New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-10
GIANTS PLAY TO A
TIE WITH BROOKLYN
Fred MerkIe Saves His Team
from Defeat Time and
Again.
SUPERBAS POUND THE BALL
Make Enough Hits to Win Two
Games, but Fail to Take
Advantage of Their
Many Chances.

Graw stood between the Giants and defeat
st did yesterday afternoon at the Polo
Grounds when New York and Brooklyn
battled to a nine-inning tie with the score
at TO !, the contest being called on &C
count of darkness. Nap Rucker was work
ing along like a clock and the one-run lead
OF the visitors loomed up big as hundred
TALES when Fled Merkle opened the ninth
with a single. Although New York had not
been able TO steal a base all the afternoon.
McGraw gave Fred the signal. He made
the midway station on a hairs breadth
decision, took third on Herzog's sacrifice
hunt and scored on Fletcher's sacrifice fly
to CoUlson. tieing the score.
That stolen base saved the day for the
Giants. Defeat seemed certain up TO that
time, and a probable loss OF first place In
the bargain. Fortunately, however. the Gin
cinnati Reds rallied and defeated the Cubs.
so that McGraw's men were able to wind
up their stand at home and leave the Polo
Grounds for their long swing around the
circuit with a lead Of a game and half
IN the National League pennant race.
The brilliant and sensational fielding as
well as the timely hitting of Fred Merkle
saved the Giants from utter rout. At
critical times in the game four hard
grounders came his way and he handled
them all perfectly for outs. His pickups
on poor throws from the infelders were
marvellous. But the most spectacular bit
OF defensive work Of the afternoon was dis
played by the big first baseman in the first
inning. with two men on the bag, Hum
mel raped what looked like a certain hit
10 right. Merkle checked the ball too late
20 throw the runner ont at first. but
whipped the sphere 10 Herzog in time to
catch Wheat. who had overrun second. The
side was retired on this play. Fred's triple
scored two runs for the Giants in the first
inning lie doubled in the sixth with one
out, but was left on second. In the ninth
he singled, and by fine base running tied
the score on a stolen base and two sacri-
fee hits. Altogether he had busy day.
The Giants with the six hits which Nap
Rucker handed out so parsimoniously
made as many runs as did the Super
has with fifteen safetes. Crandall
started the game for New York. and
while he was pounded numerically It
wasn't until Brooklyn had made eight hits
of him in four innings that they scored a
run. Three singles and pass in the first
frame Melted no tallies. two singles and a
pass resulted in another zero in the sec
ond, while a paltry double in the third was
as nothing
Coulson opened the fourth with the sew
enth single. and Erwin inadvertently got
in the way Of one Of Crandalrs shoots and
took bis base Rucker then connected for
the eighth hit and brought Coulson home
with the first run. After Tooley had
forced Erwin al third Daubert singled, fill
ing the bases That finished Otis, and
Wltse was summoned TO the rescue. After
Wheat struck out George handed Brooklyn
run by passing Smith. forcing Rucker to
score. Hummel hen struck out. ending
the inning In the four innings Brooklyn
scored only two runs on nine hits, three
passes and q hit batsman
WilJse worked along evenly until the
seventh frame. when a double and a couple
Of singles netted two more runs. Meyers
batted for George in the seventh and
.Mathewson finished the game. The Su-
perbas obtained q couple OF hits off Big
Six" but they prohted nothing thereby.
Some ten thousand fans" were present.
I'm spite Of the lowering skies 10 see the
Giants play their last game on the Polo
Grounds until the first week in October. A
drilling rain fell throughout the greater
part Of the encounter, but the players did
not seem to be bothered a great deal, and
the fielding was excellent
Besides having their batting eyes with
them. the Superbas put up a fashy game
IN the deld. Tooley made a sensational
play in the eighth inning. With one out.
Rucker hit Snodsrass. and Red" Murray
lifted a pulling Texas Lacquer into left
field. It looked so much like a hit that
snodgrass ran TO second. Then Tooley
reached up and caught the ball. It was an
easy matter for the shortstop TO throw 10
Daubert and double Fred at first. Tooley
played a sensational game, accepting seven
difficult chances without an error.
The Giants got TO Rucker with ven
eearce in the first frame. Devore beat out a
hunt 10 first and advanced TO second on
Doyle's sacrifice Snodgrass drew a pass,
and on a beautiful hit-andrun play Muir
ray singled through short scoring Devore.
Merkle bounced a triple off the cement wall
in right field. scoring Snodgrass and Muir
ray. Although Herzog fouled out 10 Smith,
Fletcher drew d pass, but Wilson flied out
10 Davidson. Rucker allowed only three
hits for the rest of the game, and only five
men reached first thereafter
Brooklyn scored its first two runs in the
fourth inning. on three singles, pass and
a hit batsman. In the seventh the visitors
took the lead Smith doubled 10 right field
and by a brilliant piece Of running went to
third on Hummers sacrifice fly 10 Murray.
Red" made great throw to Herzog, but
the bali arrived a fraction Of second too
late Davidson singled through short and
while Coulson lifted TO Merkle, Erwin sim
eled 10 centre Snodgrass fumbled the wet
ball and then threw wildly to Doyle 10
catch Erwin taking second. The catcher
arrived safely and Davidson scored on the
play. RUcker struck out.
The score follows:
NEW YORK BROOKLYN.