The Washington herald., 1918-05-20
Doc Ayers Has the Best Of
Pitching Duel with
Coveleskie.

Thrills with more thrills, and errors
followed by more errors, kept 1900
local fans on edge yesterday after
noon at the Florida avenue ball park
when the first Sunday league game
-sTer played in the District was staged
II took twelve innings to decide the
issue. the Nationals winning from
the Cleveland Indians by to 0.
During the course of this act of a
dozen frames the spectators were
given ample chance to root and
cheer. as thrills and miscues came in
nearly every inning.
1t was a fitting exhibition for this
Sunday inaugural and the climax,
which came in the twelfth with two
down. fitted nicely into this classic.
Doc Ayers opposed Steve Coveleski
in this pitching duel Doc gave
good account of himself. as only six
hits were gathered off Ais delivery
during the battle, while his opponent
allowed seven.
Eleven errors were recorded against
the two clubs, and only one of these
came from a thrown ball, as Lieut..
Johnny Lavsn and Shortstop Chap
man just could not seem to gather in
the ball when it was hit directly at
Them
Even though the eleven errors
tended to make the game a trifle
slow. they were really what made the
battle a great one. from the specta-
tors point of view. as both pitchers,
Ayers and Coveleski, were constantly
in the hole. Both gave a remarkable
exhibition when under fire, being
saved time and time again by spec
tscular fielding by their teammates.
Ayers felt the pressure of the In
dams for the first time in the fifth,
when Lavan kicked away Turner's s
grounder to Steve O'Neill. then OBJ
tanned the first blow off Docs deliv-
cry, which was a single to right, but
Coveleski forced Steve out at second
and Turner vas left stranded at third
In the seventh Wamby hit to left,
but was forced 6y Williams. Turner
popped out but O'NeiIl rendered an
other dose OF hitting into right field.
and things looked bad for the Hills
vile moundsman again; but CoVeleski
was not equal to the occasion and
popped to Morgan.
Again in the eighth, with one down,
the Indians threw a scare into the
fans when Chapman drew q free pass
and Speaker arrived safe on Fosters
error. Johnny Lavan killed off their
chances with a fast double play. when
Roth grounded in his direction.
The twelfth was a real hummer for
the local fans to stand, as, after
CoycICski and Wood went out by the
MorGan-Juhse route, Chapman ar
rived safa on an infield hit. Spoke
Speaker then smashed one to G1ght
field which placed Chappy on tine far
corner. Spoke stole the midway
cushion. and it was up to Bobby Roth.
but his slow offering to Morgan.
which was neatly handled. halted the
Indians TO- GOOD.
Failure Of the Nationals on a half
dozen occasions. to execute the Sacri-
fee play kept them from scoring dur
the early innings and forced the over
time battle. Shanks failed in the
third. after Milan and Lavan had hit
safely. Both Ainsmith and Ayers fail
ed in the next session after Morgan
and Foster started the ball rolling
with clean blows. In the tenth it was
Lavan and Milan who mixed up the
sacrifice after being given a chance
when Shotten got life with no one out
on Williams error
Clyde AIilan's blow to left field in
the final frame set the seventeen thou
Sdnu IdilS HOine IN a BOOO numOr as
he pushed Doc Ayers across the plate
with the winning run. Frank Schultz
pfnched hit for Ainsmith, in this ses-
sion and beat out a close play at Will
iams corner. Ayers then laid one
down in front OF the plate and in an
attempt to cut Schultz down at sec
ond Coveleski pegged over Chapman's
head. Speaker recovering the ball in
time to hold "Wildire" Frank from
advancing. Bert Shotton failed at the
sacrifice act and Schultz was forced
out at Turner's station. Lavan ground
ed to Wamby. advancing the runners.
With two down calls were made for
Milan to deliver The Tennessee fly
punched one just out of the reach of
Turner giving Doc Ayers reasons to
smile when he trotted towards the dug
out.