Evening star., 1925-04-09

gradual development of team strength
seems to have been a good one. In
their first is games the Nationals
broke even. But in their last in
the South they won 6 games and tied
in l. That was brilliant finish, after
a start none too auspicious for world
champions
In the last week in Dixie the club
began to play really smart base ball.
More use was made of the sacrifice,
the hit-and-run game was better en-
ployed than in the early contests of
the training campaign and more in
ielligence in base running was quite
noticeable. Defensively, there was a
tightening throughout the team.
Batterymen paid more attention to
holding runners to the bases, out
IieIders displayed more judgment in
The selection of throwing objectives
and there was marked Improvement
In the work of the infield.
The Nationals now appear to be
lacking in but one essential-base
ball batting. And in that department
they seem to be very much better
than they were just a week ago.
However, there still is considerable
room for improvement.
Lack CIouting Consistency.
Clouting has not been consistent
days of heavy stick work, but they
have been too widely separated.
Given more punch in attack, this
Washington club should be just
right" for the opening of the Amer
lean League championship campaign
heXt Tuesday.
Both teams hit freely yesterday, s
the Nationals scored the third sue
Cessive victory over the Giants, to
set home with the National Leaguers
holding only five-to-four game
dge in the Spring series. Jim Nc
liamara and j. Benson Brllheart
were roughly handled by the New
Workers, but Allen Russell checked
Them. The world champions battered
" lyland Dean, but did little with the
of rings of Jack Bently.
he run column was crashed" by
both clubs in the opening session.
McNeely rolled to Dean to start the
Nationals first turn at bat, but Har-
ris doubled to right. After Wake er
caught Rices loft, Bucky moved to
third. Goslin drew a pass. Judge
singled between Frisch and Terry,
counting Harris and sending the
Goose to the far corner. Bluege then
scratched a single past Kelly, tally
ing Goslin.
McNamara's wildness helped the
Giants to a marker in the first.
Walker and Frisch strolled. and after
the latter was erased with Young in
a double play, Kelly singled to CEN
ter. scoring Walker.
More Giant runs were recorded in
the second round. With Wilson out
of the way, Jackson hit into the CEN
terrified stand for a homer. Snyder
doubled to left and Dean walked.
Walker then sent a bounder to Harris
n n h1 a
double play in sight Harris let the
ball get by, so Snyder scored.
KeIly's Poor Fielding Costly.
Some free hitting mixed with
Eelly's erratic fielding got the world
champions four runs in the fourth.
Bluege, Peck and Ruel singled sue
ceSsively, Bluege scoring. Brillheart
was called out when he bunted a foul
third strike. McNeely grounded to
Kelly. and. when the latter fumbled
the ball and then threw over Terrys
head, Peck tailed, Ruel took third
and the batter got to second. Harris
single to right sent Ruel and Nc
Neely home.
Walkers single and Frisch's double
~ the outset Of the Giants fourth
gave the enemy another run
The fifth Giant marker was reg
tstered in the fifth frame. Wilson was
out when Jackson ratified a double eff
the left-field fence. Snyder then
lofted to center, and when McNeely
misjudged the fly, the Giant catcher
got double, tallying Jackson.
The Nationals hung up a pair of
markers in the seventh. With one
gone Shirley batted in place of Judge,
and got to second base when Kelly
made a wild throw after taking
Mules grOunder. Then Bluege knocked
the ball behind the left end of the
ccnterfield stand for d home run.
The eighth saw the Giants add two
runs to their total. Frisch flied to
Gosltn, but Young singled to left and
Kelly walked. Both men advanced as
Harris threw out Terry, then Wilson
sent them home with single to
right. Rice barely missed making a
shOestring catch that would have re-
tired Hack.
Jez Zachary is slated to do the
hurting for the Nationals tomorrow
in the second game here against the
Giants. Neither Jennings nor Nc
Graw would name probable New
York pitcher.
In yesterdays game at Augusta
the Giants used revamped line-up
y cold kept Groh out of the game so
Kelly went to third base and Frisch,
VINO ndd Deen nursing Il sore thumb
resumed his regular berth at second
base.
walker ran far back to make a
one-hand catch of Rice's fly in the
first inning. but could not recover in
time to prevent Harris moving from
second base to third.
Before the gnme Umpire Walker
announced that nlay would cease
) o'clock to permit the contending
teams to get their train for Wash
ington.
In the Giants third Ruel got Brill
heart out of difficulty with a couple
of catches of foul flies. There were
two on and one out when Muddy got
Jackson's foul after a run, and there
were three on when the catcher took
Deans foul out of the, sun.
Umpire Walker called Bluege out
when the latter, after slamming the
ball behind the centerfield stand in
the seventh, was tagged by Snyder,
who received Jackson's relay of Will
sons throw, but he reversed the de-
cision when Base Umpire Rowland
explained to him that a hit driving
the ball out of sight of the plate UNI
pire must be considered a home run.
Sam H. Harris, New York theatrical
A. III