1924 World Series: Game Two

By rattlerradio

The New York Giants had beaten Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators in extra innings in game one of the 1924 World Series on the road. John McGraw’s team was looking at taking a commanding lead in the series as they sent Jack Bentley to the mound at Griffith Stadium against Tom Zachary.

But, it was the Senators who took the early lead in Game Two.

Goose Goslin, who had made the final out in Game One with the tying and winning runs on bases, hit a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. In the fifth inning, Bucky Harris hit a two-out, solo homer and Washington was up 3–0.

Zachary was in trouble a couple of times early. Two hits and an error loaded the bases in the top of the first inning, but he got out of the jam with an inning ending double play. The Senators turned another double play in the fourth inning to stop a New York rally.

The Giants got a single and a walk from the first two batters of the top of the seventh to put runners on first and third. Zachary induced another double play ball, but the runner from third scored to cut Washington’s lead to a pair of runs.

Zachary got in trouble again in the top of the ninth. He walked Frankie Frisch to start the inning. “High Pockets” Kelly singled with one out to send Frisch home and make the score 3–2. A two out single by Hack Wilson drove in Kelly with the tying run. Firpo Marberry relieved and got the final out.

Bentley had given up three hits in the first and two hits in the fifth, but that was it. He had given up those five hits and had retired 10 straight Senators heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.

However, a leadoff walk to Joe Judge started the Washington ninth. A sacrifice bunt pushed the winning run to second base. Roger Peckinpaugh, who had doubled in the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning for the Senators in Game One, stepped to the plate in Game Two.

He doubled to left and knocked in the winning run and the Senators evened the series at one win for each team.

Retrosheet.org has the boxscore and the play-by-play of Game Two here.

Game Three of the 1924 World Series is up at the Polo Grounds in New York on Monday, October 6.

The interesting thing about that is Marberry, who got the final out of the top of the ninth inning in Game Two, is the scheduled starter for the Senators in Game Three. Marberry (11–12, 3.09) appeared in 50 games during the regular season, but had made 14 starts in his second season. The Giants would counter with Hugh McQuillan (14–8, 2.69) to see who would take the lead in the Series.