Evening star., 1928-03-24
BY John b. KELLER.

TAMPA, Fla. March 24.--When the
Nationals jump into the American
league flag fight on April 10. their
punch may not be so strong, but their
pitching should be OF high class. Most
of the clubs beavers have performed
Splendidly in recent appearances and
there is no reason TO believe they will
not carry their effectiveness into the
: championSip campaign.
Pred Marberry Milton CASTOR, Horace
! iSei1bee. Clarence Griffin and Ed Wells
! have sparkled on the hill and yesterday
: when the Nationals nosed out the
: Giants, TO 5, in the lo-inning en-
/ counter that marked the opening of the
: annual Spring exhibition series of the
clubs Garland Braxton broke into the
ranks of training camp notahles
In his 1928 debut. the slender south
paw. who was the premier relief hurler
: Of the American League last year and is
slated for a rescue role again, gave a
: nohby exhibition. Picked to so three in
!. .rlgsgs only. Braxton entered the fray
= with the teams dea6locked and had to
pitch an extra round to get decision.
]. All the Giants got of him in the four
= sessions were hit and a pass. This
little served TO make them quite dam
, gerouS on two occasions. but BraXton
never faltered when the odds against
. him were great.
Shows Mettle in Seventh.
He showed his mettle in the seventh
inning, which Billy Terry opened with
Two-eagger. Travis Jackson, next up,
lifted long fly to Sam West and Terry
moved to third after the catch. But
tossed out Leslie Mann, pinch hitter,
and OSsie Bluege threw out Andy
! Cohen. In the ninth. the Giants had
runner on second base with one out
and he never had chance to leave the
. sack. but il was in the tenth inning
. that Braxton proved conclusively that
his nerve as well as his arm is in great
trim.
In this extra frame the Giants filed
the bases with none out only TO have
their runners languish on the paths.
Mann. first UP in the round. drew the
lone pass issued by the Southpaw. and
when George Sisler grabbed Cohen's
hunt and heaved wildly by second in an
attempted force play, there were two
potential New York scores on the run
way. Braxton added to his troubles by
5umhling John Cummings sacrifice tap.
Thus was the stage set foP a Giant kill
ing
1t looked as though the killing would
come. too. when Larry Benton got 70
stnree- -and-one count. Braxton ap-
Epeared TO have lost his control Alto
eEether In his efforts 70 naffie the Giant
shuyler But he managed TO stick Sec
Sond strike across; then Benton fouled
sof couple of pitches. That was ali
for Larry. Braxton heaved hook and
Benton struck nothing but the air.
Sam West Does His Bit.
/. Andy Reese. pinch batting for Melvin
sOtt. tried hard 70 get a mate TO the
vcoGntlng block He Socked q liner 70
: deep center, but Sam West made a nifty
catch and niftier throw to the plate
! that caused Mann, who had started
hone, 10 change his mind and return
60 third. Vests throw was virtually
perfect. The ball landed about 10 feet
J n front Of the counting block and
: bounded 10 Tate. waist high. Then
I Arthur Jal1n sent q high one to Sam
. Rice and everything was over for the
New Workers.
Neither of the first pitchers used BY
! the clubs was especially effective Milton
! Castor In his five innings of toll was
J found for hits and 3 passes by the
Giants. while Dutch Henry, left-hander,
) over similar route, yielded 10 hits
and ] walk 20 the Nationals. CASTOR.
. though, has done vel enough In other
! exhibition contests TO warrant con-
! sideration as fine mound prospect for
) 1sze Washington club this year
Both teams started briskiy, the
!, Giants punching two hits, as many sac
yinces and pass for brace Of runs
I n their first inning attack. while the
J Nationals countered with three safeties
Z for tgo tallies In their batting half
The Giants continued betting the ball
n the second and third rounds TO