100 Years Ago Today 5/9/1920: Brooklyn Robins Turn Back Phillies in Tenth

From the desk of: FINGERPRINTS OF THE BUMS

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS

1920 National League Champions

Game #19: Sunday, May 9, 1920 - BR
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Brooklyn Robins
Ebbets Field

Packed Crowd at Ebbets Field Cajole Brooklyn Robins to Victory Over Phillies

The sputtering Robins were back at Ebbets Field this afternoon hosting a one game set against the Phillies before heading west for a slate of games in the week ahead at St. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.  Brooklyn enters Sunday's action having won just one game in their last eight attempts.  Yet despite the adverse fortunes in their most recent series at the Polo Grounds, the Brooks are warmly received by a near capacity crowd at their Sullivan Place home.

After three scoreless frames Brooklyn breaks through in the fourth for a trio of runs against Phillies right-hander Lee Meadows.  Base hits from Hi Myers and Ed Konetchy set the table for a Bernie Neis double scoring Myers, and Ernie Krueger's base hit scoring Konetchy.  However Meadows would also help turn the tables when Philadelphia likewise catches up with Brooklyn starter Leon Cadore in the fifth.  Wilbert Robinson watches four runs cross the plate on four hits, a walk, and an error by shortstop Ivy Olson, before summoning Sherry Smith from the bullpen.  Cadore exits on the losing side of a 4-3 game after yielding four runs, three earned, on five hits and one walk with three strikeouts in only 4.1 innings pitched.  But he is quickly taken off the hook when Hi Myers singles leading off the sixth, and comes around to score on a Bernie Neis base hit and error committed by Phillies right fielder Casey Stengel.  The game remains deadlocked through the ninth.  With both starters out of the game into extra innings they go at Ebbets.  But unlike Brooklyn's 26-inning loss against the Braves just six games ago, and unlike their 19-inning loss to the Braves just two days later, and unlike Friday's eleven inning loss at the Polo Grounds, the Robins waste little time achieving a successful end.  With one out in the tenth Brooklyn's self appointed player of the game right fielder Bernie Neis singles to right, promptly steals second, then races home to score the winning run on Ernie Krueger's hit to left.  Mr. Neis is 3 for 4, with a walk, double, a run scored, and two runs batted in.  Catcher Ernie Krueger also enjoys a fine day going 2 for 5 with three runs batted in.  Zack Wheat fails to extend his nine game hit streak.  Although Wheat draws three base on balls, he is held hitless for only the second time this season.  Phillies catcher Mack Wheat, Zack's brother and former Robins team mate, is also held hitless in three at bats.  Brooklyn's Sherry Smith earns the victory with 5.2 scoreless innings in relief of Leon Cadore.  Philadelphia's George Smith takes the loss in relief of starter Lee Meadows.

• RECORD: 10-8 (.555)
• 3rd place; 1.5 GB