Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-27
POOR BAT SUPPORT
DEFEATS YOUNG AID.
Failure of Mats to Bunch
Hits NuIIifies Rockies
Good Hurting.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

~ OSTON, April 27.-Given fair
- break young Adolph Liska will
gain considerable fame in base
IL ball. He has much more nat
ural ability than the average
pitching recruit In the big leagues pos
seSses, and what's more. he backs this
natural ability with a keen knowledge
of the pitching art. Besides, he has
strength. youth and pluck in his favor.
What more does a youngster eager to
make his way in base ball need?
In his first effort over route since
the American League championship
season opened Liska revealed enough
to convince all who witnessed his per-
Torrance that the Nationals picked up
a most promising piece of mound ma
terial when they paid the Minneapolis
Club $4,000 for him. He had good
looking fast ball, banning curve and
in the main, control. That he took
2-to-1 licking from the Red Sox yes
terday certainly is not to his discredit.
He gave his club as fine bit of pitch
ing as it could have asked. but his club
gave him very little in return.
During the first seven innings Of the
fray but six of the Red Sox got on the
runway. Only two got to second base
and but one to third. In the mean
time the Nationals had reached Jack
Russell, young Boston Highlander. for
seven safeties and one free ticket to
first base. Yet, as 1t has been since the
flag race started. the Washington club,
except in one instance. was unable to
advance after penetrating the enemy's
defense.
Only Score in Fourth.
The exception was in the fourth in
ming that Goose Goslin opened by
bouncing a triple of the rightfield
bleacher barrier. Then it was not hit
that helped the Goose to get across the
counting block. Instead, he Tailed as
Shortstop Harold Rhyme seized Buddy
Myers slow bounder and tagged his
man at first base. That was all the
Nationals could give Liska.
They hit Russell in each of the first
six sessions, yet all but one OF the hits
aided individual averages only. The
only other hit of Russell came In the
ninth after two were out, but the Red
Sox in the previous frame had punched
their way to the front
Liska seemed just as strong as ever
when he went to the hill for the eighth
inning and he probably was, but 1t is
continue banking a foe frame after
frame. AS 1t was, the Red Sox in the
eighth reached Ad for only enough
additional safeties to raise their game
total to six, yet the three then cleaned
of him were suficient to send him to
defeat.
A chicken came home to roost at the
outset Of the Red Sox eighth. Bob
Reeves, one OF the i've sent from Wash
ington to Boston in exchange for Myer
last Winter, began the attack with a
ripping grounder down the third base
line. Myer made q game effort to in
tercept the ball, but the drive was one
of those accounted hits In any league.
So the sphere continued down the line
far enough TO net Reeves two-bagger.
Phil Todt sacrificed neatly, then
Manager Bill Carrigan sent Doug Taitt
up to bat for Bob Asbiornson. Asby, as
the catcher Of Scandinavian descent is
called, had been famed by Liska in his
previous turn at the plate. Taitt picked
out good one and Socked single to
right, chasing Reeves In with the tying
tally.
Here Liska frightened and whitfield
Russell, but Jack Rothrock, next UP,
had been troublesome customer from
the start. He had received two of the
three passes Ad issued and once fired O
wicked liner at Ossie Bluege. This time
Rothrock lofted the ball toward left
field. Goslin ran over to try for q
catch, and of course with two out, Bill
Narlesky. hoofing for Taitt, was moving
toward the plate. The ball landed safe
ly at the Goose's feet and near the foul
line. He picked it UP on the first bound
and made fine heave to the plate. but
the flying Narlesky got there just ahead
OF the ball. Then Sam Rice made
nifty catch Of Rhymes foul hoist, but
the damage had been done.
Thus was Liska defeated In his first
effort over a route In the American
League. but It was far from disgrace
full defeat. Backed by q club with a
punch. he would have won handily.
And he Is likely to score many victories
before long. for the Nationals have much
more power in their bats than they
have revealed to date.