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ECKFORD ON A RAMPAGE: FIFTEEN STRAIGHT WINS
1872 CHAMPIONS ARE 19-1 AFTER FOUR WEEKS; ALREADY SIX GAMES CLEAR IN BROOKLYN

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (June 9, 1879) - After taking their first pennant in 1872, Eckford of Greenpoint went all the way and lifted the Tucker-Wheaton Cup. They then won the Brooklyn Championship each of the next three season, although further postseason glory escaped their hands. However, in 1876 the pennant went back into Atlantic’s hands, with Eckford runners-up, and it’s stayed that way since. Ahead of this season, the Writers Pool decided that not only would Atlantic win their fourth straight Brooklyn title, but Continental, with its five-star pitching, would be the ones giving chase and Eckford would fall to third.

Apparently, Eckford has decided that’s absolutely not going to happen.

For the last game of the opening week of play, Eckford hosted Nassau County and lost 9-3, a game in which they were behind 9-1 before scoring twice in B9. This is what they’ve done since that lopsided home loss:

• May 21: EMP 3-8 ECK – LF Louis Murray: 3/4 (2B, 3B), 1 R, 5 RBI, 6 TB, SAC FLY
• May 22: EMP 3-12 ECK – 3B Isaac Kelly: 2/5 (both 1B), 3 R, 2 RBI, SB
• May 23: EMP 4-16 ECK – C Robert Borut: 4/6 (2 2B), 3 R, 5 RBI, 6 TB
• May 24: EMP 2-9 ECK – SS Fred Roberts: 2/3 (2B, 3B), 2 R, 1 RBI, BB, 5 TB
• May 25: EMP 2-6 ECK – P William Barnhill: CG, 7 HA, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K – 2/4, 1 R, 1 RBI

• May 28: ECK 12-6 MAR – LF Louis Murray: 3/5 (all 1B), 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 SB
• May 29: ECK 10-1 MAR – C Robert Borut: 3/4 (HR), 3 R, 1 RBI, BB, 6 TB
• May 30: ECK 16-10 MAR – CF J.W. Williams: 4/6 (2B), 1 R, 4 RBI, 5 TB
• May 31: ECK 12-8 MAR – LF Louis Murray: 4/5 (2 2B, 3B), 4 R, 0 RBI, BB, SB, 8 TB
• June 1: ECK 9-5 MAR – LF Louis Murray: 2/5 (2B), 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB, 3 TB

• June 4: STAR 5-6 ECK – P William Barnhil: CG, 8 HA, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K – 2/4, 1 R, 1 RBI
• June 5: STAR 0-10 ECK – C Robert Borut: 2/3 (2B, 3B), 2 R, 3 RBI, 5 TB, 1/2 CS
• June 6: STAR 3-9 ECK – C Robert Borut: 4/5 (2 2B, HR), 3 R, 1 RBI, 9 TB
• June 7: STAR 6-15 ECK – P Robert Hall: CG, 8 HA, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K – 3/5 (3B), 0 R, 5 RBI, 5 TB
• June 8: STAR 2-3 ECK (10) – P William Barnhill: CG (10 IP), 8 HA, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

That is fifteen consecutive wins for Eckford, a streak during which they’ve scored 153 runs (10.2 R/G) and given up just sixty (4.0 RA/G), good for an eye-watering Run Differential of +93 (+6.2 R/G) during the three-week span.

The streak has run Eckford’s record to 19-1, which has them already the best team in the N.B.B.O. by four games and clear atop the Brooklyn Championship standings by six over a Continental team that, themselves, is winning almost two-thirds of their games so far in 1879.

Incredibly, Eckford has reeled off fifteen consecutive victories even though their lineup isn’t running at full horsepower. Their 1B, Jochen van Dijk, is batting just .149 (.329), the lowest mark in the entire 48-team competition and a mark that would also set a new record for batting futility in the N.B.B.O. should he bat like this for the rest of the season. Van Dijk has managed to accumulate -0.5 WAR over just eighteen starts. Their regular CF, J.W. Williams, has started every game and is batting just .230 (.506) with two Extra-Base Hits (2 2B) to his name thus far in 1879.

So, what has made Eckford unbeatable over the past three weeks? For one, their veteran stars – C Robert Borut, 3B Isaac Kelly, & LF Louis Murray – have made up for the lack of production from the weak spots in the lineup. For two, their fielders rank in the top three in the 48-team N.B.B.O. in each of the four main defensive factors: Errors (3rd; 5.3 E/G), Fielding Pct. (2nd; .884), Zone Rating (1st; +18.8), & Efficiency (1st: .667).

Surely Eckford will lose again before long and then return to their typical baseball that consists of a slightly over .600 Winning Percentage. However, that poses a big question for the rest of Brooklyn: has Eckford sprinted out to such a fast start that the 1879 pennant race is already over?