ERICKSON’S 1-HITTER LEADS CUBS PAST BUCS

Clubs Play NL’s 9^th Game with No XBHs

CHICAGO, Aug. 18 (AP) – Paul Erickson became the National League’s fourth hurler to throw a complete game one-hitter this season, leading the Chicago Cubs past the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 at Wrigley Field.  Pittsburgh’s only hit, a two-out second inning single, came off the bat of Billy Cox.  The Pirates never came close to another safety.  Erickson walked five batters, while striking out four, and closed the contest by retiring the final nine hitters he faced in order.

The Cubs did just enough to support their starting pitcher.  The game was scoreless into the bottom of the fifth when Chicago finally dented the scoreboard.  Bobby Sturgeon led off with a base hit and advanced to second when Erickson dropped down a two-strike sacrifice bunt.  Johnny Ostrowski then grounded a single through the box and Sturgeon just barely beat Jim Russell’s throw to the plate to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead.  Ostrowski took second on Russell’s throw and moved to third on a passed ball.  Don Johnson struck out, but Marv Rickert drew a free pass from Pirates starter Jack Hallett.  Phil Cavaretta then dumped a lopper into left field for a base hit, scoring Ostrowski to make it 2-0.  Peanuts Lowrey lined to second to end the inning, but the Cubs had all the runs they would need.

Erickson is the second Cubs starter to a toss a one-hitter this year, joining teammate Claude Passeau, who turned the trick on April 23, also against the Pirates, at Forbes Field.

The two teams combined for just eight hits, none of them of the extra base variety.  It was only the ninth time in the NL this season that a game was played without a single extra base hit.

8/18/1946, Pit46-ChN46, Wrigley Field

                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP

1946 Pirates           0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     0  1  1     6  0

1946 Cubs              0  0  0  0  2  0  0  0  x     2  7  1     7  0

Pirates              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Cubs                 AB  R  H BI   AVG

Handley,L         3b  3  0  0  0  .225    Ostrowski         3b  4  1  2  1  .169

 Elliott          ph  1  0  0  0  .268    Johnson,D         2b  4  0  2  0  .234

Fletcher          1b  3  0  0  0  .267    Rickert           rf  3  0  0  0  .245

Workman,C         rf  4  0  0  0  .233    Cavarretta        1b  4  0  1  1  .320

Kiner             lf  2  0  0  0  .214    Lowrey            cf  4  0  1  0  .292

Russell,J         cf  3  0  0  0  .272    Dallessandro      lf  3  0  0  0  .234

Brown,J           2b  2  0  0  0  .265    Livingston        c   3  0  0  0  .284

 Whitehead        ph  1  0  0  0  .150     Scheffing        c   0  0  0  0  .304

Cox               ss  3  0  1  0  .256    Sturgeon          ss  3  1  1  0  .292

Salkeld           c   3  0  0  0  .349    Erickson          p   2  0  0  0  .045

Hallett           p   3  0  0  0  .000                         30  2  7  2

                     28  0  1  0

Pirates                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA

Hallett          L 1-4           8.0  7  2  1  2  5 129  85  2.24

                                 8.0  7  2  1  2  5 129  85

Cubs                             INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA

Erickson         W 4-6           9.0  1  0  0  5  4 146  82  3.63

                                 9.0  1  0  0  5  4 146  82

Pit: Elliott batted for Handley,L in the 8th

     Elliott moved to 3b in the 8th

     Whitehead batted for Brown,J in the 9th

ChN: Scheffing inserted at c in the 9th

E-Salkeld, Sturgeon. RBI-Ostrowski(6), Cavarretta(67). SB-Russell,J(10),

Cox(5), Johnson,D(7), Lowrey(8). CS-Kiner. K-Handley,L, Kiner, Salkeld,

Hallett, Johnson,D 2, Rickert, Dallessandro 2. BB-Fletcher, Kiner 2,

Russell,J, Brown,J, Rickert, Dallessandro. SH-Erickson. PB-Salkeld.

GWRBI: Ostrowski

Temperature: 81, Field: wet, Sky: clear, Wind: in from center at 11 MPH.

Attendance: 16,423

Game Time: 2:03