In the eighth the New York players made one of the game rallies for which they became famed all through the series and went ahead of their rivals. Snodgrass was the first batter and lifted an easy fly to Lewis. The Boston player got directly under the ball and made a square muff of it. Doyle followed along with a sharp hit to center field for a base and although he was forced out by Becker, the latter drove the ball hard. Murray came through with a long two-bagger to left center and Snodgrass and Becker scored. That tied the score and also put an end to Collins' work in the box; Stahl took him out and substituted Hall. Merkle fouled weakly to the catcher, but Herzog caught the ball on the nose and hit sharp and clean to center field for two bases, sending Murray home with the run which put the Giants in the lead. Another base hit would have won for New York, but Meyers perished on a hard hit to Wagner, which was fielded to first ahead of the batter.
Unfortunately for New York, with two out in the last half of the inning Lewis batted the ball to left field for two bases. Murray made a desperate effort to get it. He tumbled backward over the fence into the bleachers and for a few moments there were some who thought that he had been seriously injured. Gardner followed with a single to center and Stahl hit to right for a base, but Wagner struck out and the Bostons were down with only a run.
In the ninth Hall gave a remarkable exhibition. Fletcher and Mathewson were retired in succession. Then Snodgrass, Doyle and Becker were given bases on balls, filling the bags. It seemed certain that a run might score, and perhaps one would have scored had it not been for an excellent stop by Wagner. Murray hit the ball at him like a shot, but he got it and retired Becker at second.
The Giants took the lead in the tenth and once more it appeared as if the game would be theirs. Merkle began with a long three-base hit to center field. Herzog batted to Wagner and Merkle played safe, refusing to try to score while the batter was being put out at first. Meyers was given a base on balls and Shafer ran for him. Fletcher lifted a long fly to left field and Merkle scored from third. Mathewson could not advance the runners and died on an infield fly. Yerkes was the first batter for the Bostons and was retired at first base. Speaker hit to deep center field. There were some scorers who gave the batter but three bases on the hit, insisting that Wilson, who was then catching for New York, should have got the throw to the plate and retired the batter. In any event Wilson missed the ball and Speaker scored. Lewis followed with a two-bagger, which would have scored Speaker if the latter had not tried to run home, so Wilson's failure to retrieve the throw became more conspicuous. Other scorers gave Speaker a clean home run and it is not far out of the way to say that he deserved the benefit of the doubt.
Neither team scored in the eleventh inning, although Snodgrass was hit by a pitched ball. He was the first batter. He tried to steal second, but failed to make it.
This contest was conspicuous because of the wonderfully good fielding of Doyle and Wagner. The former made two stops along the right field line which seemed to be not far from superhuman. Wagner killed at least two safe hits over second base for New York and both of the plays were of the greatest benefit to the Boston team.
THIRD GAME.
Boston, Oct. 10, 1912.
New York 2; Boston 1.
Hits—Off Marquard 7; O'Brien 6, Bedient 1.
Struck out—Marquard 6, O'Brien 3.
Bases on balls—Marquard 1; O'Brien 3.
Attendance 34,624.
Because of the tie game the teams remained over in Boston and played on the following day, October 10. The pitchers were Marquard for New York and O'Brien and Bedient for Boston. Marquard pitched one of the best games of his career and not a run was made against him until the ninth inning. By far the most notable play of the game on the field was made by Devore in the ninth inning, when he ran for more than thirty feet and caught an almost impossible fly ball which had been batted by Cady. Had he missed it the Bostons might have scored two runs and won. Devore began the first inning with a base hit, but was out trying to steal second. The next two batters were retired. In the second inning Murray batted the ball to center field for two bases. Merkle's clever sacrifice put him on third and Herzog's sacrifice fly sent him over the rubber. Lewis began the inning for Boston with a safe hit, but could not advance further than second.
In the third Fletcher started with a base on balls and was sacrificed to second, but was unable to score. In the fourth, with one out, Speaker batted safely, but was forced out at second. Gardner flied to Murray.
In the fifth Herzog began with a two-base hit to left field. Meyers died at first, but Fletcher hit safely to right field and Herzog scored. Fletcher stole second and Marquard was given a base on balls. Devore forced him out and stole second and Doyle followed with another base on balls. A long hit would have made the game easy for New York and Snodgrass tried to get the ball into the bleachers, but Lewis caught it. Stahl began the Bostons' half of the fifth with a hit, but was out by ten feet trying to steal second.