Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-28
BY J. ED GRILLO.

Even If tho Nationals should win the
final game Of the series from the Attn
letics TODAY. il would stand four to two
IN favor OF the visitors. All chance OF
getting an even break with the leaders
went glimmeriug yesterday when, after
winning the first game by q shut-out. the
Nationals virtually handed the second
game IL their rivals Poor fielding
around first base gave the Athletics most
of their runs Inability Of the pitchers
To cover the initial bag on balls hit to
liaudil caused all the trouble Had the
bag been properly covered there IS every
reason to believe that the second game,
like the first, would have been Wash
ington victory, and then there would have
been a chance to get an even break with
the Athletics by winning today.
Toe Boehling is - face the Athletics to-
DAY and it is OF course almost certain
that Mack will use one Of his young
pitchers, giving Flank and Bender much
needed rest
Harry Harper's dehut was most impress
w.. for the very good reason that he
displayed almost perfect control. some
thing that every one of Grithths young
steers has lacked this season.
Harper worked three innings ycster-
day and allowed one clean hit. a drive by
Strunk. Though he l. but eighteen years
old he perfectly cool once hc got
on the rubber and while il was evident
that ne has a lot to learn he looks To he
a splendid prospect. lie has the size AMI
still being in his teens he is sure 10 fill
out and make quite big man.
When Walter johnson is on the rubber
the Nationals look like a real ball team.
That has been the case nearly all this
season. Griffith's team is one which needs
alright pitching to look impressive 1t
i2cl he off a. rpp
the handicap of weak twirlng. hence
never looks to be in the same class
with most other teams when its pitching
is not of the highest order. In the first
game yesterday the Nationals looked to
Ia. the superiors of the Athletics simply
because the visitors could not hit john
son. Walter was in excellent form. He
pitched perfect game of ball and was
really never in danger Of being scored
on- 1t was the third time this spring
that he has beaten the Athletics ana two
Of his victories were shut-outs.
That the youthful members of Mack s
pitching staff are far from being able to
carry the team along has been demon
one of the youngsters barring Brown,
who went the route in the first game. re-
Iuained nine innings. and even Brown
was forced to retire in the first game of
the series. None of the others finished,
aud if Mack did not have Plank and Ben
der to rely upon few victories indeed
would be gathered by his team nOtwith-
standing its proWess in hitting
After today's game the Nationals will
not return To their own grounds until
July % In the meantime they will play
in ever city of the circuit excepting
Philadelphia, opening up in Boston Mon
day and then TO New York and from
there TO Detroit, Cleveland, st. Louis and
Chicago in the order named Griffith be-
lieves that his team will improve its po-
si:ion while away from home. 1t is a
fact that the Nationals have always done
their best work on foreign grounds and
Griffith does not expect the coming trip
TO differ from the others in this respect.
In the final game Thursday AiHsmith
is given credit for stealing home in the
ninth inning. thus giving the Nationals
their third run. 1t is debatable. however,
whether that run should score or not.
Bender purposely continued his wind up.
while Ainsmith was running for the
plate. and after he crossed it Bender
pitched TO Moeller who flied out to left
field. One contention is that Ainsmth
could not score while the third out was
,eing made. and that this was in prog
eSs just soon as Bender began to
Wind up.
Umpire Connolly refused to make a de-
.ision OF the incident when asked Yes
-Et4ay. contending that there We're two
sides to be considered and that il was
debatable question. which would have to
be decided. for it might come up some
could De scored in this manner.
Good work on the bases enabled the