Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-01
MERCER LOST HIS GAME.
Senators Could Not Hit Sullivan Con-


Senators Could Not Hit Sullivan Con-
secutfvely.
Mercer had another Of his ladies' days
yesterday. The grand stand was filled with
his fair admirers, but he was an easy mark
for the Boston sluggers, who lined out the
ball whenever hits were needed to send men
along the bases or to push them over the
plate. On the other hand, Sullivan was in
prime FORM and, although he was hit rea-
sonably hard and often, yet he kept the
hits scattered, so that no more than two
of them came in one inning, and two of them
came together only once, and resulted in no
scores. Had not the Boston team gone to
pieces in most singular and unaccount-
able manner in the seventh inning, Sullivan
would have shut Washington out This case
of fumbles has seldom been equaled on
these grounds. Boston had been playing a
magnificent game in the field, when sudden
ly there began series Of muffs and fun
bles that seemed like the work of school
boys rather than veterans.
But the game could not then well be lost,
for the visitors had been piling up the runs
with steady regularity that froZe the blood
Up to that rocky seventh not Senator
had crossed the rubber, though several
men had reached third base and needed
only the influence of safe hit to inspire
them to score. But invariably when the
north corner of the diamond was occupied
by Statesman. the next batsman would
either pop out a fly. or punk down weak
one to the infield. and go out at first or force
a man at second.
Boston began the run-getting in the sec
ond inning. After Tucker had struck out
Duffy. Harrington and Lowe put liners
through Joyce that some of the uncharitable
folks in the stand counted as errors but
that the old-timers all agreed were safe hits
They were all difficult balls, and Joyce
would have been making phenomenal plays
II he had captured them. On these hits
two runs were scored, and then Sullivan
struck out and Hamilton gave Crooks an
easy chance. In the second inning another
brace of runs came in. After two hands
were out Long went down on balls Tucker
drove a two-bagger along the left foul line
and both men scored on Duffy's three-base
hit to center. that bounded over Browns
head. Duffy tried to stretch the hit into q
homer. and was easily thrown out at the
plate, Brown to De Montrevile to Mcclure
Mac made fine catch of the throw which
was rather high.
In the fourth Harrington led off with a
single, and was thrown out at second try
ing to elongate 1t into a two-bagger. Then
Lowe flied out, and, with the two men re-
tired. Sullivan lined out a single over Sec
ond. Hamilton went along on balls, and
Tenney hit to left for base scoring Sulli-
van. Bannon flied out to Lush. In the fifth
Long and Tucker banged safe drives into
left field. Long went to third on the second
runner on the posterior anatomy. and the
ball rolled to the stand. Long scoring.
Crooks fumbled Duffys easy bounder and
Tucker scored. Then three men went out in
order.
The visitors last run was Tailed in the
sixth. With Hamilton out, Tenney hit for
a base, and was forced by Bannon, who
then stole and scored on Longs safe drive to
center. 1t looked as though another run
would be chalked up for Boston in the sew
enth. Duffy laced out a pretty one to left.
and after Harrington had popped up little
fly bunt to MCGUIRE Lowe sailed liner over
toward left field. De Montreville, who was
playing magnificent game at short, went
up into the air and nabbed it, returning it
to first in time to shut Off Duffy who was
scrambling back to the bag. In the eighth,
went out in order.
Again and again did the locals reach the
bases, but the hits to score them could not
be obtained, though nearly all the batsmen
had chances to redeem the game. In the
seventh, after Mercer had flied out to DUFFY.
who played like four men, Lowe flmbled
Browns grounder. Joyce put one at Tucker,
who tried to field 1T, but the effort was
gnastIy, and both men were safe. Then the
crowd aWoke from its lethargy and began
to root In earnest Selbach gave Lowe an
other chance to tumble, but he did not ac-
cept 1t, and the batsman was retired Then
Lush put up fly back of second that Lowe
went after, and, after getting the ball in
his hands, he dropped it, Brown and joyce
scoring. Cartwright tried to keep the mill
going by smashing liner out to center.
but Mcclure could not score Lush from
third, flying out to Duffy.
In the eighth the comedy Of errors was
concluded. Lowe fumbled Crooks ball. De
Montreville forced Crooks at second. and
went along on MERGERS single to center.
Brown gave Long an easy one on which
Herman put Mercer out at second. He
then threw to first, hoping to make double.
but the ball went wild and De MontrevfIie
scored. In the ninth Setback hunted safely
and was forced at second. The next two
men then went out. The score: