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1920 Dodgers Week 8: Back in first place

A red-hot offense guided Brooklyn to six wins in seven games.

By Eric Stephen
Pitcher Clarence Mitchell in Action Stance
Clarence Mitchell, pitcher turned first baseman, hit .444 last week for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

A thriving offense, even while losing regulars Ed Konetchy and Zack Wheat, was key for Brooklyn last week. Six wins in seven games brought the Dodgers into a tie atop the National League with Chicago, 100 years ago this week.

It’s the first time the Dodgers have been in first place since April 29.

Clarence Mitchell, who as a reminder has a 2.15 ERA in 29⅓ innings this year, was excellent at the plate last week, hitting .444 (12-for-27) with a triple, three walks, five runs batted in while starting all seven games at first base in place of Konetchy.

Hi Myers continued to excel in the middle of the lineup, hitting .333 (9-for-27) with three doubles, two triples, and a home run, driving in 10 runs. Down a run with two outs in the ninth inning Tuesday, Myers hit a walk-off double to beat the Giants. Two days later he homered in a 2-0 win in Philadelphia, then the next day he tripled and doubled, driving in the go-ahead runs in another win.

Myers usually bats fifth, but moved into the cleanup spot Tuesday with Wheat temporarily on the shelf. Wheat was 6-for-12 (.500) in three games before bowing out. When he returns he’ll have a nine-game hitting streak.

We’d be remiss without mentioning Burleigh Grimes, who notched another complete game Monday against the Giants. At the plate he was 3-for-3 with two runs batted in, his third three-hit game of the season and second in a row. He has hits in each of his last six at-bats, and is hitting .542 (13-for-24).

On the mound, Al Mamaux allowed two total runs in two complete-game wins, lowering his ERA to 1.15. Jeff Pfeffer blanked the Phillies on Thursday, the fifth shutout by the Dodgers this season.

Naturally, the week ended with another rainout in Philadelphia, the 14th of the season for Brooklyn.

Week 8 summary

6-1 record
36 runs scored (5.14 per game)
21 runs allowed (3.00 per game)
.728 pythagorean record

Year to date

24-15 record
152 runs scored (3.80 per game)
112 runs allowed (2.80 per game)
.636 pythagorean record

NL standing: t-1st place, tied with the Reds

Game results

Up next

The Dodgers run the Red Ames gauntlet, back home in Brooklyn to face the Giants, Cardinals, and Reds.

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