Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-02
HARD TRIP AHEAD
OF GR|FF'S CLUB
Nationals Not Likely to Strike
Many Soft Spots in Next
Three Weeks.
BY H. C. BYRD.

While the Nationals have been max
ing good progress in the last week or
ten days the club is not likely to
strike many soft spots in the next
three weeks Until next Monday the
team battles the Yankees. playing
through the Thursdays game here
and then transferring the schedule
to New York for two games on the
Fourth. two Saturday. one each on
Sunday and Monday. Following the
final in New York. the Griffmen leave
for Detroit to open on Wednesday
the first series of the swing around
the western half of the circuit. ana
none OF the eastern clubs is llkeiy
to have easy travelling on the home
!eghenies.
Not being gifted with foresight. it
is Impossible for one to say what kind
of record the Griffmen will make
in their next eight games with the
Yankees When one takes a look at
the fence busting" lineup of the
Yankees, he can see little other than
breakers ahead. Certainly Griffith 8
players will have to hit much better
than they did yesterday if they are to
accomplish anything really worth
while against the league leaders. The
Yankees. provided they get their
share of good pitching. are not going
to be bothered a great deal by
club that hits no better than the
Griffmen did yesterday.
Yesterdays 1-to-0 victory of the
Yankees, while in a measure won on
lucky break in the opening inning,
showed the superiority of the visitors.
Twice wonderful fielding plays pre-
vented what probably would have re-
c,rlf Tod in o
while the Griffman seldom threatened.
In reality, while the break went to
the Yanks in the first. the Nationals
were rather lucky that they did not
have more runs scored against them.
notwithstanding that they filled the
bases in the opening inning with
only one down, the Yankees scored
only once, which proved sufficient to
win. Wick walked. and when Peckin-
baugh hit to short Shanks did not
get the ball to second in time to head
off Wick. Baker clouted fast
grounder between first and second
and Judge and Grover went after the
ball. Grover made fine stop, but
Harper dropped the throw to first.
That filled the bags and Wick scored
when Lewis lifted a sacrifice fly to
Murphy. Pipp cut short the inning
by hitting into double play. Shanks
to Grover to Judge.
Harper had plenty of stun on the
ball but was too wild to be at his
best. His most creditable work was
done toward the close of the fourth
inning. Pipp led off with a single be-
Pratt and Bodie were issued passes.
With three on and nobody down,
Harper famed Hannah and Russell
and forced Wick to go out on an
easy roller. Foster to Judge.
Murphy probably saved Harper in
the third by a great catch of Lewis
liner. Singles by Peckinpaugh and
Baker. with one down. filled the first
and second bags and brought Lewis
up. He hit a vicious line drive to left
that seemed a certain single and prob
ably a triple if it got by Murphy
However. Murphy came in fast and
when the ball curved to his right.
dropped on his side and caught it not
more than three or four inches from
the ground. The catch had seemed
so improbable that Peckinpaugh was
rounding third at the time and MUIR
ply had plenty of time to get up and
complete a double play at second.
Grover made a wonderful stop and
| play on Bodies fast grounder over
second in the sixth. Pratt walked with
one down and Bodie hit terrific
grounder which just grazed Harper's
| shins. The ball was going mile
| a minute" over second when Grover
| got across far enough to grab it with
| his bare hand and toss to Shanks in
| time to get Pratt.
! Peck nbaugh has chance today to
! break the seasons record for con-
| secutive hitting. Yesterday he hit
safely in his twentieth consecutive
! game. equaling Babe Ruths record.
Peckinbaugh's hit was a drive which
went over Shanks head and which
! just scraped the fingers of the glove.
| Jim Shaw is due to oppose Herb
Thorma hlen in this afternoons setto.
Shaw should be in good shape. hav-
| ing had three days rest since he beat
the Athletics last Saturday