.
 Oakland took the field, and all hands moved around in search of comfortable spots, expecting, as was natural, that the greatest game of the age was about to begin. In way they were not dis appointed. Fresno, assisted by MT. Russells wildness, coupled with large, juicy errors by O'Neil and Schmeer, to say nothing of the few hits that hap pened along, scored six runs, and shat | tered the hopes of all present, who were laboring under the sad delusion that another fourteen inning game, full of brilliant plays and good pitching, was to be their lot. It was a cruel disap- pointment. For a few innings it looked as though the game might possibly de- yelop into a tie score, or have a heart | rending climax, as Fresno scored no more until the fifth inning, and the Oaklands kept plugging along making a run now and then, just to show there was no hard feeling. But Pitcher | Thomas was keeping the hits well scattered, and it really looked as though Oakland must submit to the fltCHeTS, however, very often grow careless, especially when things appear easy, and Thomas Is no exception to the rule.
 After pitching steady ball for half the game the work appeared to become monotonous, and before one could say
 Spaniard three foreign ministers | were given their passports to first base l without any interference from the other powers, and the battle off St. Thomas proved to be anything but a rumor | After filling the three corners, Russell, 1 the next man up, dropped one toward first and beat 1t out, Held falling all over himself endeavoring to get there | before him and forgetting all about the runners dashing for the plate. On 1 waking up he let the ball go over to- ward the grand stand and two runs | were the result. But the fun did not | stop here. Donovan. the next man, hit to Courtney He went at the ball | as though his life depended on his get | ting it, and as is always the case with | such playing, the ball was fumbled, an- other run scoring, Donovan reaching | first and immediately stealing second. | Then old reliable Tip O'Neil put one into deep center, another runner cross ing the plate. Levy followed, and not | to be outdone, hit one in the same direction, another runner scoring, mak- ing it five all told.
 From this inning on each team put up miserable article of ball. It ap peared as though they were endeavor- ing to see which was really the worst team of the two, and Fresno came out with flying colors In fact, they in reality gave up the game after Oak land made their rally in the fifth. and gave the impression that they were not stayers. Whether this be true or not, the fact remains that they played like a bunch of Indians" Thomas par ticularly pitching very poor ball, con- sidering the work he was doing In the early stages of the game. In the sew enth inning he was batted at will. Sykes started the fun with two base nit, Sullivan took a base on balls, then "Claudie" Schmeer, who was the hero of the seventh inning, making three of the vilest errors for such good player as he undoubtedly is, redeemed him self by putting a clean three base hit into right center Moskiman and Rus sell followed with hits, Donovan went out on a fly to Courtney, and O'Neil hit safe, six runs crossing the plate, and the game was won beyond all doubt. As to features, there were not any, and the less said about some of the plays the better. The score Is as follows
 FRESNO.
 AB. R. BH sB 20. A. E. I5a Farley; b...... Il