Evening star., 1925-08-04

League championship NdulpdlSu ID
considering the difference between t
the main title contenders at present,
The difference in standing on paper
does not seem so formidable and 1t
would not be were the Nationals to
return to the playing form they flashed
prior to July 4. Through that day
they had played at a .671 winning
rate. but since they have won just
13 of 25 games played. Any ball club
may be expected to slump, but when
champion ball club falls into slump
and fails to snap out of it within
month, that two-game difference does
not look any too good.
The slump of the Champions has
been attributed to various causes, gen.
orally to the putrid pitching they have
been offering at most times during the
past month. However, there were
times last year when the moundSmen
were rather ineffective, yet at those
times the club managed to offset a
great deal of that ineffectiveness with
sturdy defense and lightning attack.
Fail to Hit i'm Pinches.
Such has not been the case within
the past few weeks. The defense has
been sturdy only in spots and too fire.
quertly tielderS have gone wool gather
ing at critical moments Nor has any
lightning attack marked the games
of the Nationals. They have been
hitting hard. as their team batting
average of more than 800 indicates,
but they have not been hitting oppor-
tunely. The Champs probably have
been getting as many men on the
paths as any other club in the circuit,
but they certainly have not been get
ting many of them TO the final block.
They were offered several golden
opportunities yesterday in the game
with the FTVparS h1rt fajlal n n a
any great advantage of them. Ken
meth Holloway, right-hander, who
adorned the mound for the Cobbmen
and who now tops the American
League pitching list by virtue of his
win over the Champs, was knocked
for eight safeties and also passed four
batters.
But the Nationals were unable to
bunch blows in any inning expect the
seventh, when they got but one tally
from two singles and a double. And
only once did they follow a walk with
a hit. In four of the frames the
first National up got to first base.
but only once did he progress beyond
second.
The Tigers, though, made good use
of their swats. They got to Stanley
Coveleskie, who started on the hill
and toiled through five innings, for
five hits and all figured in the making
of their trio of runs. However, a
bit Of fortune helped the Cobbmen
TO one of their tallies, for at the out
set of the fourth frame only a freak
hopf of Heine Manush's bounder made
the blow a tWo-bagger instead of an
easy chance for retirement. And, in
the fifth Joe Judges brainstorm paved
the way to another alien marker, the
first-sacker oddly eiecting to get the
runner leaving first base instead of
9 the one leaving third when the
visitors essayed a dual theft.
Covey None Too Effective.
Covey was none too effective,
though, and but for several bits of
really good fielding behind him may
have Jared worse. After he gave
way to the pinch-batter in the fifth
the venerable Vean Gregg showed
his southpaw slants to the Tigers for
batter put. in an appearance in the
seventh, so Fred Marberry finished
the engagement on the slab.
Two were out in the first round
when the Nationals started the days
scoring. Sam Rice drew a pass, took
second when Holloway baked. and
romped across the plate when Goose
Goslin socked the ball to the left field
corner for three bases. But the Goose
was stranded when Judge lifted to
Harry Heflman in right center
The Tigers, who had been checked
in one-two-three order in the first
inning, quickly evened matters in the
second. Manush lined a double down
the right field border and sprinted
home when Heilman shot single
down the t1rSt-base line. 1t appeared
that more Tiger runs were due quick
ly when Lu Blue strolled and Burke
sacrificed neatly But the board of
strategy ordered John BasSler passed
to fill the bases and Holloway proved
the wisdom of the act by rapping into
a double play
Manush was on the starting end of
Tiger run No. 2, made in the fourth
stanza. He bounded the ball toward
Judge, but just as the latter was
about to grasp 1t the sphere took an
odd hop to the first sacker's left and
continued to right field for two-basc
hit. Heilman's retirement put Man
ush at third base and Blues single to
center sent him home. Blue pilfered
second and reached the far corner
when Burke was thrown out, but
Bassler lifted to McNeely.
Tigers Get Cheap Tally.
The third and final Tiger run, made
IN the fifth frame, was a cheap affair.
Holloway began the session by stroll
ling to first base, only to be forced out
by Tavener, who hunted Jones,
though, slammed single to right and
Tavener skipped to third base. The
Tyger pair started a dual theft and
Muddy Ruel heaved the ball to Stan
Harris. The Champs boss bluffed
Tavener back toward third. then re
Iayed the sphere to judge. Joe imme
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