Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-24
BY j. ED GRILLO.

The ninth inning appears to be an un-
lucky one for the Nationals During the
past few weeks almost every game that
the team has lost has been changed from
victory to a defeat in the ninth.
When the Athletics were here some
weeks ago Barney Petty had them four to
nothing in the ninth, when the score was
tied and the game eventually lost. Two
of the st. Louis games We're lost in the
final inning On one occasion the Browns
scored five runs in the ninth, tying the
score and winning later. while last Sat
urday they tied the score in the ninth
after two were out and the game ended
a tie.
There has been weakening of the
pitchers in this round for some reason
or other. Even Walter Johnson was in
trouble Monday in the final round. though
he pitched himself out of it. 1t may be
that the recent hot spell has taken much
of the stamina out of the pitchers. and
that they are no longer able to go the
route. The previous games which We're
lost or tied in the ninth might have been
saved by a change of pitchers. but that
was not the case yesterday.
Griffith is in a quandary as to whom to
pitch today. He would like to work
Cashion. but the big fellow was hit in the
mouth with a batted ball during practice
Yesterday and it is questionable whether
he will be able to work or not If Cash
ion does not work, Grif may choose Tom
Hughes to face the Tigers, for he in
tends 10 work Walter Johnson in the
final game of the series tomorrow.
Yesterdays defeat gave the Nationals
a setback. Boston is now eight fun
games in front OF the locals. while Phila-
delphia is but three games away
There is, of course, no need for a howl
going up for on the whole. the team has
done splendidly, having won ten of the
fourteen games it has played with the
western invaders. 1t has two games lett
with Detroit and then starts west and
there is a sneaking suspicion that the
team will play its best ball on the road,
which it mas been doing most of the
time this season Griffith hopes to gain
ground while away and he is hoping that
Boston will find the going harder out
west than il has at home.
II has been many "A day since Bob
Groom met with lively reception as
the Tigers accorded him in the ninth
yesterday. Tn To this time Bob had been
going along lic%iy, and ii seemed that he
was destined To- win another game from
the Jenningsitss. He gave no sign Of
Weakening wheri Re struck out Dubuc. the
.. first man to face him. but he made a
lot of trouble for himself when he walked
Bush which was the beginning of the
end A fusillade of base hits followe ed and
when the smoke had cleared away De-
troit had scored seven runs and the two
run lead which the Nationals held up to
this time had been wiped out.
There is no explanation for rallies of
this kind. 1t seemed TO matter little what
Groom pitched or whom he was pitching
TO in that round. for every ball seemed to
go safe Nor was there a chance to make
a change of pitchers-first, because there
was no one available who was capable of
sternming the tide. and Furthermore 1t
was all over so quickly that there was no
chance to do anything but allow Groom TO
get out of the mess the best he could.
Big Jim Naughn's performance yester-
day was the first real poor one ne has
shown since joining the team The big
fellow could not locate the plate AT any
| time during his stay on the rubber.
though when he did get the ball over he
was not hit to amount to anything. Six
bases on balls In little over two innings
| is about the worst display of control that
| has been seen here In some time.
on what the Tigers have shown here 1t
| looks like a safe prediction that when the
season is over jennings team will be
found leading all the other teams in the
west While the present aggregation is
! far from being OF class, yet there is