Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-15
Johnson LEADS ALL
| IN N0-SCORE WORK
Nationals Pitcher Eases Up
After Team Secures Big
Lead Over St. Louis.
GIDEON GETS A CHANCE
TO PERFORM AT SECOND
Youngster Substitutes for Nor
gan During Last Few Innings
and Makes Good.
BY J. ED GRILLO.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

nad been ambitious to hang up a greater
!, record for scoreless innings yesterday
| he could undoubtedly have done SO. Had
| he been in a game which required his
best efforts he would probably have gone
| through the nine innings without allow
| ing man to score. But once Johnson
gains lead in a game, regardless OF
| whether there Is a record at stake or
| not. he stops pitching at his usual speed.
| He did this yesterday. and, after having
retired the side for three and third in
| nings. was hit for double and a sin
| gle. which scored the Browns only run
off him. This feat, however, still gives
Johnson the record Of f1fty-six scoreless
| innings which has never been equaled in
| the history Of major league base ball
Johnson is peculiar chap in some re-
spects. One would naturally imagine
that he would have been more interested
than any one else In pitching as many
innings as possible without being scored
| on, and yet he appeared Indifferent. All
walter cares about Is to win his game
He could probably strike out more men
in every game he works il he wanted to-
| but that would put more strain on his
| arm. and he considers that too valuable
| to take any chances with. This probably
| explains why the Browns have the honor
| OF scoring the first run on him in fifty
/ six innings.
! 1t was Johnson's ninth straight vic
| tory. He is now on a fair way to beat
his last seasons mark, when he won
sixteen consecutive games. If he goes
along as he has he should not have
any great trouble accomplishing this.
From the time that he had q six-run
he was loafing. He would send the
| ball over the plate with medium speed
/! and did not resort to a single curve
| ball. After the sixth inning he re-
tired. for there was no sense in vast
ing him after the game was won. Boeh-
| ling. who took his place with a nine
| run lead. however. managed to throw
a few scares into his teammates before
the contest was settled.
All things considered, the Nationals
have been successful on their present
trip. They have won eight games and
lost six since leaving home. and this
with the team badly crippled by the
sure to keep up it's present pace dur
ing the remainder Of the western
journey. at least. in which event 1t
ought to be in good fettle for it's long
stay at home. but after the games in
Detroit and Cleveland Griffith's men
will be asked to encounter their sever
est ordeal that of playing seven
straight games with the Athletics.
their nearest rivals and present lead
ers in the race The first of these
Friday. May %. and then six games are
to be played in Philadelphia, four be-
ing put into doubleheaders. There is
no getting away from the fact that
tually decide the position Of one Of the
two contesting teams. Whether the
Nationals will have Foster at that
time is doubtful. for 1t Is not likely
that he will be able to play for a
month even though he be recuperating
a the nresent time.
Chick Gandil was forced into the game
yesterday. Griffith has grown so tired
of seeing games fooled away by poor
work at the bag that he made a personal
request of Gandil to get into the lineup.
Gandil, though still a trffie lame. consent
ed. but he gave way to Williams just as
soon as the game was cinched. Gandil
is rapidly improving. however, and 1t is
likely that he will be able to play regH-
larly from now on.
Joe Gedeon had chance to break into
the game for the first time yesterday and
he made good with vengeance. Morgan
has sore foot and was given a chance
to rest after his team had gained a big
lead and IedeOn was sent to Second His
first play was to give Williams of the
Browns the foot as he was passing Sec
ond base on his two Dagger of Johnson
and then holding him. thus preventing
Williams from getting a triple. which he
deserved. but the umpires old not see the
trick and Williams was kept at second
incidentally, Gedeon made base hit
which drove in two runs and he behaved
himself right cleverly in the field. Gedeon
is long on nerve and If that counts for
anything the day may not be far off when
he will be good ball player.
1t has been predicted for several days
that sooner or later the Nationals would
break loose with batting streak and ii
came yesterday. 1t has been some time
since the team hit as well as 1t did yes
terday. For further evidence consult score
two members Of the Browns pitching
staff. The stickwork In the second in
ming was remarkable. for Mcbride. John
son and Moeller tripied in Succession.
1t was the best day which Mcbride has
had with the stick this season. The fact
should not be overlooked that he has been
hitting very well to date. Yesterday he
and two doubles. and there was nothing
fuky about any of his drives, two of them
hitting the left field fence.
When the season opened the Browns
were given credit for having one of the
strongest pitching staffs in the league,
and yet if the work Of the five twirlers
who faced the Nationals in the series
here can be taken as a criterion Stovall
Is lamentably weak on the rubber. Lever
7,
had no more than the three twirlers who
worked in the preceding games, and IL
the Nationals had been intact they would
have made a clean sweep Of the series
with the Browns.
Now comes a four-game series with the
Detroit Tigers Though jennings. team
holds lowly position in the race and is
/ not expected to stand the slightest chance
/ to finish In the first division, 1t Is not GO
| ing to be an easy team to beat The old
machine still has a few good kicks in 1t.
and the Nationals will have to play their
/ best ball to make any progress while
/ here. II Is most likely that Tom Hughes
| will be assigned to pitch the opening
game today. though Griffith may turn
the task over to Joe Engel.
| Leverenz gets credit for letting the Ma
| tionals down with one hit. but he was ex-
tremely wild. walking three men in the
| first inning. He prevented more than one
/ run from scoring, but he also walked the
l first two up In the second. whom Mcbride
brought home with the first three-bagger
of the inning. That settled Leyerenz.
was not much of an Improvement, for
Johnson and Moeller followed with
triples.
/ Johnson Is not only great pitcher, but
] he adds considerable strength to the