The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-18
GIANTS USUALLY DO
WELL IN PITTSBURG
Their Playing There the Best
They Have Put Forth
This Season.
WEEK OF LIGHT HITTING
Causes the New YOrks to Lose
Ground-Regarding the
Detroit Team.
WEEK OF LIGHT HITTING

Tho major league teams are having II
hot and heavy IN tho first clash OF sections.
The Eastern teams OF the American
League. playing at home were with one
exception much stronger than the visiting
teams during the first week. the ono
exception being New York, where the
Detroits cleaned up three games In row.
In the National League tho reverse was
tho case. The home teams--Wostcrn
eeams--won nine games to six. Brooklyn
managing TO break even in Chicago ard
the Giants saving the East from severe
trouncing by taking three games In Pitts
burg.
These things are interesting, but not
especially significant The big happening
of the week was the cleanup OF the
Giants in pittsburg, proof. so far as these
two have met, that tho Giants could more
than hold their own with what Is probably
their strongest rival. Of course the big
cut they made in Pittshurg's lead was
help to tho Giants OF no small conse-
quence. and perhaps tho cleanup may
havo its moral effect; but as to that
both of these clubs are old campaigners,
and the Giants had Just as much con-
fidcnce In their ability before the series
as they did afterward.
More than once in New York Pittsburs
series the two have fought II out during
a season with the Giants outplaying the
Pirates on the latter's own grounds and
tho Pirates retaliating at the Polo
Grounds. 1t remains to be seen whether
the Pirates can keep that up this year
With their native strength they arc likely
to reCuperate soon, although they would
have felt more confident had they made
a better showing against tho team which
fhay apii,tlsSu npllrp is tho they have
to beat out TO win the pennant.
As said, the Giants are seasoned CAM
paigucrs, a team of good morale In bat
Ting for pennant, and the success in
Pittsburg won't make them any the less
aware that they must keep on playing
strongly to get their needed share OF VIC
tories out there. for the work done by the
Reds, Cardinals and Cubs in the first
International grapples Indicates that they
are not easy marks.
The Giants played the best and most
consistent game in Pittsburg they have
yet shown IN any ono series. They had
begun to hit opportunity before they left
home. They kept this up in Pittsburg,
their pitching was excellent and their
fielding notably good. They were steadier
and stood w TO their work with more
dependability at critical moments than
the Pirates. The pitching staff is doing
well In so far us 1t is lit individually.
L
been up to form this year. and when he
RECEIVERS and gets going there Will be
plenty of use for him.
The New York Americans lost ground
last week. but not enough to keep then
from still being within close striking DIS
lance OF second place. and IN each OF the
three games they dropped TO the Detroit'
! they died hard. The Detroit pitchers were
+ too much for them, yet when losing they
are making it hard for tho other team tC
win. 4 reason for this IL good pitching
/ The New Yorks slumped In their hatt,ni
| last week. the primary cause OF thei
reversals at the hands of tho leaders
There was an average of fraction les
| than tivc hits game.
Hartzeu, Peclsinpaugh, Walsh AM
! Truesdale were the only regulars OF tn
team to do any hitting OF consequence
! last week, four men OF the eight battini
200 or less. Sweeney didn't make hi
all week, though meeting the ball hart
enough, and as Holden slumped and
Williams Is doing poorly with the stick
is not difficult to see wherein, III clos
games the team must have suffered 70
the want of a few timely wallops.
lIolden's batting average for the weel
was .01l. representing one hit In fourier
times at bat and az he had been h!ttin
pretty well IN pinches hts light week wa
felt. MaisCl batted zoe, l!artIel ,2ii
Walsh .235. williams or. Sweeney .OOC
pockinpaugh $50 and TrueSdale 1888. TIL
slim week OF Holden and Sweeney ha
its effect, but either of these two. who ar
not weak hittcrs. Is liable TO start In agai
any minute Most all batters have thei
bad weeks. II Williams should sho,
signs Of batting ability It would be
great help. Temporary slumps are boun
to come. but his has been more or les
permanent all season and much too ira
for first baseman. The New Iorls hav
tidy infield defence right now.
The Detroits were credited with ben
n better club than at any time since the
won their last pennant and those who sa,
them play hero are OF the same opinion
The infeld is much improved and bette
balanced. Take almost aUy pennant win
nor or pennanr potentially. and you wi
find it has strong combination aroun
second base. Unless kavanaugh Is onl
an early season sensation the Tigers haN
that strong combination around second
him and Bush, Burns at first Is an cas-.
graceful workman and a doubtful quar-
tty at the bat. and Moriarty al thir
Is steady. every day player; but III
strengthening OF that one position @
second makes big difference In the II
field Any outfeld which has Cobb an
Crawford Is OF course above the ordinar.
The Detrots showed impressive pitch.n
: strength here and several frs, clas
base runners. a better idea coul
: be had OF their pitching strength b
seeing more OF the corps In operation
, but three men going as CovaleslSie, Duou
and Dauss did at the Polo Grounds r,
, valuable assets The attack was we
, managed, but the club, aside from Il
pitchers doesn't give tho impression
, the general efficiency or native power
the Athletics. One reason why they a.
, TO-