In the sixth, Hughie told the boys they would have to show something or their chances would dwindle. He told Black to get on if possible but the best Black could do was to hit an easy roller to Mellen, who threw him out at first.
“All right,” said Hughie, “we don’t expect pitchers to tire themselves out running.” Then he signaled Everson to try to get a base on balls.
Johnny let the first one go by. “Strike one,” announced the umpire. “Ball one,” he said as the next one came over. The third ball looked good, but Johnny had been told to wait it out and the umpire announced “Strike two.” The next one sent up by Mellen was intended to fool Johnny. It was all but over the plate but Johnny didn’t move. “Ball two,” said Lafflin. The fifth one was just like the last one, and the umpire shouted “Ball three” and the Lowell rooters began to hope. It was now three balls and two strikes. The next ball would be the important one. On it came, almost waist high. It looked like a strike, sure, and Johnny was about to hit at it when suddenly it began to drop downward and before it had hit the ground in front of the plate (which it did do) Johnny was off to first for he knew it was a ball.
Captain Larke walked up to the plate with a confident air.
“Now’s the time,” shouted Hughie from the coaching line. “You can do it, Fred,” he continued. “Make it a two-bagger while you’re at it and we’ll only need one more.”
Fred nodded in reply and then as the ball sped toward him he swung hard for a two-bagger to left center that brought Johnny home with the tying run. Talkington had the fever by this time. He came to bat and let two go by, but the third he hit for a mighty drive to center.
With the crack of the bat Little Tommy Beach started for the fence, running as fast as he could and never once looking back at the ball. When he got to the fence he turned quickly, raised his hands about as high as his head and caught the ball as easily as though he had been standing there watching it all the time. He himself couldn’t tell how he knew just where that ball would drop, but everybody knew he had robbed Talkington of a home run, and Larke had to hustle back to second for he had been so sure that it wouldn’t be caught that he hadn’t waited. That catch by Beach was enough to stop any one from trying to knock the ball over the fielders’ heads.
Robb must have thought so, anyhow, for he hit one on the ground to La Joy, who made easy work of getting it to first ahead of Ty. The score was tied, and it had looked a moment ago as though one run would win the game.
Now it was Jefferson’s turn to go out in one, two, three order. Beach fouled out to Gibbie, Church struck out and the best Hollins could do was to drive a long fly to Ty, out in right field, of which he made an easy catch.
In the seventh inning Hans drove one to Hollins and was retired on an easy throw to Church. Hal bunted and was again thrown out by Mellen, and Delvin flew out to Twitchell, so there was little chance for Hughie to get excited on the coaching lines. For Jefferson it was almost the same, La Joy went out, Hagner to Case. Warcford hit a high one which Johnny got easily. Twitchell’s was an easy grounder to the box and he was thrown out at first.