1941 Reds take 2 of 3 from '36 Cubbies

Game 1: French vs Riddle

The Cubs jumped out to a one run lead as Stan Hack doubled to lead off the game and scored on a double by Ken O’Dea.  Augie Galan hit a solo homer in the fourth to extend the lead to 2 – 0. The Cubs added to their lead in the fifth on a single by Charlie Grim and a double by Billy Herman.  Cubs starter Larry French was working on a one-hitter through the first five innings, but in the sixth Billy Werber lead off the sixth with a walk and pitcher Elmer Riddle followed with a double and both runners scored on ground outs to cut the lead to 3 – 2.  In the 7^th Eddie Joost doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a deep fly to right off the bat of Ernie Lomabardi and scored on Harry Craft’s sacrifice fly to knot the game at three all.  Clay Bryant relieved French with two outs in the 10^th to preserve the tie, but walked the first two Red’s batters in the 11^th.  After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up, Frank McCormick singled to drive in the winning run and give the Reds a 4 – 3 win.  Elmer Riddle went the distance for the Reds to pick up the win to go 3 – 0  and Clay Bryant took the loss to even his record at 1 – 1.

Game 2;  Warneke vs Turner

Lon Warneke went the distance as the Cubs defeated the Reds 7 – 2.  The Reds struck first on a double from Phil Cavarretta following an error by Joost to take a one nothing lead.  In the third a triple by Demaree drove in Hack who had walked to increase the lead to 2 – 0, but Demaree was thrown out at home trying to score on a short fly ball to right.  The Reds tied the score in the bottom of the frame on singles by Ival Goodman  Lonnie Frey and Frank McCormick with a stolen base by Frey and a sacrifice bunt.  The Cubs went ahead for good in the fifth on a Stan Hack double and Billy Herman triple.  They increased their lead to 5 – 2 on singles by Billy Jurges and Stan Hack with a passed ball, error and sacrifice fly.  Solo homers by Hack and Cavarretta in the ninth concluded the scoring as the Cubs won 7 – 2.  Leon Warneke W (2 – 1) got the complete game victory and Jim Turner L (1 – 3) took the loss.  Stan Hack went three for three to increase his average to .396

Game 3: Walters vs Carleton

The series moved to Wrigley Field and both pitchers shut out the opposition through the first six innings, but an Ival Goodman single, a walk and an error loaded the bases with two out and a two run single by Franck McCormick gave the Reds a two run lead.  Both runs were unearned.  An Ival Goodman double plated a run in the eighth and a two-run homer by Frank McCormick in the ninth salted away the win for the Reds.  Bucky Walters went the distance for the five-hit shutout to pick up his first win of the year against two losses.

Jim Clouser