Thursday, June 4, 1914 Baltimore at Providence - Game 21

Baltimore 1 Providence 2 7 Innings – Babe Ruth Starting Pitcher – Complete Game Loss – 0 for 2 at bat

                Babe Ruth started the home series for the Orioles against the Grays and gave up 2 runs on 5 hits, but the Orioles could only manage a single run.  The game ended in a 2-1 defeat when the game was called due to darkness after the seventh inning.  Babe struck out seven, walked two, threw one wild pitch and balked once during the defeat.  The loss lowered his record to 6-5 and the Orioles season record to 23-15.  It was the last loss the Orioles would experience in the next 13 games.

Monday, June 1, 1914 Baltimore at Jersey City – Game 20

Baltimore 9 Jersey City 6 – Starting Pitcher – Taken out in 8^th Inning – No Decision – 1 for 4 at bat

            Having pitched less than two innings the previous day, Dunn started Babe against the Jersey City Skeeters.  Going into the seventh inning, the Orioles led 3-0.  Babe gave up a run in the seventh, but the Orioles came back in the eighth to take a 6-1 lead.  However, Babe did not make it out of the eighth inning giving up three more runs.  Jersey City tied the game 6-6, after Ruth left the game.  But the Birds came back scoring three more runs in the ninth inning for a 9-6 victory, and a season record of 21-14.  Since the Orioles took the lead, after he left the game, Ruth was not credited for the win.

           Babe did not play in the last two games against Jersey City which the Orioles won.  However, during the grueling 24 game road trip in all seven other cities of the International League, Babe had played in 14 games.  He was the starting pitcher in 8 games, once a relief pitcher, started in the outfield in 2 games and pinch hit in three games.  Between May 20^th and June 1^st, he played in eleven of the twelve games and appeared in both games of three double headers during the stretch.

            Did Dunn overuse his rookie pitcher on the road?  While Babe completed all three of his starts during the Orioles initial 13 game home series, during the road trip he only finished half of the 8 games he started.  In the first home series, Babe gave up only 5 runs in 29 innings pitched.  His road record was 25 runs in 59 1/3 innings pitched.  He also started two games as a lead off right fielder during the road trip and pinch hit in three games allowing him little rest.  During the first home series, he only pinch hit twice and never played the field for an entire game.

            When the Orioles returned to Baltimore on June 4^th, to begin a thirty game home stand, Babe was primarily used as a starting pitcher.  He was sufficiently rested between starts returning good results.

Sunday, May 31, 1914 Baltimore at Providence – Game 19

Baltimore 2 Providence 7 – Babe Ruth Starting Pitcher – Taken Out in 2^nd Inning – Losing Pitcher

               Babe was the starting pitcher the next day and had his worst outing on the mound.  He was taken out in the second inning after giving up 3 runs to the Providence Grays on 5 hits.  He gave up five straight hits – four singles and a double, as the Orioles lost 7-2.  With the loss, his pitching record for the season was now 6-4, and the Orioles had a season record of 20-14.

Saturday, May 30, 1914 Baltimore at Providence (Double Header) – Game 17 & 18

Baltimore 3 Providence 4 – Babe Ruth Pinch Hitter – 0 for 1 at bat

Baltimore 3 Providence 1 – Babe Ruth Starting Right Fielder – 2 for 5 at bat Tripled 1 RBI and Scored

               With the Orioles down 4-1 in the first game of a double header, Babe Ruth pinch hit for pitcher Danforth in the seventh inning.  He made an out.  The Orioles came back to score two runs in the eighth inning, but fell to Providence 4-3.

               In the second game of the double header, Babe started the game as the lead off right fielder.  He was 2 for 5, with a triple knocking in one run.  He also scored a run in a 3-1 Orioles victory.  He had no tries as a fielder.  Splitting the double header, the Orioles season record was 20-13.

Thursday, May 28, 1914 Baltimore at Providence – Game 16

Baltimore 7 Providence 4 – Babe Ruth Relief Pitcher – 6 2/3 innings – 1 for 4 at bat Tripled

                The Orioles took a five run lead in the first inning, but pitcher Danforth, gave up a run in the second and two more in the third.  Babe Ruth came in as a relief pitcher and held the Grays to one run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings to preserve the Orioles 7-4 victory.  He struck out two, walked four and hit one batter.  He also started a double play in the field and tripled in the ninth inning knocking in the last Orioles run.  Since Danforth only pitched 2 1/3 innings, he could not be credited with a victory even though the Orioles led when he left the game.  Ruth should be credited with a victory, increasing his record to 6-3 and the Orioles overall record to 19-12 for the season.

Sunday, May 24, 1914 Baltimore at Newark (Double Header) – Game 14 & 15

Baltimore 9 Newark 4 – Babe Ruth Starting Pitcher – Taken out in 4^th Inning – 1 for 1 at bat

Baltimore 1 Newark 0 11 Innings – Babe Ruth Starting Pitcher – Complete Game Victory – 1 for 4 at bat

            After pinch hitting and playing the field in yesterday’s doubleheader, Babe Ruth started both games of a doubleheader against the Newark Indians.  In the first game, Babe gave up a run in the first inning.  In the third inning, the Orioles came back with 8 runs to take a big lead, however, Ruth gave up two more in the third.  The Orioles scored one back in the fourth for a 9-3 lead.  Babe was only able to get one man out in the fourth, giving up another run and was pulled from the game.  That ended the scoring for the day, with the Orioles winning 9-4.  Babe got a single in his only at bat.  Since he only pitched 3 1/3 innings, he could not be credited with a victory.

               Having only pitched three and one-third innings to start the double header, Dunn started Ruth in the second game, as well.  Ruth responded with a 1-0, 11 inning complete game shutout.  He gave up 5 hits, striking out one and walking three.  He also hit safely once in four at bats.  Babe increased his record to 5-3.  The two victories gave the Orioles an 18-11 record for the season.

Saturday, May 23, 1914 Baltimore at Rochester (Double Header) – Game 12 & 13

Baltimore 2 Rochester 4 – Babe Ruth Pinch Hitter – 0 for 1 at bat Struck Out

Baltimore 0 Rochester 1 – Babe Ruth Starting Right Fielder – 1 for 4 at bat

            With the Orioles down, 4-2 in the ninth inning in the first game, Babe Ruth pinch hit for the pitcher Russell, and struck out.  The Orioles did not score and lost the game.

               In the second game, Babe started in right field leading off.  This was his first appearance as a position player rather than a pitcher or a pinch hitter.  He had one single in four at bats – it was only one of two base hits for the Orioles in a 1-0 loss.  Babe had one put out as a fielder.  

               Losing both games of the double header, the Orioles overall season record fell to    16-11.