Arizona republican., 1920-07-05
CROSS PITCHES
 WESTERLY BALL.;
 BLANKS LEADERS
Oiler Moundsman Gives But Two Hits and hiffs IS; Zerolene Kids Make Only Run of Game in Ninth With Two Down

Duke Cross had all the better of spectacular pitchers battle with Lefty Lush at Standard Oil field yesterday afternoon with a result that the Oilers defeated the league leading Mesa club l to 0 in the best played and fastest game Of the league season The only run or the game came in the last of the ninth with two down, Seaman's timely single to right propelling Cooper home from second.
 Cross pitched the best game of his career yesterday and had the visitors at his mercy throughout. His curve ball was breaking better than ever be- fore, he had terrific speed and he occa- sionaily used a slow ball that was even more baffling than his curve.
 Mesa Gets But 2 Hits
 The heavy hitting Mesa clubbers got Is of lem took the count via the strike out route. Duke tied the league strike-out record established by Lush 2. week ago.
 Of the first IS men to be retired Duke got 13 of 'em on strikeouts. He got three in a row in the sixth, retired the side on strikes in the fifth and got two each in the first. third and fourth.
 Unable to connect with his curves, Mesa started a bunting game in the seventh to no avail, but they broke Dukes long list of strikeouts. Resum-
 
 of the Mesa slugers took the three count
 Dukes performance was the more remarkable because he frequently found himself in bad holes, the results of his own discrepancies. Duke was a trifle, wild, passing five men and, as luck would have it, hits followed his wildness on two different occasions.
 After one had been retired in the second, Duke walked Griffin and Mill let Menhennett followed with a single to right, but Griffin was caught Lyall, on pretty relay. Williams was an easy out.
 Gets Out of Bad Hole
 Cross got himself into even a worse tangle in the fifth. After getting Williams on strikes, he walked Peter left, filling the sacks, with only one down and bringing Reynolds and Lush two of the best Mesa batters, to the plate. He got Reynolds on strikes and then slipped couple across on Lush. With the count and 0 on Lush. he dipped one across the center of the plate on Lush Lush took healthy swing, but Cross just naturally threw it past him with his terrific speed. From then on to the ninth, he was never in danger. In the last frame, he was in a, hole, but fool-hardy base running got him out.
 But Dukes remarkable performance had little on the article of ball served I'D by the Mesa pitching ace. Lush breezed along in beautiful style until the ninth. The Oilers had made only three hits in the first eight innings and only one man had reached second during that period and none got be- yond the middle station. From the second to the ninth, the Oilers got but one man to first and he died attempt -1ar. -af ball.
 After Cross had been retired in the ninth, Cooper singled to center. He took second while Williams and Griffin were disposing of Lyall. This brought Seaman to bat with Cooper on second and two out He responded with a sharp single to right, Cooper trottine across the plate. Millett fumbled the ball in right just long enough to pre- vent a play at the counting station.