Series 19: Orators take three of four from Black Caps

Black Caps 27-29; Orators 26-31

Game One: Black Caps 5, Orators 3
WP: Mathis (3-2)
LP: Jenkins (8-6)
Save: A Cooper (6)
HR: Perkins 2 (4), Pennington (9)

Game Two: Orators 5, Black Caps 3
WP: Davis (1-4)
LP: Holland (6-4)
Save: Danforth (7)
HR: Herman (1)

Game Three: Orators 11, Black Caps 5
WP: Wingard (2-5)
LP: Currie (3-4)

Game Four: Orators 5, Black Caps 3
WP: Sutton (6-6)
LP: Drake (5-3)
Save: Danforth (8)
HR: Palm (8), Blackwell (4), Brouthers (4), T Jackson (6)

Lincoln Park is mathematically eliminated.

Bill Perkins hit a pair of solo homers and Art Pennington hit a two-run shot in the opener for the Black Caps. Perkins was 4-for-4 and added a double. Verdell Mathis went six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits but inducing two double plays to get out of innings.

Dixie Davis got his first win of the season in his final start. Ortonville gave him a 4-0 lead after two innings, with Billy Herman hitting a two-run homer in the second, Bill Holland left after the second for Lincoln Park, and Phil Cockrell threw five innings of one run relief to give the Black Caps a chance to get back into the game. But after the Caps drove Davis from the hill in the seventh, the relief trio of Elam Vangilder, Hub Pruett and Dave Danforth allowed no hits in the final eight outs.

The Orators sliced up Rube Currie for eight runs in 1.3 innings in Game Three, getting 11 hits and a walk in 15 batters. Kiki Cuyler went 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs, while Richie Ashburn, Herman and Dan Brouthers each scored twice. Dave Malarcher had a bases-loaded triple for Lincoln Park

Brouthers hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eights off Andy Cooper for the comeback win in the series finale. Charles Blackwell and Spoony Palm had each homered as the Black Caps built a 3-1 lead behind Bill Drake, who at one point retired 17 straight Orators, But Travis Jackson led off the bottom of the eighth with a homer, and one out later Ashburn walked and Herman singled, Cooper entered, and Brouthers promptly homered. Danforth allowed a pair of two-out hits in the top of the ninth before getting out of the inning.

Pitcher availability: For the Orators, Danforth went one inning in the finale, and the rest of the bullpen is fully rested. Wingard can relieve in the final game. For the Black Caps, Drake should sit three games; Currie should sit two games for either purpose; Cockrell should sit one for either purpose; Mathis should sit one game to start.

Projected rotation: Orators -- Jenkins-Shocker-Davis to end the season. Black Caps -- Streeter-Williams?-Mathis-??? to end the season.