Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-25
BY J. ED GRILLO.

Though the first game of the series with
Boston went to the Red Sox, there was
nothing to indicate that the league lead
ers outclassed the locals. True, they
outhit Griffth's men, but there was many
a ball hit on the nose off of Bedient
which he was fortunate enough to have
go right at one OF his fielders, or there
might have been quite different story
TO tell Boston won that first game be-
cause the visitors got the breaks without
which no team can win. The visitors
knew they had been IN ball game when
II was over and must realize that they
win have to hustle to get an even break
while here
Boston has a good ball team, there Is
weak with the stick, and yet there were
breaks to win when II plays team OF the
strength OF the Nationals. The score
would show the Nationals to have been
weak with the stick and yet there were
no less than five instances when the ball
was hit hard, but right at some waiting
fielder Had these balls gone safe the
base hit column of the locals would have
been different looking proposition.
Walter johnson will work against the
Hub team today and he is to be opposed
by Buck O'Brien. which assures another
game since he defeated Detroit, nearly
two weeks ago.
No pitcher could have done better work
than did Petty for five innings. during
which period he allowed but single MT
and did not walk a man. Petty WORKED
very fast and this may have told on MIN
later on. His performance in the sixth
stood out In strong contrast TO his work
up to that time and he was lucky indeed
to allow but two runs. 1t was plain that
Petty was slipping in the sixth, when,
after Carrigan had singled. he walked
Bedient who was up to sacrifice. walk
ing a weak hitting pitcher under such
conditions is usually a display of the
distress signal, and it proved so in TINS
instance. for Petty was unmerclfuily
pounded, and there would have been
batch of runs over had not Ainsmith and
Mcbride nipped Carrigan of second for
the first out
Judged on the showing that Joe Engel
made against Boston during the last trip
of the Nationals to that city, when he
lost his game, to 2. owing to an error,
and his effectiveness in the only inning
he pitched yesterday, it would seem sood
policy to work 1he youngster against the
Speed BOYS during their stay here. Mus
ser. too. looked good in the few innings
he worked and was taken out to allow
Schaefer to bat for him and not because
his work was not satisfactory Ihese
and while. Of course. they may lack ex-
perience, they would get this with reg
ular work. Griffith's Older pitchers, OF
course have been going so well of late
that he has used his recruits only when
it was absolutely necessary, but 1t
seems evident that should there be
break among the veterans the two young
sters mentioned can come through. ana
good work can also be expected from
Cashion, who is a wonderfully improved
pitcher.
The average ball club is always better
fortified behind the bat with a certain
catcher working than when he is idle,
but Griffith is so blessed with a pair in
Ainsmith and Henry that it makes abso-
lutely no difference to the strength of the
team which one is behind the bat. Ain
smiths exhibition yesterday was nothing
short Of sensa tional. He handled the
pitchers we'll, and his throwing was mar
velous. No better play than he and Nc
Bride pulled when they caught Carri-
gan off second in the sixth, thus ap-
parently. killing a rally has been seen
on the local grounds this spring, while
his peg to third after picking up Bedent's
little roller. catching Carrigan, was as
clever play as could be seen.
II has been demonstrated on numerous
occasions this season that any time Noel
Ter and Foster are not hitting the ball or
getting on the bases the Nationals do
not win Yesterday neither of them
reached first base. and the result was a
defeat for the Nationals. A perusal of
the games which the Nationals have won
will show that nearly every rally has
been started by this pair. IL they come
through the rest of the team seems able
TO follow, and when they fail the others
do not seem able to help the situation
along. Moeller has been off his stride
for several days. He was robbed of a
probable triple yesterday when. in the
first inning. Hooper actually picked a
drive from him off the right field fence
near the score board. 1t was a great
catch. and not one outfielder out of a
hundred would have attempted the play
Shanks was guilty Of too much daring
in the seventh. He had hit safely with
one out, and after Morgan had lined to
Lewis he stole second. Carrigan's throw
was high and rolled to center. and Shanks
foolishly tried to take third with so ac-
curate and strong a thrower as Speaker
TO Gardner before Shanks was within
yards of the bag. and of course the side
was retired. Under the conditions Shanks
was Just as we'll off at second as at third
for he could have scored on a base hit.
Judged on the showing that Bedient
made yesterday, he is a much improved
pitcher over what he was when the Ma
tionals faced him earlier in the season.
On two different occasions then Bedient
was hit hard by the locals but yesterday
he seemed TO be particularly effective,
and he also had the breaks. O'Brien is