Putnam and Pritchitt squared off for a second time in Game Four. For the Nationals, they received the good news that Donoghue Boffin was back. Although he would not make up for the loss of Kayne McMartin, Boffin, who was as well known for the "talk show" he ran on the vaudeville circuit as his batting prowess, would surely help a little.
Boston took an early lead thanks to an Ernie Merwin triple and a subsequent error. Merwin was, like most players on these two teams, playing his first playoff series, but this writer could see no signs of nervousness from the man in this series. Perhaps all of that competitive eating and corporate fat-cattery that the Beaneaters engage in during the regular season and in the off-months prepared him for the spectacle of the postseason. We can't say for sure.
That run appeared for a while to be all that Boston would need. Erik Pritchitt had calmed down much from Game 1, scattering 3 hits and striking out four batters in the first 6 innings. In the 7th, Woody Randles took matters into his own hands, singling to lead off the innings, advancing on a pair of groundouts, and running home on a very clutch Don Croom single. Croom to that point had just 2 hits in 12 World's Series at-bats but the Nationals knew they could count on him in the pinch.
And in the 9th, it was more clutch hitting that got the Nationals the win. This time around, Don Croom was intentionally walked to load the bases (prior to him, Bill Young and Raphael Pollaiuolo had reached 3rd and 2nd, respectively), which was a surprising move considering the way Trafford had been hitting with runners in scoring position in this Series. Predictably, Trafford drove in the winning run.
And so, despite scoring just 3 runs in the 3 games since their big first game victory, the Nats evened the series up.
Code:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Washington Nationals 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 9 1
Boston Beaneaters 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0
Washington AB R H RBI BB K LOB AVG HR RBI
B. Pendergest RF 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .235 0 1
D. Boffin LF 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .250 0 0
W. Randles 3B 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 .375 0 2
B. Young 1B 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 .176 0 0
R. Pollaiuolo C 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .294 0 2
D. Croom 2B 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 .231 0 1
J. Trafford SS 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 .385 0 2
I. D'Annunzio CF 4 0 0 0 0 2 6 .071 0 0
J. Putman P 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 .143 0 2
Totals 33 2 9 2 1 5 14
BATTING
Doubles: R. Pollaiuolo (1, 9th Inning off E. Pritchitt, 1 on, 0 outs)
Total Bases: B. Young, J. Trafford, B. Pendergest, D. Boffin, D. Croom 2, W. Randles 2, R. Pollaiuolo 2
2-out RBI: D. Croom
Runners left in scoring position, 2 outs: , I. D'Annunzio 2
GIDP: J. Putman, D. Boffin
Sac Bunt: J. Trafford
Team LOB: 9
FIELDING
Errors: J. Trafford
Boston AB R H RBI BB K LOB AVG HR RBI
W. Munger RF 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .176 0 0
R. Glass 3B 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 .375 0 1
E. Merwin CF 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0
L. Amill 2B 3 0 0 0 1 0 3 .188 1 2
E. McNeice 1B 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 .133 0 0
D. Dean LF 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .357 0 1
N. Johnson SS 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 .267 0 1
B. Patterson C 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .143 0 2
E. Pritchitt P 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 .000 0 1
Totals 33 1 5 0 1 3 10
BATTING
Triples: E. Merwin (1, 1st Inning off J. Putman, 0 on, 2 outs)
Total Bases: W. Munger, R. Glass, D. Dean, E. Merwin 4
Runners left in scoring position, 2 outs: , L. Amill 2, E. McNeice
Team LOB: 6
FIELDING
Double Plays: 2 (Pritchitt-Johnson-McNeice, Glass-Amill-McNeice)
Washington IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA
J. Putman W (2-0) 9.0 5 1 0 1 3 0 112 67 2.50
PITCHING
Game Score: J. Putman 77
Batters Faced: J. Putman 34
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: J. Putman 13-11
Pitches - Strikes: J. Putman 112-67
Boston IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA
E. Pritchitt L (0-2) 9.0 9 2 2 1 5 0 120 82 2.87
PITCHING
Game Score: E. Pritchitt 65
Batters Faced: E. Pritchitt 36
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: E. Pritchitt 17-3
Pitches - Strikes: E. Pritchitt 120-82
HB: E. Pritchitt
GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: J. Putman
Ballpark: South End Grounds
Weather: Clear skies (55 degrees), wind blowing in from left at 18 mph
Start Time: 7:05 pm
Time: 2:15
Attendance: 19786