Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-15
BY j. ED GRILLo.

CLEVELAND. June lo.-Inls Dali team
OF ours seems unbeatable. Whatever the
opposition may offer. Griffith seems 10
have the material which can produce
something to offset IL. Yesterday. TOT
instance. Hughes was both hit nara ana
badly supported but all this called Tor
was a smuggling on the part OF the Ma
tionals such as has not been seen on an!
ball field this season
Manager Davis was forced 10 use four
pitchers and three of them were ciouted
10 a fare-you-well. Not on'y ala the
Nationals hit terrfcally, but they ran
bases and played inside ball which was
a revelation to the patrons OF the sport
here Milan, for instance, stole five bases
and one of them was home. There was
just one stage of the game When II
seemed that the close of the winning
streak was at hand. for at the end OF
the third the score stood to i against
the Nationals But being behind in
came seems 10 be an unusual condition
for them these days and brings loflh
offensive play which is nothing snort OF
marvellous Errors had given the Maps
their four runs in the third but this did
not discourage Griffith's men, They went
at Banding with increased determination
in the very next inning, tied the score
and were never headed thereafter. though
them on several occasions, pulling to
within one of their score at different
times. But just as soon as they got
within haiing distance the Nationals
would let out another link and forge
10 an increased lead.
Lovers of hard hitting and plenty OF
action should have been satisfied in TINS
game. for there was hardly an inning tnat
the ball was not hit to all corners of the
lot.
1t looks like a 10O-to-1 shot that il
Griffith can win today's game ne
series, an unheard-of record in base ball.
But one of the young pitchers will have
to carry this day and leave 1t to Walter
johnson to win Sunday. His victory
seems to be a foregone conclusion. but
one cannot tell what may happen to
Cashion. who is slated TO do the slab
work today. IL he is as good as he was
in Detroit. all good and well. for john
son will be kept in readiness to halt any
rally that may threaten during the clos
ing innings or the game.
Erroneous comparisons are being made
between the present winning streak of
the Nationals and that of the White
straight. Twelve of the Sox games were
played at home. and only seven on the
road. most remarkable performance,
but not to be compared with that of the
tive games away from home. There Is a
real good chance for the team to make
a clean sweep of its invasion of the west,
for there is no denying the fact that the
present condition of the Maps is such that
nothing but f1uke can save them from
defeat.
Without having record to refer to. it
is a safe guess that Milan's base running
OF yesterday. when he pilfered five
times. stands as a record in the major
leagues. He stole second twice. third
twice and home on another occasion. In
being caught. sliding into the bag most
of the time before the ball had reached
the baseman's hands. Milan declared
early this spring that he proposed TO
of the league this year. and he is in a
fair way to accomplish this, already hav
ing thirty to his credit. Notwithstanding
the fact that his batting average is not as
great this year as usual. he not reaching
the bag as often as he would IL he was
hitting up to his standard.
Let those who have been pessirnistic as
to the winning streak be fair enough 10
acknowledge that there Is every indica-
ton that the present showing Of the Ma
tionals is not flash In the pam 1t is,
of course. not claimed that the team
won't lose any more games, for it is
bound to do that, but IL does look like
a cinch that il will finish in the first d.
vision for the very good reason that 1t is
better ball team than many in the
league. In fact, barring accident, the
team which beats the Nationals out will
have no trouble winning the flag. This
winning streak has naturally done won
ders for the team. 1t has given the
players confidence and incidentally has
developed a wonderful hitting machine.
which displays intelligence In its playing.
Pitching does not have to be of the air.
tight variety these days to win games.
for Griffith has team which can go out
and get runs enough to make the pitchers
work decidedly easy This has a double
effect. for. with the pitchers working
aong at ease through game there is
not near much danger of their going
stale as there would be if they had to
work at top speed from start to finish
Cleveland should have been shut out in
the inning that il scored four runs and
took the lead YESTERDAY With one out
Morgan fumbled Graney's grounder and
then Hughes made a low throw of Ole
sons bunt. The ball got away from Gan
dill. but rolled TO Morgan who made
bad peg to third trying to catch Graney.
who then scored while Oeson went to
third. Then came a couple of hits and
another poor throw by Shanks. and the
damage was done.
That weather conditions had much to do
with the inefectiveness of all the pitchers
used was the general opinion of the
players. There was strong wind blow
ing in from the right field corner, which
made il almost impossible for the pitch
ers TO get their curve ball to break,
since ALI OF them We're right-handers.
Had 4 left-hander been worked the
wind would have benefited his delivery.
After weeks of work with John Henry
irving to teach him the proper swing of
the bat. Griffith was rewarded yesterday
by seeing his star catcher drive out four
clean hits. Henry has always had a good
stand at the plate. never pulling an inch
from the pan but his swing has been
faulty. and this seems TO have been cor
rected. II will make wonderful differ
ence in the teams chances TO have Hen
~ develop batting ability. Ainsmith is
already COED hitter and Williams would
be II ne VS. worked more. and to have
Henry come through would help matters
net little.
Isioie got his share OF hits Yesterday.
as the score will show. There was a
time when il was claimed that Tom
Hughes pitched better against Lajoie
than against any other player I'm the
league. but yesterday this claim was up
set and Larry had regular field day.
Usually Grifith would have pulled
Hughes out OF the game when he was
being hit hard. but there was no chance
for him 20 get out yesterday. Grffith's
trained eve told him that the opposing
pitchers had nothing. and that IL Hughes
cou'G go along fairly we'll he would win.
This is wha. he wanted. he did not
want 20 put Johnson into the game and
break UP his rest, and he did not feel
wind 10 take any chances with his young
stevs. So Hughes was allowed to stay IL