New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-04
MerkIe and Becker Are Heroes
of Final Game with
0'Day's Reds.
FR0MME IN GREAT FORM
But Is Opposed to Matty, Who
Would Have Held Opponents
Runless but for Errors
by His Mates.

the Giants az the Polo Grounds yestsr-
day afternoon. Had II not been for these
three hits there's no telling what the
score might have been. but as II was II
vas s 70 in the Giants favor. Two Of
the trio Of homers we're by Fred Merkie
and the ether b. Beals Becker Inc
whole story Of the game hinges around
them and their hits. Indeed, II 1t had
not been for them there might very well
be no stor, al ALL so far as the Giants
arc concerned
II was q game that will long stano
out as one Of light yet heavy hitting by
the Giants In all they got only hVe
hits off Frommc. who did the twirling
Cor the Reds. but those three homers
gave them a total of nine extra bases for
The afternoon. which is not so bad in this
Cav and generation. Not a single Giant
got his base on balls; in fact. not
single raycr in the game achieved thal
distinction, for Matty was In the ooH
for McC;rsw's tribe, and he is, IN tru'h'
O willy batsman who can work Big SIX
for q pass nowadays. Disregarding those
three four baggers Fromme pitched the
kind Of bail that could win ninety-nine
QUO Of one hundred games, but It so hap
pened that he caught the hundredth.
AS for Matty, he was there al the
time. 1t mattered little 10 him whether
the hits came rat-a-tat-tat on the
Reds bats, because he never lost MS
head, and ii It hadn't been FOR errors
behind him the opposition would NOT have
scored al all. Fletcher contributed a
wild throw In the third inning that gave
the Reds one OF their runs, and IN the
sixth Captain Larry Doyle jugSled the
ball long enough TO let Hoblitzell get 10
drst and incidentally put the Reds IN
the way of making their second run.
"Bic Six struck out four Of the Red
legs. and although they made ten hits
off him Il was a case Of fighting against
the inevitable, because TO ODay's team
aIatty is the inevitable. inasmuch as ne
has beaten them twenty-five out OF the
last twenty-seven games he has pitched
against them.
Some scintillating fielding that aided
materially in subduing the Reds once or
twice when they became dangerous was
the Giants contribution TO an otherwise
moro or less colorless contest. Becker
made a stop and return throw in the
third inning that prevented Fromme
from getting more than one base on
what seemd TO be home-run clout' ~
was ringing drive straight 10 righ'
centre and not more than half a dozen
feet off the ground. Becker managed 10
yet over in line with the ball and grabbed
il with one hand. II was going with the
speed of rifle ball but he held on ana
whipped II back just in time TO head
Fromme off from taking second.
Merkle's brace of home runs were
about as good as could be desired ana
Becker's was just about in the same
class. Merkle shot both Of his into the
left field bleachers. while Becker dropped
his WALTON into the right field stand
Nerkle was the first UP in the second
inning and he waited quite while be-
fore he took his fateful swing. The ball
went singing off TO left field on dead
line and never came to rest until II had
settled in the seventh row Of seats In the
left field bleachers just where they Join
the centre field division
His other clout came under similar cir
curnstances in the seventh inning. lie
was the first man up, and he waited for
one TO his liking. Then he landed and
the ball HIT the left field seats about
iftv feet inside of his first hit. Becker's
homer came IN the fourth, and he, too
was the first man at bat. His nit was
not quite as forceful as either OF Mer-
,Ie's. the ball striking on the balustrade
Of the right field stand. 1t bounced
among the seats. while Mike mitchell
stood below with outstrctched hands.
Afarsans. tho Cuban whom O'Day prizes
so highly. had a field day at the expense
~ NIattv. The little man from the An
+ilIes was at bat four times and each
time he got a hit. the first crack being
2 double that skipped down the third
base foul line with lot Of vim. He
scored one Of the Reds runs and was
Instrumental in their getting their sec
onS One of his hits was scratch ano
20 many il looked ss II II should have
hoen decided the other way but II maze
little difference as the Cuban vas caught
gteallng second moment later.
The fourth vas the only inning IN
which the Reds failed TO get man on
hsse Marsans got as far az third IN
the nth inning. following his double ana
a sacrifice by Hoblitzell. Then. IN the
second, Grant reached the midway on
scratch infield hit to Doyle and sacrifice
by Egan. Fromme opened the third with
a long drive toward Becker. but WAS o't
az second or force play BY Merkle on
Beschers inheld tap. Marsans's second
hit put Bescher on third and when
Fletcher threw wild after catching Hob
ltzelrs fy Bescher scored the tieing run.
Meryde having already made one OF his
single handed TALES.
Bescher got hit In the NTH and died
stealing, so that II amounted 70 nothing
IN the final analysis. In the sixth, how
ever, things looked bad for Matty and the
Giants DIarsans made HIS third safe
hit, and Hoblitzel was safe on Doyle's
error. Mitchells sacrifice advanced both
runners a peg Grants foul fy was easy
for Herzog, and the runners held their
bases. Egan knocked one down in front
OF Matty, but II took a bad bound, and
although Matty stopped It high in the
air he fell, and before he could recover
himself Marsans scored.
The score follows: