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Eckstein 4 Prez · 08-16-2020, 02:30 AM

May 20, 1876

Boston Red Stockings (4-7) at New York Mutuals (8-2)

Going into this first National League season, the expectation was that Boston, the four-time defending champions, would be more than capable of fending off a challenge by Chicago and New York. Instead, a month into the new season Boston is mired in the second division while New York holds a half-game lead over Louisville going into this one.

New York just added star catcher Dick Higham to the club this week and he will make his season debut this week. Higham was one of the top players for Baltimore in the Association days and should help the Mutuals a great deal.

Boston lineup

Ross Barnes, 2b (.280)
George Wright, ss (.435)
Cal McVey, c (.333)
Ed Pinkham, rf (.213)
Jim O'Rourke, lf (.348)
Al Spalding, p (.342, 2-2, 2.92)
Frank McCarton, cf (.364)
Jim Carleton, 1b (.200)
Harry Schafer, 3b (.238)

New York lineup

Dave Eggler, cf (.333)
John McMullin, rf (.341)
Dick Higham, c (.000)
Ezra Sutton, ss (.375)
Steve King, lf (.277)
Bob Ferguson, 3b (.293)
John Hatfield, 2b (.270)
Z.H.Taylor, 1b (.184)
Bobby Mathews, p (4-0, 2.25)

Each team scored one run in the early innings - New York in the second, Boston in the third. In the fourth, both Steve King and John McMullin committed errors in the outfield for New York, and that coupled with hits by Frank McCarton and Jim Carleton allowed Boston to take a 3-1 lead. An RBI single by McCarton in the sixth allowed them to make it a 4-1 advantage.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, a walk, a wild pitch, a passed ball and an error by George Wright combined to allow New York to score three runs to tie the game despite getting only one hit in the inning - a RBI triple by Ezra Sutton. Neither club scored in the seventh, and the game headed into the final innings tied at 4.

In the top of the eighth, Boston got two runners on with one out, but Jim Carleton rolled into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. Then in the bottom of the inning, basically the same thing happened. The only difference was that Bob Ferguson flied to center for the second out, and for some reason the runner on second, Dick Higham, decided to break for third. Frank McCarton threw him out and the inning was over.

In the top of the ninth, Boston's first two hitters reached base, setting up a two-run single by Cal McVey to make it 6-4. McVey later came around to score, and New York trailed 7-4 going into their last chance. New York got a couple hits in the inning and brought the tying run to the plate, but Spalding was able to bear down and got John McMullin to ground out to Ross Barnes to end the game.

Boston 7, New York 4

08-16-2020, 02:30 AM	#18
Eckstein 4 Prez Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: The OC Posts: 6,358	May 20, 1876 Boston Red Stockings (4-7) at New York Mutuals (8-2) Going into this first National League season, the expectation was that Boston, the four-time defending champions, would be more than capable of fending off a challenge by Chicago and New York. Instead, a month into the new season Boston is mired in the second division while New York holds a half-game lead over Louisville going into this one. New York just added star catcher Dick Higham to the club this week and he will make his season debut this week. Higham was one of the top players for Baltimore in the Association days and should help the Mutuals a great deal. Boston lineup Ross Barnes, 2b (.280) George Wright, ss (.435) Cal McVey, c (.333) Ed Pinkham, rf (.213) Jim O'Rourke, lf (.348) Al Spalding, p (.342, 2-2, 2.92) Frank McCarton, cf (.364) Jim Carleton, 1b (.200) Harry Schafer, 3b (.238) New York lineup Dave Eggler, cf (.333) John McMullin, rf (.341) Dick Higham, c (.000) Ezra Sutton, ss (.375) Steve King, lf (.277) Bob Ferguson, 3b (.293) John Hatfield, 2b (.270) Z.H.Taylor, 1b (.184) Bobby Mathews, p (4-0, 2.25) Each team scored one run in the early innings - New York in the second, Boston in the third. In the fourth, both Steve King and John McMullin committed errors in the outfield for New York, and that coupled with hits by Frank McCarton and Jim Carleton allowed Boston to take a 3-1 lead. An RBI single by McCarton in the sixth allowed them to make it a 4-1 advantage. In the bottom of the sixth inning, a walk, a wild pitch, a passed ball and an error by George Wright combined to allow New York to score three runs to tie the game despite getting only one hit in the inning - a RBI triple by Ezra Sutton. Neither club scored in the seventh, and the game headed into the final innings tied at 4. In the top of the eighth, Boston got two runners on with one out, but Jim Carleton rolled into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. Then in the bottom of the inning, basically the same thing happened. The only difference was that Bob Ferguson flied to center for the second out, and for some reason the runner on second, Dick Higham, decided to break for third. Frank McCarton threw him out and the inning was over. In the top of the ninth, Boston's first two hitters reached base, setting up a two-run single by Cal McVey to make it 6-4. McVey later came around to score, and New York trailed 7-4 going into their last chance. New York got a couple hits in the inning and brought the tying run to the plate, but Spalding was able to bear down and got John McMullin to ground out to Ross Barnes to end the game. Boston 7, New York 4 __________________ Looking for an insomnia cure? Check out my dynasty thread, The Dawn of American Professional Base Ball, 1871.