Evening star., 1914-05-09
BY j. ED GRILLU.

showing of the local twirlers l" these
games also has not been up TO a hiSh
standard. The failure Of Johnson 10
hold the visitors in check with a two
run lead in his favor was a bitter dis-
appointment yesterday. Griffith was forced
To use four OF his pitchers while MACK
used three Both pitching stairs. SO tar
as supposedly capable pitchers are con-
cerned. are temporarily exhausted Ana
u.itheI. sid. is sure as to which trlrlers
wiIl he sent to the slab today. when
the third game of the most interesting
series ever staged here will be played.
Griffith will not make his decision as
10 the pitcher unti! "A little before the
game. Ii may lie Jim Shaw. and II
Walter Johnson should indicate that he
has his stuff he may be sent right BACK
Mack will select his pitcher from
Wyckoif. Bush or Shawkey. though the
, latter has been suffering Win an IN.
jured hand. The game IS called a' ="
o'clock.
That Walter Johnson is far from form
was demonstrated asaln EcsteroaN
when the Athletics hit his offerings as
III lie. were some buSlIer. Not only was
H.. pummeled. but his control was Iai
below the standard. In the three
ningS lie worked the visitors maue
seven hits itve of which We're ounchea
in the eighth. The inconsistency OF
JohnsunS performances Is another IN
dication that he is stale After ms
good showing in the game against New
York last Tuesday il was beneNed that
he had rounded into form. but, as Is
always the ease with an athletc VINO Is
stale. he showed little the next time
out.
II the Nationals are to he prominent
in the present race Johnson must be
rounded into form. With him gong as
h. has to date there is not chance
for the team to make a respectable
showing. There is nothing wrong with
Johnson's arm. but he seems to lack
the speed which made him famous
The weakness of Mack's pitching staff
is becoming more apparent with every
game. and uules there is a marked I'M
prov.ment there is not 4 chance Tor the
Mackmen to repeal their performance OF
last season and land the pennant FRANK
and Bender may in time round INTO form
again. hut il seems certain that they Will
not lie able 10 do the work they did last
season. when they finished many games
for the erratic youngsters Mack mas Oh
his staff From what these young tW!li-
ers have shown this spring one OF them
has improved. In fact, they are dong
poorer work this spring than ever pelofe.
The offensive strength OF the champions
has NOT been impaired. The team Is sun
il can expect 10 hold its own as pennant
contender il must have some good pitch-
ing.
Dan Moeiler will he out Of the game
for several daNS as a result OF MS dlsio-
eating his shoulder in Thursday s game
AcosJa took mis- place yesterday. but the
little fellow was handicapped because
he was up against a left-handed pltcher
and was taken out. Williams and Gedeon
III al
the game With a right-hander WORKING
against the Nationals in today game
Acosta undoubtedly will be found IN rlsht
lield again.
1t is doubtful if TWO major leagues
ever PLAYED two games IN succession
which furnished such variety OF base
ball as have the two struggles between
the Nationals and Athletics. Every
thing Imaginable has happened III these
games There have been some brilliant
playing and some bush league work,
while the absence of effective pitchine
has been one of the features
From a spectators point of View there
never were more interesting exhibitions
produced anywhere. There has been lots
of action, and the unexpected has nap
pened in almost every inning. For three
hours and five minutes yesterday the
spectators We're under constant tension.
rh.. score seesawed back and forth.
and after ten long and exciting innings
had been played the result was ue.
Th, rivalry which exists between the
two teams has helped much to make
their games most interesting. Every
inch OF ground is savagely contested.
For four innings Eddie Plank looked
Ia be in his best form. The local bat
ters We're unable to do little with his
delivery, and the two hits which ne
had yielded in that time had failed to
produce any runs. But in the fifth
Plank began To weaken. ana TOUR hlts,
hit batsman. two passes and couple
of wild pitches netted the Nationals
four runs
kopf the Athletics utility man. has
been q thorn in Walter Johnsons side.
II Was he who made the winning rally
Of the Athletics possible in the game
which Johnson finished for Boehllng in
Philadelphia a few days ago In mat
inning he came through with a hit which
filled the bases. Kopf also took decided-
/, kindly 10 .Iohnsons delivery YES
terday. The first time he faced him IN
the sixth lie drove out . triple on the
first ball pitched which sent Daley
home with the tying run, and he hit
for a sinrle the next time he faced
Johnson II Kopf performs as well
against all pitchers he does against
Johnson he ought TO have some batting
average.
Triple plays are becoming decidedly
plentiful this season the Nationals iiS-
urin. in their third one of the season
yesterday. and on this occasion the triple
killing served to save the game. a couple
of errors and hit had filed the bases
While Joe En-el was pitching in the
ninth. l.app then hit high bounder IN
front Of the plate Henry caught the ball
ana touched tho home plate, retiring Nc
lrnis and threw TO first in time to head
of Lamp DALEY tried 10 score on the
plAy and Gandils throw home nailed
~l1,