Evening star., 1912-09-12
By J. ED GRILLo.

secutive game yesterday. His fail
ure to stop the Maps made it possible
for him to establish another record
a member of the Nationals that he
has lost this number Of games in q
row.
Apparently johnson is in his best
form Just now, but he is not getting
the breaks that a pitcher needs te
win. Scratch hits are. coming at q
time when they dc the most damage
and Walter is not pitching himself Out
Of the tight places he used to. Yester-
day couple Of errors proved costly
because the Nationals were unable to
get more than two runs off Banding
whom they drove Oft the rubber the
day previous. To show what sort OF
luck Johnson is playing in is evidenced
by the fact that every one OF the three
runs made off him came after two
hands were out. What is more, his
teammates failed to get hits when they
meant runs, and this combination was
enough to assure Johnson's defeat
johnson disposed Of the first two bat
ters. who faced him, but Turner got a
scratch hit over second. jackson MT
sharp bounder over third, OF which Fos'
was wide and before the ball could be
recovered second and third were occu-
pied The first two balls pitched to
Laioie were strikes. The third one ne
dropped over Laporte's head and both
runs scored. The Maps final run came
In the third. Johnson struck out Chap
man and Turner to start with, but jack
son again hit safely. For the second
time Latoie popped up, this time over
McRride's head; and Jackson went to
third a double steal was attempted and
succeeded when Henry threw poorly to
second, Jackson scoring. After that the
Maps did no more threatening. but the
damage had been done. The Nationals
scored In the first and In the final inning.
but were unable to take advantage OF
the several opportunities offered them IN
the interim.
1t was hardly to be expected that Fos-
ter would throw out Jackson after max
ing a great stop Of his grounder In the
first, but the overthrow gave the Maps
two runs when they should have
had but one. Henry's poor throw to
second was responsible for the tally in
the third. and these two pays caused
the fifth consecutive defeat Of Griffith g
star pitcher. r.s-
Were it not for Jackson and Lajoie' s
hitting proclivities this Cleveland team
would be about the easiest proposition in
the league. But this pair of swaeters
furnishes about all the offensive strength
the Maps have and they are batters OF
the highest class. Aside from this pair
the team does not amount to much. but
any time pitcher is working for them
who Is not easy for the opposition this
pair can hit enough to win any ordinary
game Any time pitcher Is able to stop
Jackson and Lajoie the Maps are beaten.
They did all the hitting in the opening
game against Cashion, and 1t was their
hitting which caused the downfall of
Johnson.
Manager Griffith will attend the meet
ing of the national commission in Cincin-
natl next Monday. at which time the
drafts will be opened. The Nationals
have an off-day Monday and Griffith will
ing the team In st. Louis. Griffith has
submitted nearly ten drafts for minor
league players. He does not expect to
get more than two or three of these
players, but insists that his team will be
strengthened II he gets the men he is
after.
In the sixth inning It looked for an in
slant as II Banding had made strategic
mistake. With Foster and Milan on as
the results Of hits and one out Laporte
was purposely walked after Gandirs out
had advanced both runners. This put La
porte up, but he was purposely walked t.
take a chance on Shanks. Shanks hit
the ban hard When II left his bat he
seemed to have spilled the beans. but
Chapman ran over and made good stoE
OF the ball and forced Laporte at second
without any trouble.
In the third there was chance fol
runs when with two out Blanding walk
ed Moeller and Foster. For some un
accountable reason. however, Milan hi
at the first ball pitched. and popped ul
q little fly to Lajoie. Just why a player
of Miian's experience would make sucf
a blunder is hard to understand. Bland
ing had given every evidence of growing
wild. In pitching to Moeller and Fostel
he had managed to get but one ball ovel
the plate. and It was likely that he
would have had trouble getting 1t ovei
for Milan. But the latter eliminated
whatever chance there was by hitting a
the first bail pitched, thus helping Bland
ing out of a hole.
Ray Chapman. the young shortstop who
Is playing regularly with the Maps. nov
he is a hitter. johnson had him on hi!
staff yesterday, striking him out tn,
first three times that he faced him. The
last time up Chapman hit a little fly t.
Milan.
II Joe Cantillon had taken the pre-
caution to have the Kansas City clui
sign an agreement instead OF entering
into a verbal one the Washington clui
would have had the two greatest pitcher:
Wood would have been Walter Johnson
battery partner, and the chances ART
that the Nationals would now be lead
ing by as good a margin as Boston Is en-
joy.ng. -
played an exhibition game In Kansa,
City in which Joe Wood pitched the las
few innings. He struck out seven Of tn.
nine batters who faced him, and ther,
and then Cantillon made arrangements Il
that when the time came to dispose o
Wood that he would be given first chance
and vet that summer Wood was sold t
Boston without Cantillon ever beint
asked what he would give.
Just how bright chance the National
would have had for the flag with tw'
such pitchers working for them is easil!
figured, and this year. with q good team
behind them, 1t would have looked like
certainty to win the pennant.
For the first time this season Johi
Henry caught Walter johnson yesterday
He did NOT have the slightest trouble IL
handling the big fellows delivery. bu
for once his throwing was not up to tn
standard. and to certain extent tht
helped to lose the game AlnSmnn Is Ol
the road to recovery, and will most likel!
be in the game within week or so.
Chazrined at his being driven from th
slab on the day previous. Blanding. th'
former Michigan University pitcher
worked the hardest game of his csree
against the Nationals yesterday. He di'
not let up for a moment. and while III
was in trouble much of the time. he man
aged to get through all but two Of tn,
innings without being scored upon: In NJ