Evening star., 1925-08-26

bingles and slow-ball them into a TO
Yet the Champs do not seem to
mind all this. That the Athletics were
beaten by the Indians and held to sec
ond place in the struggle for the
American League flag apparently was
enough for ,them. They appear con
tent to lose if the AS do so.
That spirit might be fine if the
Harrismen were certain of beating
the Athletics when they are encoun-
tered, but it probably would be more
TO their advantage now TO get out and
fight for the games they are in rather
than wait TO settle the big issue
that of Earnering the pennant-in a
series with a rival they have beaten
off before and that they only think
they can beat off once more.
Griffs Perform Listlessly.
The Nationals did not put much
kick" into their work the past two
days. In the last game at Detroit and
the first game here the opposition
scored enough before play had pro-
ceeded far to make the Champs very
meek and seemingly willing to take
everything else in the way of punish
ment the enemy cared to hand out.
In yesterdays tilt. once the Browns
attack was under way, the Nationals
defense became slovenly and made the
ineffective pitching of Zachary appear
worse than it really was.
Zach wobbled through the first
frame, but in the second gave up three
real singles and a base on balls. He
also had another single and a triple
charged against him. but the single
was a bunt by Bill Hargrave that be-
came a safety mainly through Zach s
own careless fielding. while the triple
credited to Harry Rice was high fly
that Goose Goslin ran under, then let
the ball flop AT his feet without IN
reference.
But Zach had little with which TO
fool the Browns at that, and called
it day after dragging himself
through the third round
His successor. Allen Russell. was not
so good when he started, Welding a
pass, single and triple in the fourth
frame, but he followed with two hit
less innings. and Eean Gregg. in his
last appearance Is a National, held the
Browns at bay in the seventh and
eighth sessions.
Two Errors Are Costly.
Two of the three errors of commits
sion of which the Nationals were guilty
figured in the Browns scoring. Muddy
Ruel dropped foul fly from the bat
of Bob La Motto in the second round
and gave Bob a chance to drive into
an infield play that enabled a Brown
TO count from third base.
Bob Neach helped pave the way TO
one of the two Brown runs tailed in
the fourth, when he made a two-base
nluff of Gaston's single to left. But
mecha anical errors are eXcuSable. They
hurt the Nationals cause yesterday.
but so did the mental lapSes of the
club.
With runners on first and second
base and none out in the second in
ming, Zach apparently never expected a
bunt from Hargrave. Perhaps the Ma.
tionals, having done so little with the
suutIng game recently. had convinced
Stte pitcher that this play was passe.
At any rate, HarSrave's tap caught
Zach fiatfooted and the big inning that
really settled the game was on.
Marty McManus had walked and
Joe Evans had singled before Har.
grave bunted. The measly tap that
went to Zach's right jammed the sta
tions, and Gene Robertsons single to
right field left them iammed, with the
Browns q run to the good. While
CASTOR was at bat Zach was SO delib.
crate in the wind-up that Evans dash,
ed for the plate and had it stolen, too
but CASTOR insisted in bunting.
Triple Blamed OIL Goslin.
The pitcher was tossed out by Ossie
Bluege, enabling Hargrave and Rob
ertson to advance d base. Harry Rice 5
triple, due mainly to Goslin's brain
storm. followed. Rice tailed with -
fifth run of the frame when La No
given a second shot by the IT,,
muffing Ruel, slammed the sphere To
Peck.
Another run was made by the
Browns in the third that Jacobson
began with a whiff McManus doubled
to left and scored when Evans singled
to center.
The Mound City gang got it's last
two tallies off RusselPs pitching in the
fourth round. With Robertson out
of the way, CASTOR singled to left and
continued to third when Veach let the
ball bound by. Harry Rice bounded
to Peck and CASTOR was nipped at the
plate, but La Motto walked and
crossed the final block behind Harry
Rice when SiSler bounded q triple ovel
Sam Rice's shoulder.
Sam Rice's infield single in the frs,
inning. Neach's one-baser in the thirc
and Bucky Harris line single to left
in the fifth, in addition TO six passes
were all the Nationals could get of
CASTOR in the first eight innings.
The Champions averted a shut-out
by backing an error with two hits il
the ninth.
Moon Harris rolled to Robertson to