The Giant players threw their caps in the air and Joe and Jim hugged each other in their glee.
“We’re in the lead now,” chortled Joe, “and we can trust old Hughson to hold them down.”
The Boston pitcher pulled himself together and made the next batter put up a high foul that was caught by the first baseman, making the third out. But nobody cared. The Giants were ahead and there were only two innings to go.
In the Boston half of the eighth, the first man went out on a fly to center and the second “fanned.” The third hit a teasing bounder to the left of the box. Hughson made a great try, but in doing so he wrenched his knee badly. He got his man at first but when he came in to the bench he was limping and was evidently in great pain. McRae, Robson and the trainer gathered round him and massaged the knee vigorously.
“Do you think you can stay it out, Hughson?” asked McRae with great anxiety. “There’s only one more inning you know.”
“I’ll try to,” was the answer. “But in the meantime you’d better warm up another pitcher.”
McRae and Robson had a hurried conference.
“I’d put in Markwith,” said McRae, “but these Bostons are death on southpaws.”
“Try Matson,” suggested Robson. “I noticed he was going great guns in practice.”