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ECKFORD STREAK ENDS IN CLASSIC AT ATLANTIC
4x DEFENDING BROOKLYN CHAMPS HALT 15-GAME RUN; TEAMS COMBINE FOR 32 RUNS & 32 HITS

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (June 11, 1879) - Eckford and their fifteen-game winning streak are tasked with trying to continue the run against bitter rivals Atlantic at the Capitoline Grounds this week, and perhaps it was only natural that the hosts used the opener to give Eckford a reminder as to precisely why they’re the four-time defending Brooklyn champions:

This was a fantastic game that saw fireworks straight from the opening pitch. Eckford stepped up to the plate for T1 and scored five times on a series of Singles and a two-run Double by C Robert Borut. With a 5-0 lead before Atlantic even had a chance to bat, it looked as if this would be yet another mauling of the opposition by Eckford. However, Atlantic responded with a seven-run rally in B1 thanks to a bunch of Eckford miscues (5 Errors, 1 Wild Pitch) and a 1-run Double by 2B Roy Beattie. The score was 7-5 and the contest was on.

After Atlantic scored on a Double in B2 to take an 8-5 lead, Eckford rallied to score seven times in T3 – two run-scoring Doubles and a two-run Triple by LF Louis Murray among the hits – to take a 12-8 lead. Atlantic then responded by plating four in B3 on a series of Singles, and incredibly this was a 12-12 game at the end of the third inning.

The teams traded single runs in the fourth, and the score remained 13-13 until T7, when Eckford scored twice on a Single by PH James Powell. After another scoreless inning of play, Atlantic came to bat for T8 facing a 15-13 deficit and put four runs on the scoreboard to take the lead, all thanks to two-run Doubles by substitute SS George Taylor & LF Herb Verrett.

Now ahead 17-15, little-used Atlantic P Aaron Stone took the ball for the ninth inning and stranded star Eckford 3B Isaac Kelly at 2B after a leadoff Double. Atlantic had a memorable victory, and Eckford’s fifteen-game winning streak was over.

There was no clear-cut star for Atlantic – Isaac Kelly (4/6, 2 2B, 3 R, 1 RBI) took Player of the Game – but they saw a number of fine performances on the afternoon:

• ATL 2B Roy Beattie: 2/4 (2B), 2 R, 1 RBI, 3 TB
• ATL C Michael Jones: 2/5 (2B), 1 R, 2 RBI, 3 TB, 1/1 CS
• ATL SUB George Taylor: 2/4 (2B), 2 R, 3 RBI, 3 TB (entered in T2 for SS B. Gagliardi (INJ))
• ATL LF Herb Verrett: 2/5 (2B), 2 R, 3 RBI, BB
• ATL 1B Jackson Wright: 3/5 (all 1B), 2 R, 1 RBI, BB

The win moved Atlantic, who is off to a slow start, back above .500 at 11-10 and alone into third place in the Brooklyn Championship. Eckford’s first loss in most than three weeks “dropped” them to 19-2, and they have a six-game lead on the rest of the pack after just 21/70 have been played.