[tm1681]

JENKINS GOES DISTANCE & THEN SOME IN LOSING EFFORT
PITCHER STAYS IN FOR ENTIRE GAME AS NIAGARA v QUAKER ST. GOES 15 INNINGS

BUFFALO, N.Y. (May 12, 1880) - Niagara and Quaker State played the middle game of their series to open Week Two of the A.P.B.L. season on Wednesday, and in the end they came close to playing games two & three at the same time:

There wasn’t much action during the early innings, with both teams scoring a lone run over the first four. Niagara took a 4-1 lead in B5 when three runs scored via Error, Base on Balls, & Single, and that lead stood until T8 when Quaker St. evened the score on a Sacrifice Fly and a two-run Double by CF Ned Morganti.

Then…nothing. B8 went by scoreless, as did the ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteen, and fourteenth innings. It had been quite some time since the fans in Buffalo had seen a game last this long, but eventually there were runs to be had. Quaker St. stepped up to the plate for T15 and hit Niagara with a five-run rally that started with a pair of Niagara Errors and resulted in runs being scored on two Singles, two more Errors, and a Hit by Pitch with the bases full. The score now 9-4, Niagara came to bat for B15 and scored three runs, all via Errors, to make it a 9-7 game, but left the bases loaded when substitute RF Sweeney Martin hit a weak fly ball to the Quaker St. 2B with two out to put an end to a memorable game.

Judging by the amount of late miscues, such as the numerous Errors and the hit Batsman with the bases loaded, the length of the game, which was over four hours when it finally finished, caused problems for the players. However, one man who was determined to see the job through was Niagara’s Edward Jenkins:

• NIA P Edward Jenkins: CG L (0-2, 3.20), 15.0 IP, 10 HA, 9 RA/0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K – 2/6, 83 GMSC

Opposing Pitcher Walter Gifford lasted seven innings, and Quaker St. #1 Ross Gill, who earned the Win, came in to pitch the last four after two other Quaker St. P’s split innings 8-11. Jenkins may have taken the Loss, but he also took the plaudits for his gutsy performance in defeat.

The result left both teams 3-5 a little over a week into the 1880 season. Gotham & Knickerbocker currently share the best record in the A.P.B.L. with 6-2 marks.