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GROVES TORCHES ST. JOHN’S WITH FIVE HITS
SHAMROCK 2B ALSO DRIVES IN FIVE RUNS AS BOSTONIANS SPOIL HOSTS’ PLAYOFF RUN

PROVIDENCE (Aug. 16, 1876) - Shamrock entered Wednesday with the worst record in the A.P.B.L., but they sure didn’t look like it as they put a dent in St. Johns’ playoff chances with a six-run win at Olneyville Field:

Shamrock took the lead with a pair of scores in the opening inning and never trailed, putting the win away with a seven-run rally during the top of the 6th in which 2B Harold Groves provided the key hit: a two-run Single with two out.

It was the best performance of the season for Groves:

• T1: Leadoff double to RF off H. Burns (R)
• T2: Fly Out to 2B (3 out)
• T5: 1-run Single past 2B off H. Burns
• T6: 2-run Single past SS off H. Burns (R)
• T7: 1-run Single to RF off W. Hoffmann (R)
• T9: 1-run Single past 2B off W. Hoffmann
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2B, 6 TB), 3 R, 5 RBI, 92 GMSC

Groves isn’t quite having the season he was as an All-Star in 1874 or 1875, but he is batting .288 (.675 OPS) with 51 RBI and 2.8 WAR through 86/90 games.

The loss was a big blow to St. John’s. Thanks to wins by both Massachusetts Bay & Niagara on Wednesday, St. John’s fell to third place in the Colonial Championship, two games behind leaders Niagara and one behind Mass. Bay with four games left to play. After the series-ender against Shamrock, St. John’s ends the season with three games at Alleghany.