The story of the time the Yankees got just one hit, but still won

Baseball is a weird sport. It's the sport that seemingly hinges on individual moments the most. Other sports can too, of course, but baseball's the sport where a single game's result is the most reliant on a bit of luck. That's one of the reasons they play 162 games in a season.

On July 10, 1914, the Yankees hosted the team then known as the Cleveland Naps. The Naps' lineup that day included Shoeless Joe Jackson and Nap Lajoie, for whom they were named. Meanwhile, the Yankees were still in the post-Highlanders, pre-Ruth/Gehrig days. Their lineup on this day included just one player who OPSed over .700 in 1914: Birdie Cree.

Cleveland's starting pitcher on July 10 was Rip Hageman. After making his debut with the Cubs in 1909, Hageman didn't pitch in the majors again until 1914 with the Naps. While Hageman would have a slightly below-average season in 1914, he didn't have any problems that day against a very weak Yankees' lineup.

The team scored their lone run of the game in the third inning when first baseman Charlie Mullen singled off Hageman to drive home a run. Not only was that the Yankees' only run of the day, it was also their only hit, but the Cleveland starter did walk seven batters. As the second game of a doubleheader, they only played six innings.

The Yankees' starting pitcher that day was Ray Caldwell. In his fifth season in the majors, Caldwell was having his best year. He too had a pretty good day on the mound, holding the Naps to just three hits and three walks without giving up any runs to get the win.

On July 10, 1914, the Yankees were held to just one hit, and won. This is the only instance in Yankees' history in which this has happened. They've gotten just two hits and won 13 times, most recently in 1994, but a one-hit win has happened only once. Five times in Major League history has a team been no-hit and won. In 1990, the Yankees were on the losing end of one of those games, when they no-hit the White Sox, but still lost 4-0.

The Naps' lineup got three times as many hits as the Yankees did and still lost. Yes, three hits isn't many, but it's still mathematically three times as many as the Yankees got.

The 1914 Yankees finished tied for sixth place in the American League. They went 70-84 and finished 30 games behind the first place Philadelphia Athletics. Only one team finished below them. You probably won't be surprised to know that it was the Cleveland Naps.

Sources

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA191407102.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1914.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1914.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/caldwra02.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hagerri01.shtml

All data courtesy of the Baseball-Reference Play Index