Evening star., 1909-08-19
NATIONALS GIVE
ATHLETICS A SCARE
Almost Tied Up the Score in
the Final Round With
Hard Hitting.

The Nationals gave the Athletics the
battle OF their lives yesterday, but had to
succumb in the ninth inning with two
on bases and the score standing to
in favor of the Quakers. Plank had been
pitching at his best for eight innings
and only ciphers came the locals way.
hut they opened bombardment in the
ninth that made dear old Connie Macks
hair stand on end and Plank wish for his
dear old home at Gettysburg.
Schafer opened with a, pretty double
to left center and Unglaub pushed him
to third with clean single to center
-killfer then raped another clean sin
gle to left, sending Germany" home
but Unglaub had to pull up at second
Conroy then tried to sacrifice. but he
rolled fast one to Plank. and In
.xlaub was headed off at third by
quick toss to Baker. Blankenship was
then showed into the battle to hit for
Lelivelt on account of being ie1t-
handler, and Cliff thought he was smart
flee, but looked like poor base ball with
Mcbride coming up The dope turn
ed out right, as Egan missed a strike
on Mac which made the batter real an
cry and he then struck out on three
fast ones right over the heart OF the
plate. 1t was a ticklish place for the
leaders and a hit would have surely won
the game.
Looked Dangerous.
The Msckmen didn't get a-goins until
the fourth With one dead bird, Collins
and Barry smashed robust singles. After
Davis lif-ed a runt of a fly to Mcbride,
Barry walked. loading the bases. Oldring
then left the Quakers three.
In the next inning the Best Bets got In
the deciding blows Paddy Livingstone,
still limping from Shibe Park injuries,
opened with a single to right When
Plank and Hartsel failed to advance the
Mackman the Athletics chances crum-
bled appreciably. Murphy evidently help
ed by Maek's shuttle of the batting order,
which moved him to second place, obliged
with a torrid drive that trickled to the
far corner in right. 1t was double, and
Livingstone hobbed home all the way
from first. Then Collins slipped one to
center. Dan counting and Eddie taking
second on the throw.
Capital strategy prompted Groom to
walk Baker with malice aforethought
Eddie followed the premeditated gift by
flching third. AS Baker started to steal
Street made bluff throw to second.
Then he made throw to third which
was not Il bluff, but caught the second
sacker off base. A stirring rundown fol-
lowed, which finally resulted in Wild Con-
roy dentlng Collins back with the ball
In. the eighth Barry singled to left and
whirled around to third on Oldring's dou-
bic. With the inner works drawn In,
Mcbride threw out Livingstone and kept
Barry glued on third. Plank's rap to
Groom was used for the purpose of en-
balning Barry. Street was wise to the
double steal game and Oldring was flag
ged at the plate on McBride's return
throw.
s, -,-.~ Lacked the Hit
washinston's first chance came in the
third, when Groom and Browne singled
with two down. They advanced on
passed bail and Schdefer's hit to Collins
for an easy out. The Nationals rushed
pinch man into action in the seventh,
but couldn't get around.
killifer singled and went up on a sac
-rifice. Batting for Milan. Siattery smash
ed laundering liner that few straight to
Davis McBride's fielders choice throt-
tied KilIifer and the danger was over for
the moment.
The Nationals raised in their might in
thesntnth. but fell short of the timely nit
Following IL the official score of the