Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-14

Nationals with a double win In
usher in the set Of five games to b
days.
This struggle for the second di-
vision leadership in the Barnard
circuit has been grueling one for
both clubs involved for little
more than three weeks. 1t really
began in Detroit on August %,
when the Nationals opened four
game series on Navin Field, just
four games behind the Tigers.
During this set the Tigers advan-
tage was cut to two games.
Since the Nationals have played at
slightly faster clip than the Tigers, ana
several times have had opportunities 10
overhaul them, but each time a chance
to get ahead was at hand the Wash
ington club proved too weak at bat or
on the pitching slab to seize 1t. The
Nationals have gained to such an ex-
tent, however, that this 3aorning they
were but half game h.tow the NTH
berth, occupied by the TSSers.
Big Game to Win.
They narrowed the gap yesterday by
beating the Indians, to 3, while the
Clan Harris rested in Boston because
of the odd schedule made for the Amer
lean League this season. 1t was big
game for the Nationals to tuck away.
for defeat would have set them back
so that only a sweep of the impending
series with the Detroit club would send
them to the top Of the second division.
The Johnson band can thank Joe
Judge more than any other for its
triumph in the third tilt of the set
with the Tribe. It was the veteran who
stepped to the plate in the eighth when
the bases were full, with two out, and
socked cushion-cle double
against the right-field wall to wrest
from the Indians the lead they had
gained in the third inning.
The Nationals were somewhat fortu-
nate that the Cleveland lead was not
so heavy when Judge slammed his two
Dagger in the eighth, for the visitors
had pummeled Sad Sam Jones severely
all the way. Sad Sam seemed to have
little more than the proverbial glove
and prayer in the eight rounds he
pitched. He was nicked for 10 hits
and granted 3 passes, in addition to
hitting a batter. Three times the In
dams went out leaving filled bases, once
only because a brilliant play at short
by Joe Cronin kept at least two runners
from the plate.
Shoffner Starts Well.
On the other hand, young Milburn
Shofner, left-hander. starting for the
second time this year for the Tribe
his first start also was against the
Nationals in Cleveland, by the way
pitched a pretty good ball game until
his control became faulty late In the
proceedings. In the first five frames he
allowed five hits-one to an inning
and hit a batter. Not scoring chance
did the Nationals have in these rounds;
nor did Shoffner's first base on balls,
issued in the sixth inning, help them.
He broke in the seventh. though, when
he hit batter and two passes and
hit were cleaned of him to produce
the first Washington run. In the
eighth he got two out, then lost his
control altogether and retired after
passing two batters.
John Miljus was called upon to save
the game for the Tribe, but John
started just as wildly as Shoffner fin
ished, and Immediately filled the bases
with a walk. This put it up to Judge,
and Judge certainly made good. The
Nationals were not yet out Of the woods,
however, and when Bob Burke, who
started the ninth for them, yielded two
hits, with only one out, he was yanked
Fred, too was socked for a hit, and
another Indian tally was registered be-
fore he could get the side out.
Jamieson's single, Tavener's sacrifice
and AverillS single accounted for the
first Tribal tally, which was made in
the third round. The Indians had the
bases filled, with two out, in the fifth,
and when Joe Sewell sliced a wicked
grounder toward left it looked as though
more scoring was sure. But Cronin
rushed to his right, dug up the ball at
the edge of the grass, and whipped 1t
to Myer for side-retiring force-out Of
Falk.
Some Scoring Rounds.
The Tribe did better in the sixth,
though. Hodapp began the inning with
a single and Luke Sewell followed with
another one-baser, which moved Johnny
to second base only. Shoffner hunted,
but Jones, with an easy force play at
third at hand, cuffed the ball about and
the error filled the sacks. Hodapp was
nailed at the plate by a throw from
Cronin, who had scooped up JamieSon's
grounder, and Tavener's best was
hoist to Rice in short right. Averill,
though, singled and Luke Sewell reached
the counting block.
One was out in the seventh when
Hayes walked to open the way to the
first Washington marker. Jack moved
to second when a pink on the leg by
one Of Shoffner's pitches put Jones on.
Judge only popped to Hodapp, but Rice
made his first hit of the series-a sin
gle to right-which scored Hayes.
1t did not look as though the Ma
tionals would get anywhere in the
eighth when Cronin and West hoisted
to the outfleld. But Ruel walked, and
SO did Hayes. Then Shoffner gave way
to Miljus. Barnes was sent up to bat
for Jones and drew a base filling pass.
Judge then slammed his double to right
close to the foul line, and the Nationals
were ahead.
Tribes Final Kick.
The Indians made game bid to get
back into the pastiming in the last
batting turn. Avernl began the ninth
with a single OF Burke, and after
Hauser, who had. gone to first base after
Fonseca was struck on the left elbow
by q pitch from Jones in the fifth in
ming, let third strike 60 by, Morgan
batted for Falk and caromed q single
of Burkes legs. Marberry then as
sumed the pitching burden, and Joe
Sewell rifled q single through Myer that
crowded the cushions. Averiu scored
after Goslin bagged Hodapp's long
hoist, but Myatt, who batted f,r Luke
6ewell, put up an easy pop to Hayes.
REYNOLDS WINS ON MAT.