10/10: Cutch B-Day, World Series, NL Playoffs, Expansion Draft

Cutch B-Day, World Series, NL Playoffs, Expansion Draft...

• 1903 - The fourth and final game at Exposition Park saw Deacon Phillippe start his fourth game of the Series against Cy Young, making his third start. Boston won the matchup easily 7-3, and returned home up 4-3 and needing one more win to claim the first World Series crown. Kitty Bransfield went 3-for-4 for the Pirates while Jimmy Sebring and Phillippe added a pair of knocks. 
• 1925 - The World Series moved to Griffith Stadium and Washington took a two-to-one lead in games with a 4-3 win, scoring twice in the seventh off Ray Kremer when a walk and infield single eventually came home to score. Alex Ferguson and Firpo Mayberry scattered eight hits; Max Carey had a pair of them. Pittsburgh loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Mayberry got Clyde Barnhart on a pop to the catcher and Pie Traynor on a fly to center to close out the win. The game is famed for the Sens’ Sam Rice’s catch. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Earl Smith drove a ball to right-center field. Rice caught the ball at the fence, flipped over its top and landed in the stands, disappearing for 15 seconds or so. When Rice popped back up, the ball was in his glove and the umpire, Cy Rigler, called the batter out. The ump's explanation was that as soon as the catch was made the play was over, so it didn’t matter if Rice dropped it during his tumble or not. Rice was mum about the grab - “The ump called him out” was all he’d say - and seemed to enjoy the life-long conversation piece. After his death in 1974, a letter he penned was opened at Cooperstown, and he had written "At no time did I lose possession of the ball." 
• 1960 - Billy Maz’s two-run double was the big blow as Harvey Haddix and Roy Face claimed a 5-2 win and 3-2 World Series lead against the New York at Yankee Stadium. 
• 1961 - The expansion draft claimed six Pirates - the Houston Colt .45s took OF Roman Mejias, P Bobby Schantz, P Jim Umbright and C Hal Smith, while the New York Mets selected OF Joe Christopher and P Al Jackson. 
• 1972 - Cincinnati, facing elimination, took the Pirates behind the woodshed at Riverfront Stadium, winning 7-1 and forcing a winner-take-all showdown for the NLCS crown. Ross Grimsley tossed a two hitter; both hits were by Roberto Clemente, including a solo homer. 
• 1979 - The Orioles rocked Bruce Kison for five first inning runs and then hung on to take the first game of the World Series 5-4. Willie Stargell homered with a pair of RBI while Jim Rooker, Enrique Romo, Don Robinson and Grant Jackson pitched three-hit ball over the last 8-⅔ innings. Mike Flanagan gave up 11 hits, but went the distance for Baltimore’s win at Memorial Stadium. 
• 1986 - Andrew McCutchen was born in Fort Meade, Florida. The 2005 All-Star first rounder has been the face of the team and its energizer bunny since replacing Nate McLouth during the 2009 season. 
• 1990 - Pittsburgh stayed alive in the NLCS by edging the Reds 3-2 at TRS to cut the Cincinnati margin to 3-2. Doug Drabek worked into the ninth, then Bob Patterson came on to get the last two outs to save the victory. Andy Van Slyke and Barry Bonds each had an RBI and run scored against Tom Browning to lead Pittsburgh. 
• 1991 - Steve Avery and Alejandro Pena combined to stop the Bucs 1-0 at TRS and even the NLCS at a game apiece. Mark Lemke’s two out double up the third base line scored David Justice and sent Zane Smith to a tough defeat. 
• 1992 - John Smoltz won his second NLCS game 6-4 at TRS, putting the Bucs in a 3-1 hole as Doug Drabek took another loss. The Bucs managed just six hits, with Andy Van Slyke banging out a double and triple.