September 5, 1913
Johnson Saves One Game, Wins Next
Washington Pitcher Breaks Up Rally, Then Blanks Yankees in Battle with Ford
WASHINGTON, Sept. 5. – To encounter Walter Johnson once during a series is considered sufficient misfortune for any ball club, but to inflict him on an opposing club twice in the same afternoon verges on downright cruelty…
Johnson made his first appearance against the Yanks in the ninth inning of the first game after Joe Boehling had blown up.
Boehling had pitched well for eight innings, but got himself into quite a jam in the ninth. After holding the visiting Yankees scoreless, he allowed two runs in cross in the ninth. When Johnson entered the game, his team was clinging to a one run lead, the bases were full of Yankees with nobody out.
The first batter he faced, Ray Caldwell, hit a fly ball to left field. With speedy Frank Gilhooey at third, it looked like an easy sacrifice fly, but Joe Gedeon’s throw from left was right on the money to complete the double play. Johnson finished the inning, and game, with a strike out of Fritz Maisel. The Nats took game one 3-2.
The Yankees had Johnson to face from the start of the second game, and they never had a chance. During the nine innings four of the Chance men reached first base, one of the quartet getting to second and nobody getting as far as third.
The Nats won game two by a 1-0 score. Johnson went the distance and allowed three hits. He walked one and struck out eight.
Through 9/5
41 G 31 GS 29-8 299.7 IP 47 R 204 H 37 BB 202 K 1.41 RA 0.80 WHIP
