Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-01
THE HIT THAT CAME NOT.
A Heart-BreakfnE Finish Mt National
Park Yesterday.

Park Yesterday.
III ever there was a case of genuine hard
luck in base ball 1t was developed yesterday
when Washington fell down before Balti-
more by the narrow margin of one score
The Orioles We're running in the smoothest
sort of fortune. Materials for double plays
came their way with disgusting frequency
and they had the extra good luck, too, to
have Sheridan miss connections with the
game. 50 that 1t was necessary for Pitchers
Mercer and Hoffer to do the umpiring. 1t
must be confessed that Hoffer was so i'm
partial and fair in the early part of the
game that he almost froze the blood of the
Baltimore rooters in the stand, and he once
nearly gave Captain Kelley a fit of apo
plexy by deciding him out on strikes. But
it was in the ninth inning that Hoffer's
natural bias toward the Baltimore team got
in the way Of his judgment. and he made
two decisions that cost Washington runs.
ard doubtless the game.
German and Esper did the pitching. Esper
did the better work. but 1t was Germans
hard fortune that Baltimore got in two
long hits alongside of a base on balls ana
Washington's only fielding error. Esper
held together wonderfully we'll under the
strain of the ninth inning. which was a
true heart breaker. 1t was case where
the turning of finger meant victory or
defeat. Unhappily the finger did not turn
WashDgtons way.
There was no disgrace in the defeat. only
1t was a hard game to lose. After 1t was
over the fans saw two or three ways in
which it could have been won. For in
stance, they claimed that If Setback had
not tried to run from first to third on De
Montrevile's sacrifice In the sixth inning
Washington would have made another run
and perhaps two.
Washington took the field first, much to
the delight of the crowd. For Baltimore,
Kelley was hit by pitched ball, and was
forced by Keller on hit over second that
De Montreville got in magnificent style.
Jennings sacrificed and Doyle flied out to
Setback
Washington scored In the first Jennings
fusnbled O'Brien's bounder, and Setback
placed neat single in right field. De Mon
treville made beautiful bunt toward Dom
RELY and was safe. Joyce sacrificed, Reitz
10 Doyle, and OBrien scored. Then Nc
CURE punked a little ball that he meant to
land over Donnelly's head. but that went
right into his hands. and Jimmy was quick
enough to touch the bag before Selbach
could get back. retiring the side on a dou'
bic play that was wholly unexpected.
Baltimore tied the score in the second
Reitz went down on balls and Brodie hit
over second base, placing Reitz on third.
Donnelly lifted out fly to Selbach that
was caught, but instead of throwing TO
the plate Setback threw to second. This
seemed to be an error of judgment, for 1t
chance to catch the runner-n. who scored
easily A double play from Joyce to O'Brien
to Cartwright on Clarks grounder ended
the inning.
tire the Statesmen in the latter half of the
second. In the third Esper hit to right
for a base and Kelley was counted out on
strikes by Hoffer. who delayed his decision
so long that Esper was thrown out at sec
ond on the play. Kelley made a great
kick.
Washington secured lead in the third.
German went down on balls and O'Brien
sacrificed neatly to Doyle Setback poked
out one of his famous three-baggers to
right center and scored a moment later
when DeMontreville flied out to center.
With two out in the fourth Reitz hit to
right for a base and was left. as O'Brien
made great stop of Bredie's smashing
grounder. For Washington MCGUIRE hit
safely to center and Brown sacrificed.
Cartwright lifted up little fly that would
ordinarily have fallen safely In right field,
but luck was with Doyle, who got it on the
jump with one hand and snapped it to Sec
ond in tirre to double up Mcclure.
In the fifth. with two out, Esper made his
second hit to right and was forced at Sec
ond by Kelley. Lush and German were
counted out on strikes in their half by
Hoffer. who showed wretched Judgment in
these cases.
Hoffer refused to umpire at the begin
ming of the sixth and Joe Quinn was in
vi.ed to fill his place. but Joe refused.
around Hoffer and finally persuaded him
to go Keller led off with hit to
ter. Jennings and Doyle flied out to the
outfield and then Reitz walked and Brodie
made bunt safely toward third. filling
the bases Donnelly was unable to poke
out the needed hit and DeMontrevilles low
throw Of his bounder was taken in by Cart
wright in his own inimitable manner. 1t
was in this inning that Setback led off with
single and DeMontreville sacrificed to
Donnelly. Setback had started to steal and
was at the short stops position when Doyle
caught the throw. He kept on and was
counted out by the narrowest of margins
Had Doyle thrown the least bit to one side
the runner would have been safe. Joyce
then drove out beauty to center. but Nc
Guire could do no better than punk a tiny
one to ESper.
The luck of the seventh was all on Bal
timeres side. Clark went to first on balls
and, after Esper had flied out to Setback,
Kelley drove hot one to right center for
three bags. Keller put bounder down
between Cartwright and O'Brien that the