Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-17

n K AJOR league contenders are
~ ~ finding 1t difficult, not to say
WI impossible, to pull away from
4 Il one another, what with the
Braves and the Phillies plung-
ing into their annual Fall wrecking
campaign several weeks ahead of sched-
ule. The Cardinals had a grand OPP
portunity to do something handsome
for themselves when the Giants lost
again in Chicago yesterday. but the
humble Braves were in there pummel-
ing the Cards This combination of
events left the margin of the st. Louis
team still 3ia games as the Clan Nc
Graw moved into the Mound City for
a three day crucial series.
The simultaneous recovery OF the
Yankees and the Athletics from two
day slump found both teams winning
with room to spare. The margin OF the
Yanks over the Mackmen remained Az
games
With Lance Richbourg gone mad with
his bat the Braves found the Cardinals
a comparatively simple proposition in
a game which ended to in favor OF
Boston. Richbourg alone drove in six
runs in the first three innings with
q homer, double and a triple, and
then with the game safely won stepped
aside in favor of Lester Bell, an ex-
Cardinal, who batted in the remaining
three with a home run and single.
Card HurIers Pounded.
Jess Haines, Flint Rhem and Harold
Haid tried In turn to halt the Braves,
but only Haid was even moderately
successful, and by that time 1t was too
late. Ed Brandt plunged the Cardinals
right back into their batting slump, for
the afternoon at least He gave up only
seven hits, one of which was Chick
Hafey's nineteenth home run.
II the Cardinals were In bad fix, the
Giants were in one much worse. Their
former mater, Artie Nehf, gave signs
from the very start that he was in no
mood to brook a defeat, and he ended
with his third Giant scalp of the sea-
son after Vic Aldridge and Bill Walker
had failed. Nehf's performance sent the
Giants away from Wrigley Field with
to one. and a record of having won only
. decisions In II there this season. The
score yesterday was 6 to 2.
Big Set at St. Louis.
The Giants enter SportSman's Park
with tread not so certain. but with a
much better chance than the figures
indicate Although they are three and
one-half games behind the Cardinals,
they can take first place by winning
three times. sos to COS. That Is one
Of the advantages of having ones enemy
even I'm the lost column. A defeat costs
team above 500 more than vic
tory yields In profit.
McGraw Is not banking on any three
straight against the Cards but he would
like to have two out of three-must
have them, il ne is to remain a serious
threat through the next few weeks
In Benton and Hubbell he seems to
have pitchers with better than an even
chance of turning In the victories he
needs.
Burleigh Grimes had hard after
noon against Brooklyn. but he lasted
through to gather his twenty-first VIC
tory and twenty-second complete game
of the season After see-sawing along
for seven innings. the Pirates finally
pounded old Bill Doak for runs and
an li-to-6 decision in the eighth. Jim
Elliott and Watson Clark had pre-
ceded Doak in the box.
Phils Go Wild.
The Phillies mistook themselves for
the Athletics in Cincinnati Before
this impression was corrected they had
piled up % hits to win by Is to 4 for
an even break ON the four-game series.
There is little left to damage around
r dland this season, except, perhaps,