Back at Cubs Park for the third game, we sat in incredible seats right behind the Phillie dugout left for us at a ticket window by Mr. Alphonse Capone. Our team was facing a guy named Tony Kauffman who was 0-5 so far, I had a bag of hot salted peanuts in my hand, Benny wasn't yelling at anyone yet and the world seemed wonderful.Down only 2-1 even though Oescheger had given the Cubs seven hits in the first three innings, we started cracking the ball out of the yard. Wilson homered with one out in the top of the 4th, and an out later Hod Ford did the same thing. With two outs in the 5th, Harper hit one onto the right field street and we were up 4-2. Sixth place was right around the corner!
Then the sky got a little dark and so did the game. With two outs in the Cub 6th they got three singles and a walk off Oeschie and he was gone from the mound along with his 13 hits. Other than the three boingers we hit off Kauffman, though, he was pretty tough, and it was still 4-3 us when Ray Steineder took the hill for the bottom of the 9th. Ray hasn't been used all that much but he'd already pitched the 7th and 8th without allowing a hit, which after Oescheger was a huge thing.
Except he lost it somewhere on his way back to the mound. Friberg began with his fourth single of the game. Grantham singled and Grimes loaded the bases with another single. Huck Betts came running in to save the day and our shot at sixth place, but Hack Miller picked his first pitch and rammed it deep off the left brick wall for two runs and the shocking Cub win.
Benny and me walked out of there like the stars of our own funeral, and we were so down we almost forgot to drive to this building near a north side pier to pick up Capone's friend. It was some kind of shipping office on a dark street. Thunder and lightning was going now, and we must've sat in the Chrysler for a whole hour waiting for him to come out. Capone had sent a mechanic guy to our hotel that morning and thankfully the car ran like a dream now, but this was getting stupid.
Benny was all ready to leave when we heard two loud gunshots. The door to the shipping office opened and this guy in a black coat and cap came running out with a black valise bag. I opened the back door for him and he jumped in, all crazy, and told us to drive. Benny sure did, but the next thing we knew there were two cars racing after us. The guy sent us down one alley, then the next, and Benny almost hit three brick walls trying to follow his directions.
We ended up in a dark garage and sat there while the two cars went right by. We were both shaking but the guy whose name was Paulie Potatoes and had a face like one gave us three hundred dollars each from the black bag and a bottle of Canadian whiskey. "Mr. Capone says thanks," he said and disappeared around the corner.
I don't have to tell you that we sampled that whiskey when we got back to the Grasmere, and more than once.
Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny
PHL 001 210 000 - 4 9 2
CHI 101 001 002 - 5 17 0
Other National League games today:
at PIRATES 6-9-0, GIANTS 4-12-2
Well, I'm sure not worried about the Giants anymore, because they don't seem to have what it takes. They tie this one up 2-2 in the 5th, only to have Ross Youngs drop a fly for a three-base error and give the Bucs lead again. They tie it at 3-3 the next inning, only to have Youngs drop one for a two-base error, and three runs end up scoring on a Clyde Barnhart triple with two outs and the sacks filled. George Kelly is playing horrible once more, leaving six runners on base his first three times up and driving nobody in.
at REDS 6-9-1, ROBINS 0-7-0
Cincy stays on the Bucs' heels with a Tom Sheehan whitewash of Bill Doak, the second best Brooklyn starter after Vance. Bressler clubs a grand slam homer in the 7th off him to put the game away.
at CARDINALS 14-18-2, BRAVES 13-23-4 (10 innings)
Boston launches another losing streak in heartbreak style. Down 13-7 in the 9th, they score six times to tie the game, then lose it in extra innings when Ed Sperber drops a fly with the bases loaded with Cards. Hornsby gets three more hits and is up to .438 as he gets his lumber ready for the big bad Phillies.
| NATIONAL LEAGUE through Tuesday, May 20 | ||||
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 22 | 10 | .688 | — |
| Cincinnati Reds | 23 | 12 | .657 | 0.5 |
| Brooklyn Robins | 19 | 14 | .576 | 3.5 |
| New York Giants | 17 | 16 | .515 | 5.5 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 18 | 17 | .514 | 5.5 |
| Chicago Cubs | 14 | 21 | .400 | 9.5 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 12 | 22 | .353 | 11 |
| Boston Braves | 10 | 23 | .303 | 12.5 |
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