Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-21
BY j. ED GRILLO.

n ever team had the stage set for it
TO make a formidable advance in race
it was the Nationals yesterday. With
Philadelphia and Cleveland losing. ana
the team which is at the bottom of the
race as their opponents in double-heao-
err conditions looked ideal, yet instead of
lettering its standing Washington drop
ped into the second division.
Just what happened to the men of Grlftth
from the time they finished with Cleve-
land and started with New York no one
can surnise, but there was a most Won
derful change in the team. Its showing
against the Maps was such that the i'm
preston was created that better da! )
were in. store for the Nationals, and with
six games in row with the taliehuers
staring them in the face there was rea-
son for hope of the team once more De
coming prominent in the pennant race
But you can't dope base ball Inc IN
expected happens so often that IL Is d
most hazardous undertaking to take any
thing for granted, and 1t proved so yes
terday. Instead of the taiienders pc
ing easy game for the Nationals, they
made the locals look like a lot OF anna
teurs. and won both ends of the double
header in a canter. Instead OF craving
Up on Cleveland and Philadelphia, the
Nationals absolutely dropped out of the
pennant running and into the second
division.
It may be but a temporary slump, pu'
that remains to be seen. III ever team
went to pieces 1t was the locals. 1t Tell
down in every department. 1t could not
field. wasted its hits and had pitching
which would not hold its own on the
no u
showed Improvement and incidentally had
all the breaks of luck. Warhop, VINO
started the first game, was nit nara
enough to give the Nationals enough runs
scored off him. though nearly every ball
was hit hard. In the Hrst inning
triple and three singles Melted but
single run. and Warhop showed httle al
any time while he was on the rubber, YET
managed TO get away. There may be
. reversal of form in the doubie-h header
today Griffith will pitch Mullin and
Johnson. while Ford and Heating are ex-
pected to do the twirling for the visitors.
For the first time this season Walter
Johnson will be asked to pitch out of his
regular turn. Heretofore he has not been
used before he had been given three days
rest between games. but conditions or the
pitching department are such that he Will
be asked to work with but two days rest.
Walter will work in the second game,
while Mullin will pitch the first.
Grifith, believing that Eddie Foster
was not physically capable of going
through two games on so hot a day as
yesterday. sent Frank Laporte to third
base yesterday Laporte will play in one
of the games today, but Foster is also
apt to break into the lineup unless La
porte proves to be in a hitting mood.
Now that his pitchers are showing good
hoe
team than he has had at any time this
season. There is a chance for him to
work his way out of last place before the
season is much older. That outfield is one
of the strongest in the league, and that
infield looks pretty good, while Sweeney
showed yesterday that he has finally
reached good form and must be classed
among the good catchers of the league
again.
1t is doubtful if playe rever batted in
such hard luck as did Chick Gandil yes
terday He hit the ball hard every time
up IN both games. yet got but three hits.
All sorts of circus catches were made off
of his offerings. and on several occasions
the outfielders grabbed line drives off of
him without having to leave their tracks.
With any sort of a break Gandil would
have rolled up six or seven hits during
the afternoon, and majority OF them
would have been for extra bases.
Gallia and Engel gave a rather remark
able exhibition of pitching during the
short period they were In the second
game -Gallia hit three of the first four
batters to face him with pitched balls.
EngeI hit two. and then Hughes hit one.
Daniels was hit the first three times up,
undoubtedly record. Neither Gallia nor
Engel seemed to have an idea as to
where the ball was going and neither
was able to finish an inning. Hughes
came into the game when it was lost and
he pitched good ball to the finish.
II is possible for the Nationals to regain
third place in the race today if they can
win both ends of the double header and
have Cleveland and Boston beaten 1t
NAV be that the showing yesterday has
ridded the team of all its poor base ball
and that from this out ii will start in to
play the kind of ball that it is capable
Of Everything known TO base ball as
misplays was pulled off by the locals yes
terday They could not possibly have
crowded more or varied errors into an
afternoon than they did, and perhaps
their systems are cleared of such miser-
able base ball.
Groom seemed to be in splendid form
when he started in the first game and
pitched brilliantly up to the seventh in
ming Then the errors began to roll up
and Groom weakened with his support
II was tie score until the seventh, when
hits and boots gave the visitors four runs.
They added three more during the re-
Yr1ainder of the struggle and of course
won without any trouble. The score:
FIRST GAME
WASHINGTON. ABB. II. H. BB.SO.S SD PO.A. T.
. Mss,,ss. b. gs..::..ss 9 o : 9