[mandersen]

Reds 3 Orphans 2 in 10 innings.

What started off so promising ended ugly as the Orphans bullpen, thought to be the teams major weakness ended up costing them the game on Opening Day 1901. Things started well and good as speedy 1B Frank Chance led off the game with a hit. Cupid Childs was then hit by a pitch from Noodles Hahn. After Topsy Hartel reached on a fielders choice leaving Chance at third and Hartsel at first, Danny Green laced a single into CF and the Orphans had a 1-0 lead. Noodles Hahn settled in after Greens hit however and didn't allow another hit for 6+ innings, retiring 12 in a row in one stretch. Jack Taylor kept the Cubs in front with some outstanding pitching of his own pitching 6 shutout innings. However, in the 7th, Reds CF-John Dobbs led off with a triple and 3B-Harry Steinfeldt promptly singled him in, tying up the game at 1 in the bottom of the 7th. Hahn started the 8th, but 3B-Fred Raymer reached on an error by LF-Dick Harley who dropped his fly ball. After Jack Taylor bunted him over to 2nd, Frank Chance lined his second single of the game driving in Raymer and giving the Orphans a 2-1 lead. Chance stole 2nd and took 3B on a throwing error by catcher Heinie Peitz, but Cupid Childs couldn't take advantage of the scoring situation, weakly grounding out and then Topsy Hartsel flew out to center to end the inning with Chance still standing on 3B. The Reds came right back in the bottom of the 8th after pinch hitter Charlie Irwin led off with a triple of his own. SS-George Magoon walked and then Pete O'Brien grounded into a double play but Irwin scored to tie the game. With Barry McCormick leading off the top of the 10th with a walk, Fred Raymer quickly bunted him over to 2nd and the Orphans were back in business. Orphans manager Matt Andersen had a decision to make as Taylor obviously still had some pitches left in him, but the Orphans had the winning run standing on 2B with only 1 out. Andersen pinch hit Cozy Dolan for Taylor, but Dolan flied out weakly. After Frank Chance grounded out, the inning was over. Reliever Charlie Ferguson made his first appearance of his young career for the Orphans in the bottom of the 10th and it didn't last long. Dick Harley led off with a triple and Heinie Peitz drove him in the very next at bat and the Reds had walked off with a victory. The Orphans were encouraged by Taylor's pitching performance. He went 9 innings allowing only 7 hits and a walk while striking out 8 men. Unfortunately, the left arm of Noodles Hahn and the timely hitting of Dick Harley were too much for the Orphans to overcome. The real difference was the bullpen in this one. The Reds pen was able to go 2 2/3 scoreless while the Orphans pen couldn't record a single out. Hope still springs eternal and Long Tom Hughes goes to the mound tomorrow trying to even up the Orphans record.