Evening star., 1926-04-22

a STOP lacing in the opening clash
True, Rommel hurled magnifcently
according to the standards of the
snort. He allowed only three hits. and
but one of them was made In the first
six innings. But it seems that the
Macks and the Yanks must have q
flock Of clever pitchers If they are to
he judged by their performa noes
against the Hsrrismen.
So far the club that clouted with
enough vigor last season to stand sec
ond in hitting In the league has hit
for the surprisingly low average Of
229. The Nationals have made almost
all pitchers they have faced appear
good
Atield the Nationals have travelled
at a .a57 rate That is not 80 good
for a CLUB that in winning pennants
In the past two seasons was noted for
it's we'll nigh impregnahle defense.
The pitching. like the club stand
Ing. is mostly $3.50. Two hurlers who
achieved considerable success in their
season debuts have since been well
pasted.
Covey's Error Is Factor.
Stanley Coveleskie, though, in his
second shot of the year at the Us
really was better thu the number of
hits cleaned off him would seem to
indicate. But Covey, as have some
other Nationals. found the ball too
slick to grasp firmly and helped dig
his own grave with fielding miSplay.
Perhaps the club may brace at bat
and afield behind the pitching of the
veterans Manager Harris planned to
use today and tomorrow. Dutch
Ruether. elderly southpaw. who gave
a good account of himself last Fri
day in Washington, when he started
his year with victory over the Mack
men even though he had to be re-
lieved by Fred Marberry when the
affair became a trifle warm in the
ninth. was to start today. Tomorrow
Walter johnson will return to the
slab.
Boss Rucky. who gave up his
second base Job to Stuffy Stewart
while nursing a bruised finger on his
left hand expected to return TO the
game this afternoon. The pilot S
digit was injured by hot drive dur
ing the Tuesday bombardment of the
National mound corps in Washington,
hut Harris did not decide to refrain
from starting in the inaugural here
until Just before game time.
Last night the fisner was given
especial attention by Trainer Mike
Martin and Bucky hoped 10 he fit for
the second encounter of this series
with the AS. Should he play.
the Nationals were to return to their
original batting order. but with
Stewart again AT second base the re-
vised hitting list used vest terday was
to he continued.
Mack's Pitcher ProbIematical.
Trying to guess which pitcher Con
ME Mack will start in a game is
popular pastime around this town now.
adays. The venera Bile leader of the
White Elephants resorts TO many
tricks to conceal his choice until with
in a few minutes of the hour the con
test is scheduled to get under way.
II was rumored that the aged John
Picus Quinn would go to the hill
aEainst the Nationals this afternoon.
But this was only surmise.
Probably no pitcher, though, will
enjoy the success Rommel did yes.
terday Edwin Americus, with his
knuckler had the Champs eating
out of his hand most of the time.
Only seven of them got foot on
the bases. Goose Goslin strolled
after two were out in the first in
ming, only to be forced out by Joe
Harris. Joe did better in the fourth.
when. with two gone. he bounced A
homer off the lower center field stand
wall.
Goslin drew another pass to start
the seventh, but was erased in
double play. Ruether, pinch batting
for Curly Ogden. started the ninth
with a single. the second hit of the
dav off Rommel. After Sam Rice
popped to Jimmy Dykes Buddy Myer
walked. Goslin then Tailed Ruether
and put Myer at the midway station
with a one-baser to left. Buddy
moved to third after Al Simmons
caught Joe Harris hoist. and the
Goose later ambled to second unmo-
lested, but the jig was up when
Stan Yields 10 Singles.
Coveleskie gave up 10 hits, all sin
rles. and 4 passes during his seven
inning term. But he got along well
outside of the second session, when
the AS punched of their clouts
while the Nationals were f1ounderlnG
about the ball park. The punch plus
the Champs weird work netted tne
home boys runs.
Mickey Cochrane opened the round
hv beating out a slow bounder to
Mver at short, Jimmy Dykes followed
with the first of his four successive
bingles during the game, Texas
leaCuer over judges head. and Coch-
rne raced to third. Chick Galloway
rolled the ball toward Covey, but the
pitcher, with a chance tor an easy
play at the plate, all but buried the
sphere at his feet allowing Mickey TO
count. while Dykes made second base
and the batter first.
DYKES darted for third rs the initial
pitch was made to Rommel. but Ed
failed to meet the ball in attempting
to sacrifice and Jimmy was tagged
Ruel to Myer to Bluege. Rommei
seemed doomed when he later lotted
to center, but Rice allowed the ball
to bounce out of his hands. The muf
left AS on first and second bases.
where a catch would have meant two
out with one tally in and runner on
first.
Max Bishop followed with a single