Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-23
TWO HOME RUNS
DEFEAT ANGELS
PORTLAND SLUGGERS FINALLY
BAT TO VICTORY
WINNING STREAK OF CHAMPIONS
is BROUGHT TO CLOSE
Johnson Makes Longest Hit Ever Seen
on Chutes Grounds, and Kennedy
Wins Game with Ninth Inc
ming Circuit Producer
Portland 3, Los Angeles 2

Portland finally squeezed out VIC
tory yesterday from the champions OF
the Coast league, but Los Angeles
gave them such a tussle as will remain
in the memory of the northerners for
many a bright moon to come. 1t was
about the hardest won battle the
Beavers have engaged in this year.
and only the two home runs by Captain
Ote johnson and First Baseman Ken
nedy saved the day for the visitors.
Had the circuit hits been chopped out
the score would have been as much TO
the good for the Angels as was that
of the day before.
1t was Kennedy's slashing four base
crack in the ninth inning that cinched
matters for the McCredie braves. UP
to this time, despite a total of eight
hits off Walter Maggie, the Spikers had
failed to do better than tie up a 2 to 2
score, and seemed to be losing out in
the last lap. Though Umpire Jack
Mccarthy had an off day in decisions
and the mistakes generally came at
opportune moments for the northern
ers they somehow couldn't reach home
All three scores, however, were well
earned, and for sensational batting the
game probably was the best OF the
season in the southland.
After Fridays row both teams tried
to play like little gentlemen, perhaps
with the idea of impressing the big
Saturday crowd that it was only slip
the day before which caused so much
disturbance. However that may be,
the fans who came out looking for
fight were sadly disappointed, for the
only thing approaching a fuss was the
dismissal of Daley from the plate while
batting in the eighth, when he talked
in a manner which was offensive to
Mccarthy. The latter planted a five
dollar fine on him, and Wheeler was
sent up to take his place. Wheeler had
to accept the two strikes already called
on Daley, and when he famed the air
once was called out.
Johnson's Fourth Homer
Now for that homer of Johnson's.
Were space available 1t would be
worthy of a graphic portrayal of the
long, clean, high flyer which was shot
off Johnson's stick as he squared him
self. set his stocky little shoulders,
ground his shoes into the dust at the
plate and swung with a mighty heave.
Henry Berry said 1t was the longest
hit he had ever seen at Chutes. Sail
ing on and on over the fence and out
beyond it came within few inches of
clearing the big structure outside the
grounds in the amusement pavilion.
The Portland captain performed this
feat in the second inning, thus placing
his men one run in the lead. 1t will
go down in the annals Of local base
ball as wonderful hit, especially since
it was the fourth home run made by
Johnson in the last five games.
The Angels and Portland had each
scored a run in the first inning, Ryan
scoring on his triple and Olson's sac
rifice for Portland and Beall crossing
the plate when he and Howard were
walked and after a double steal, the
Chicagoan crossed the plate on Jud
Smiths double.
There were plenty of sensational
plays and few bad breaks up to the
ninth inning, and for a time 1t seemed
as If another extra inning game would
result. With two home run hitters on
the Portland bench and the Chicago
wonder, Johnny Beall sitting in the
Angel group, the crowd was on edge
every moment, but nothing came off
until the last inning for Portland
Kennedy was the first man up, and he
smashed out long homer over right
field fence, which proved the deciding
score. This disheartened the Angels
and they failed to toe UP for a tieing
score in their half The tabulated
score: