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VAN DER HOUT BLANKS OPPONENTS TWICE IN A WEEK!
ORANGE PITCHER BECOMES FIRST TO PULL OFF THE FEAT

NEW YORK CITY (June 28, 1861) – Shutouts are a rare thing in the National Base Ball Organization. As of the last week of June only 21 of 48 teams have held their opponents without a run in a game this season, and no team has done it more than three times. Therefore, it was quite a sight when Orange Club’s Rainer van der Hout went to the Elysian Fields on Friday afternoon and pitched his second shutout in a week, making him the first to manage the feat.

On the 22nd van der Hout and his Orange team won 7-0 at Hilltop of Yonkers, with van der Hout holding Yonkers to seven hits while he walked one batter and the Orange defense committed just one error.

This afternoon at the Knickerbocker Club, Orange won 5-0 with van der Hout holding the hosts to five hits while walking one batter and seeing one strike out.

The pair of shutouts were not just history makers, but they were very important for Orange’s place in the standings as well. The shutout at Knickerbocker moved Orange’s record to 26-17, keeping them atop the New York City standings with a pair of teams – Gotham & Metropolitan – one game behind. They will have also been a huge boost to van der Hout’s confidence. Going into the 22nd his E.R.A. was 4.83 – his career worst being 3.81 in the inaugural season. This week lowered his E.R.A. to 4.24 and raised van der Hout’s record to 13-8.

If van der Hout can hold this level of form going forward, then Orange’s chance of making the playoffs look very good.