Friday, July 10, 1914 Baltimore vs. Newark – Game 33

Baltimore 0 Newark 8 – Babe Ruth Starting Left Fielder – 0 for 3 at bat sacrifice bunt

               In his last game as an Oriole, Babe Ruth started in left field batting sixth in the lineup.  He was hitless in three at bats, striking out once, walking once and he also had a sacrifice bunt (the first of his professional career).  The game was scoreless through five, but the Indians scored 8 runs in the last four innings for an 8-0 victory, dropping the Orioles season record to 48-27.

               After the game, Babe Ruth accompanied by Eagan and Shore took the train to Boston.  On Saturday, July 11, 1914, he started his first major league game pitching for the Boston Red Sox versus the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park.  His first major league stay was only for two games, as he was sent down to the minors in August.  Now playing for the Providence Grays he defeated the Orioles twice as Providence took the International League pennant.   

               The Orioles won nearly two-thirds of the games they played with Ruth on the team.  After he and many of Dunn’s star players were sold, the team lost nearly two thirds of their games in the second half of the season falling below .500 as the season came to a close.

After the International League season ended, Ruth returned to the Red Sox for the last few games of their season.  In 1915, Babe Ruth made the Red Sox major league roster and was a starting pitcher.  He never played again in the minors, except for exhibition games.

Thursday, July 9, 1914 Baltimore vs. Newark – Game 32

Baltimore 5 Newark 7 – Babe Ruth Starting Left Fielder – 1 for 4 at bat doubled and scored

               On the day that it was announced that Jack Dunn sold Babe Ruth to the Boston Red Sox with Eagan and Shore, he started the game as the Orioles left fielder batting sixth.  He batted one for four, with a double and scored a run in a 7-5 losing effort.  The Orioles season record fell to 48-26. 

Monday, July 6, 1914 Baltimore vs. Providence – Game 31

            With the Orioles leading the Grays 4-3 in the seventh inning, Babe Ruth was sent in to relieve pitcher Cottrell who had loaded the bases with one out.  The tying run scored on a sacrifice fly, but Babe was able to get out of the inning.  The Orioles came back with two runs in their half of the seventh.  Babe kept the Grays scoreless in the next two innings earning a victory.  He did not give up a hit in 2 2/3 innings, and struck out 1, walked 1 and threw 1 wild pitch.  His victory gave him a 13-6 record, with the Orioles earning a 48-24 record for the season – the team’s high water mark.   

                Babe would only play two more games as a position player, as Jack Dunn began selling off his star players, and the Orioles lost their next three games.

Saturday, July 4, 1914 Baltimore vs. Providence (First Game of Double Header) – Game 30

Baltimore 4 Providence 3 – Babe Ruth Starting Pitcher – Complete Game Victory – 1 for 4 at bat doubled scored

               In the first game of a Fourth of July double header, Babe Ruth pitched a 4-3 complete game victory.  He gave up 6 hits, struck out 7, walked 1, hit one batsman, and threw one wild pitch.  After giving up two runs in the first inning, he settled down while the Orioles took a 4-2 lead scoring one run each in 4 separate innings.  Babe gave up a run in the seventh, but retired the Grays in the last two innings to preserve the victory, giving him a 12-6 record and the Orioles a 47-22 record for the year.  He also hit a double in the game.  It was the Orioles fifth win in a row.  After the game, Babe asked Dunn for the rest of the day off – but not to rest.  Instead he went back to his alma mater, St. Mary’s Industrial School, to pitch in an afternoon game there.  This would turn out to be Babe’s last pitching start as an Oriole.