Salt Lake City Bees (115-53) vs. Arizona Wrens (121-47)
The Spalding Cup Final would feature the two newest teams in the Premier League, who would appear to be evenly matched, splitting the season series four games apiece. Both teams featured strong pitching and solid hitting. While just the second Spalding Cup, this series would set the bar high for future Spalding Cup battles.
Game 1
The Salt Lake City Bees would sent
Addie Joss (32-8, 1.82) to the mound against
Jack Chesbro (31-10, 1.98) of the Arizona Wrens for a memorable pitching duel that would go in to extra innings. For four innings the game would remain scoreless, with the Bees taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth with a triple by
Nick Wise, and a sacrifice fly by
Mike Jacobs. An inning and a half later the game would be tied up when
Charlie Frank reached on an error, and came home to score when
Jack Chesbro reached on an error.
The score would remain tied at one and the game would head into extra innings. With
Addie Joss and
Jack Chesbro both still on the mound the Bees would take advantage of a two base error by Wrens centerfielder
Charlie Frank, his second of the game. One batter later
Harry Wolverton would single home the go ahead run, and Salt Lake City would bring on
Doc Scanlan in relief to close out the game.
Addie Joss would pick up the win with 11 1/3 innings, allowing 9 hits and just 1 unearned run. While he took the loss
Jack Chesbro would end up pitching all 12 innings, and also gave up just 1 earned run. The Bees head in to Game 2 with a 1 game to 0 advantage.
Game 2
John Baker put on an impressive show in Game 2 with a complete game two hit shutout, walking none and striking out 4 as the Wrens evened the series with a 5-0 win. The offensive start for Arizona was
Charlie Frank, who picked up 3 hits while driving in 3 runs.
James Drohan took the loss for the Bees.
Game 3
Game 3 would feature a pitching battle between
Ed Walker of the Wrens against
Rip Ragan of the Bees. Arizona would get on the board first in the second inning with back to back RBI singles by
Joe Kenney and
Ed Walker to take a 2-0 lead. The Bees would tie the game in the bottom of the third when
Hans Lobert tripled home a run and
Kevin Ratter picked up an RBI single.
The Bees would take the lead in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by
Mike Jacobs that would make it 3-2, and neither team would score another run.
Rip Ragan would pick up the complete game win after allowing 7 hits, 2 unearned runs, walking 1, and striking out 3 as the Bees took a 2-1 series lead.
Game 4
After a twelve inning pitching duel in Game 1 both
Jack Chesbro and
Addie Joss would take the mound again for Game 4. One again Joss would emerge victorious, this time with a complete game four hit shutout as the Bees won 1-0 and now hold a 3 game to 1 advantage over the Wrens.
Jack Chesbro was charged with the loss, despite allowing just 1 run in 8 innings to lower his postseason ERA to 0.62.
Nick Wise drove in the games only run for Salt Lake City with a second inning RBI single.