Lowell took the field for the second half of the third and Miner proceeded to repeat Mellen’s stunt.
Brest was the first up and Black undertook to fool Roger, who, however, while pretending that he was going to strike by running out to meet the ball, completely fooled Black, and so Roger got his base. Big Mellen, the pitcher, tried to bunt, but Hal who was expecting this had started for the plate on the run the moment Black started to pitch. The bunt started for the first-base line and Roger started for second, but before the ball had rolled three feet Hal had it. He tagged Mellen out and whirling quickly threw to Everson who almost missed because it was done so swiftly. However, he caught the ball and tagged out Brest as he started to slide. The play saved a run, for Laird, the next man, drove a single to left and Brest could easily have scored from second but for the wonderful double play started by Hal. Of course Laird got to first, but the players all relaxed a little after the exciting play and Laird walked a few feet off the base, when Gibbie caught him napping by a quick throw to Case, and there were three out.
Jefferson had come a little closer to scoring in the third. Lowell was fielding all right but they had not gotten a hit.
Everson came up first in the fourth, and you could see by his expression that he meant to change things. He got a near hit. But for Hollins it would have been a single, but Hollins robbed him by a great stop on his left side and threw to Church, and Johnny was out. Larke also got a near hit, a two-bagger had not that big Twitchell turned it into an out after a long chase. Then Talkington hit a dandy liner about five feet over La Joy’s head, apparently, but Larry leaped up and caught it and Lowell again went to the field without a hit.
In their half, Jefferson broke the ice. Little Tommy Beach opened the inning with his regular two-base hit past third, the kind no fielder can get. Captain Church didn’t wait for more than one ball to be pitched. He hit the first one hard—a bounder to Hans, who threw to Delvin, and Beach was out. With Church on first and Hollins to help him they worked the hit and run, Church getting to third and Hollins to first. One out and men on first and third.
A run was almost certain, especially with Larry up. He made good with a long fly to Talkington, who made a great catch and a fine throw to the plate, but for Gibbie [to tag him], and the score was 1 to 0 and two out, with Hollins on second and Warcford at bat. Sam drove a long liner to left center, and Larke starting with the crack of the bat got it after a hard run and the inning was over.
[“A perfect slide by Church made it impossible to tag him.”]
In the fifth inning Lowell didn’t get a hit, but did get two on base. Robb first hit a grounder to Church but was out, Church unassisted. Hans, taking time to study Mellen’s curves, walked. Hal hit a grounder to Hollins, who fumbled and both runners were safe. Lowell now had men on bases for the first time and were where Jefferson was in the fourth inning, but Delvin hit a fly to Beach and Gibbie struck out, so Lowell did no better than Jefferson in their first effort with men on the bases.
In the Jefferson half, Twitchell bunted, and Delvin, just to even up things, fumbled the ball. Brest bunted toward first, but Hal again fielded perfectly and throwing to Hagner, forced Twitchell. Then Mellen singled to center and Talkington’s throwing arm came into play, for he caught Roger trying to get to third by a fine throw to Delvin. Laird rolled an easy one to Hagner and was out at first.