Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-18
BY j. ED GRILLO.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ST. LOUIS. July 1s.-Clarke Griffith
has been vino Ca ted. Those who traduced
him for hanging on to Joe Engel have
been hushed. for Joe Engel proved yes
terday what Griffith has always claimed
for lim-that he has the making of a
great. pitcher.
1t was the brilliant work of the young
boxman which made it possible for the
Nationals to gain considerable ground
on both the Athletics and Maps. the
two teams which are leading them in the
race. 1t required just such a game as
Engel pitched to beat the Browns. who,
with, Weilman on the rubber, put up a
most stubborn battle. Engel won because
he did not allow his opponents a score.
But twice was he hit safely. The official
score may show that there were three
hits, but there were actually two. for
the one credited to Pratt was really an
error by Foster But once did Engel
falter in his control, when he walked
Shotten in the sixth, but he did not al
low single run. and to this must the
victory be attributed, for the lone tally
which the Browns presented to their
opponents proved enough to win the
game.
No pitcher, not even barring the great
Walter Johnson, ever pitched a better
game of ball for the Nationals than
did Engel. In the parlance of the game
he had everything, and only on four
different occasions did his opponents
reach the bases. Once an inning was
started with three-base hit. Lavan did
this in the third but he never got any
further, Engel retiring the side without
giving him a chance to cross the rub
Der. Just twenty-nine men faced Engel
and only two of these were left on the
bases. 1t was really remarkable eX-
hibition of pitching. and only shows what
pitcher of ability can do once he gets
control of the ball.
The defeat of both Cleveland and Phila-
delphia yesterday made Engers victory
particularly timely, for it allowed the Ma
tionals to crawl up on both of their
rivals. 1t puts them within hailing dis
lance of second place and gives them at
least a loOk-in for the pennant II the
reverses which the Athletics are suffering
continue. Instead of the race being all
over, as 1t was supposed a Few days ago, IL
seems only to have begun, and WASH
ington has the team which is now MAX
ing the real fight Conditions were never
SO encouraging. The team is intact and
1t really seems that for the first time
since Griffith has been in charge he has
a pitching staff which can be depended
Johnson, who when properly surround
ed is sure to win 30 per cent of his
games, for he is now in prime condi-
ton.
who have come through. There is no
doubt, according to Griffith, as to what
Engel will do. The victory of yesterday
has given him the confidence he lacked,
and Griffith looks for him to win a large
majority of his games from this on.
Boehling is still improving. and Groom is
as good as he ever was, and when he is
good there are few better pitchers.
The team is not setting the world on
fire with it's hitting, but it's defense is
brilliant, and it plays intelligent ball and
makes its hits count for more than does
the average team. Let nothing happen
to upset present conditions and Washing
ton is going to have something to say as
to where the pennant shall fly. At this
time last year the team was starting on
the down grade. 1t had made it's squirt
and was begi ming to weaken. Now con-
ditions are reversed. 1t has just reached
Its stride and it is apt to go at the pres
ent pace to the finish, in which event it
will be hard to stop.
Groom will work in the game TODAY He
will prOba bly, be opposed by Baumgard-
ner, and Saturday Johnson and Hamil-
ton, the clevereSt pair the two teams can
present, will do battle. Let Groom win
chance of making a clean sweep here,
which will come pretty near to landing
the Nationals within few points of
second place and closer to the Athletics,
for that team has struck a slump. while
Chicago is putting up capable game of
ball.
The one run which was scored yes
terday was purely a gift, and was pre-
sented by what is generally believed to
be the best player Stovall can boast Of
Bert Shotten. 1t came in the sixth in
ming, session which has been rather
lucky for the Nationals on numerous oc-
casiOns this season. Mcbride opened
this round with a long double to left, but
neither Henry nor Engle could help him
advance. the former flying out and the
latter taking three swings. Morgan,
however, hit long fly to center. Shot
ten had trouble judging the ball, but
finally got under it. only to muff. Nc
the minute the ball was hit, because
there were two out, and he had no trou-
BILE reaching the goal. That one run was
never overcome, and it won the game.
Just three occasions presented them
selves when Engel might have been
scored upon. The first was in the open
ing round, when Foster fumbled Pratt's
grounder. Many scorers gave the
Browns second baseman hit on the
play, but 1T was really an error. Henry,
however. caught him stealing moment
later. Williams opened the second with
a base hit. He was careless, and Engel
caught him mapping. In the third 1t
seemed certain that the ice would be
broken, for Lavan, the weakest hitter on