Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-13

Nus anu runs III TeCeIlL dppedrdIl
on the hill.
The Nationals needed today's
game badly, for defeat yesterday,
while the Tigers were taking q
close one from the Red Sox in
Boston, left them full game be-
hind the second division leader.
Now JohnSon's band cannot be in
fifth place when it opens its five
game set with the Harris horde
here Sunday unless it wins its last
two games with the Tribe and the
Tigers drop their last two with the
Boston bunch.
Taking two in a row from the In
dams these days is no easy job for any
club in the American League. In fact,
1t would prove an especially difficult
task for the Nationals. They have yet
to come out Of batting slump into
which they fell while playing in Boston
the early part Of the month, and like
any other club. the Nationals when not
hitting do little winning.
Mil. r Battles Griffs.
Their bats meant little to them yes
terday in the second Set-to of the series
when the Nationals faced the left
handed Walter Miller. But seven safe
ties and one pass were cleaned of the
Southpaw, and the Washington warriors
suffered a S to / defeat. The hits of
Miller were spread over six innings,
round in which the Cleveland hurler
yielded a brace of safeties. And then
the run that crossed was tainted.
His victory gave Miller two to one
edge over the Nationals for the season.
1t was the sixth time he had pitched
against them this year. and his record
for scraps with the Washington club
during the campaign shows four wins
and two defeats.
Myles Thomas essayed to make it two
straight over the Peck pack, but Myles'
pitching was spotty from the start.
Only by the best of fortune were the
Indians kept away from the counting
block in the first three frames when
they got to Thomas for four hits and
three walks The Washington hurler
breezed through a nifty fourth inning.
but he was socked for six hits In the
fifth, and these netted the Tribe all its
runs.
Tribe Earns but One Run.
Fate was against Thomas in this big
NTH, however, for only one OF the
Tribal tallies was earned. All the scor-
of the five runs crossing when Catcher
Roy Spencer erred in dropping ball
after tagging Lew Fonseca, sliding to-
ward the plate. Umpire Harry Geisel
had ruled the runner out, but, Of course,
reversed his decision when Spencer
failed to cling to the sphere. Three
more hits and three more runs followed
before the third retirement was accom-
plished.
Spencer's failure to cling to the ball
was excusable, for Fonseca, as he slid
toward home, spiked the catcher's right
hand and all but tore the nail from the
thumb Roy, of course, had to leave
the game. So Muddy Ruel was pressed
into service behind the bat. Spencer's
hurt, while not held serious, Is quite
painful, and he may have to remain out
of action several days.
One was out in the Indian fifth when
Earl Averill whacked single to start
the winning attack. Fonseca's one
baser moved Averill to second only, but
both runners advanced q notch as Joe
Judge cuffed down Bib Falk's hot shot
and tagged the batter at first. Thomas
proceeded to heave two strikes by Joe
Sewell, then joey, after fouling q few
pitches, singled to left Averill Tailed
easily, but Goose Goslin's fine throw
had Fonseca beaten. Came Spencer's
excusable error, however, and the Sec
ond run was over.
Gets Hits in Bunch.
Joe Sewell made second on the throw
in and scored soon after when Johnny
Hodapp doubled. Another run was reg
istered when Luke Sewell dashed two
Dagger. Just to make it a great round
for the Tribe, Miller rified a single to
left field and Luke reached the final
base. Miller tried to make second on
the hit, but found Buddy Myer waiting
with the ball.
Irving Hadley and Bob Burke shared
the Washington pitching burden after
the fifth frame. Hadley gave up two
to let Charley Gooch bat for him in the
home seventh. Burke was nicked for
one hit only. Sammy West paved the
way to the Washington run in the
seventh by dragging a bunt by Miller
for single and taking second when
the Indian pitcher heaved wildly past
first base. West held to second as Ruel
got an infield hit, but was scored by
successive force-outs into which Jack
Hayes and Gooch batted.
When Myer stole second base in the
fourth inning Manager Peckinpaugh
claimed Cronin had interfered with
Luke Sewells throw by tipping the
catcher's glove with his bat. Umpire
Geisel couldn't see 1t that way, and
when Peck continued his vigorous pro-
test he was chased to the clubhouse.
Averill liked the slabbing of all the
Washington pitchers except Burke. He
made four hits In a row, getting a
double and two single of Thomas and
q triple on Hadley. Earl tried to sacri-
flee in his last time at bat when he
faced Burke, but only buunted a foul
pop, which Ruel bagged.
Braxton was out to see the game, but
was not In uniform. The slender south
paw slabman, who recently underwent
q minor operation on his left shin, is
still somewhat weak, and probably win
not get down to earnest work before
Monday.
MIDWEST RAII SERIES