Evening star., 1914-08-18
TEAM HOME FOR
ALONG STRETCH
After Present Stay But Two
More Games Will Be
Played Here.
MITCHELL HAS PROVED
A MOST TIMELY HITTER
Joe Engel to Perform Against
Browns Today-Weilman May
Oppose Him.
BY J. ED GRnLo.

The Nationals will be home for nearly
| a month beginning today. the stay being
interrupted only for few days in Sep
tember, when the team goes to New
York to finish it's series there. Septem-
ber Is the club starts on its last west
ern trip. after which it makes it's ap-
pearance only twice more on the home
grounds. playing the Athletics.
The trip which closed with double
header in New York yesterday did not
allow the locals to gain much ground.
The team won eleven of twenty-one
games it played, making a good start
by winning three out of four from both
ST. Louis and Detroit, but slumping
badly since then.
There is still a chance for the Griff-
men to finish second. At this time they
are but two and half games behind
the Red Sox.' and If their showing in
the present home stay is as good rs was
the last there is good chance of their
passing the Carrigan outfit. The west
ern teams start their final invasion of
the east today. st. Louis comes for
four games today, and is followed by
Detroit. Cleveland and Chicago In the
order named. Cleveland and Detroit
play three-game series, while ST. Louis
and Chicago are slated for four.
Joe Engel is scheduled to pitch the
opening game against the Browns to-
day. Engel has been very effective
against the Browns heretofore and he
is expected to deliver. The Browns will
likely pitch Carl Weilman.
Mike Mitchell got back into his bat
ting stride yesterday, getting four hits
In six times at bat. His home-run drive
in the fourth inning of the first game
was a clean-cut liner which would
field. Mitchell has done by far the
most timely hitting Of any of the Ma
tionals since he has Joined the team.
Incidentally his fielding and throwing
have been of the best, and on what he
has done to date it would be no easy
his place. Mitchell will make his first
appearance in Washington uniform
here today.
ter Johnson's chief assets, but of late
he has displayed a lack Of this essen
tial qualification. In the game yester-
day Walter was wild from the outset.
three balls on him and the result was
that Walter had to do more work in
this game than he ordinarily does in
two. The result was that he weakened
in the closing innings. not that he did
not have a lot of stuff. but his control
grew worse and he was very wild. At
times johnson was brilliant yesterday,
pitching himself out of numerous tight
places and preventing the Yankees
from scoring in the first seven innings,
during which period they had seven
men left on the bases.
Ray Morgan had a peculiar record
in the second game, in that he scored
every one Of his teams three runs. two
of which were made possible without
the aid of base hit. In the second
inning Morgan hit safely and scored
when Ainsmith doubled. But his run
when Maisel muffed his pop-up, and
when stealing Nunamaker's throw was
wide, got away from Cree, and Nor
gan came all the way home. In the
seventh he was hit by a pitched ball; !;
two sacrifices put him on third, and he
scored while an inf1eld out was being
made.
Eddie Ainsmith will be presented with
the diamond studded watch fob which
best batting average from July Is to
August Is. before the game today
Ainsmith is hitting better right now
than he has at any time since he has
would not be at all surprising If Mana
ger Griffith used him more often than
he has in the past.
play in the second game at the Polo
Grounds yesterday. He had singled to
right. but Cook in trying to make a
catch kicked the ball toward the
stands. Foster chased around the
sacks, and when Cooks hurried throw
went over MaiseFs head Foster contin-
ued toward the plate. DAILY, however
was backing up Maisel. and his throw
home beat Foster there. Each of the
outfielders got an assist and nobody
was charged with an error.
Doc Ayers is proving himself Grif-
f1th's most consistent pitcher this sea-
son. The former Richmond star is do
ing some splendid work. and would
have an enviable record had his team
mates been able to hit behind him on
several occasions when he was beaten
by close margins. Ayers is seeing his
first year in fast company, and he
ought to be much improved in the next
campaign.