Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-06

rivals. the NatlOnaIS move Oh W
Detroit tomorrow to engage a
fifth. and playing as they nave,
probably to absorb another beating.
There's no reason to believe Walter
Johnson's charges will do particularly
we'll against the club now directed by
their former manager, Stanley harris
in the three tits slated for the auto
mobile city as the Tigers seem TO De
swinging into a victorious stride while
the Nationals appear to be going from
bad to worse.
After the second successive licking
they took from the Tribe yesterday,
which incidentally was their fourth oe-
feat in a row, what hope the Nationals
had of returning home from this West
ern invasion with a winning percentage
of at least 500 is about blasted. In
Guiding this afternoons fray with the
Indians 10 games remain on the West
ern slate and to finish the trip with a
$3.50 showing in the league standings
the washington club would have to bag
eight of the games. And that's not
being done these days by the Nationals.
For a time, the washington club was
handicapped mainly by the Ineffective
ness of its pitchers. When the pitchers
began to round into form, it was batting
weakness that kept the club down.
Lately the Nationals have hit, although
not in pincheS. Now to make matters
worse they are playing stupid base ball.
In fact. the other clubs are not beating
the Nationals as much as the Nationals
are beating themselves.
Clear Case of Stupidity.
No more glaring instance of this
stupid base ball by them has been seen
than that in the contest here yesterday
which went to the Indians, 1 to O..
With a faltering pitcher just about to
hand them the game on a silver platter,
the club completely lost all idea OF com
nonsense base ball, and deliberately
spurned its one big opportunity of the
paStiming.
It was a game in which the recruit
Aooiph Liska, starting on the slab the
second time as a National, was more
unfortunate even than in his 2-to-1 de-
feat at the hands of the Red SoX in
Boston not long ago. But two hits and
three passes were yielded the Tribe by
the rookie.
Each pass and one of the hits, a
double by Lew Fonseca, came in an in
ming after two were out and meant
nothing to the Indians. The other hit
opened the second inning and, backed
by two errors, accounted for the lone
Tribal tally. In fact, the Indians drove
but four pitches to the Washington out
fielders so effective was LiSka. Yet he
had to accept defeat because of his
clubs headless play, as it really was a
piece of stupid work that enabled the
Indians to score.
Bib Falk's hit that began the second
session was grounder that Buddy Myer
picked up far back of third base with
not the slightest chance of tagging his
man with throw to first Yet Myer
persisted in throWing-and threw far
over Joe Judges head, permitting Falk
to reach second base. Then Joe Cronin,
still subbing for OsSie Bluege at short,
allowed Fonseca's bounder to get by for
o two-base error, and the run was in.
Liska Assumes Command.
Here Liska assumed command of the
situation. He grabbed Roy Gardeners
roller and started the rundown of Fon-
SEGA. AS Luke Sewell was tossed out,
Fonseca moved to second, then pilfered
third. But Liska famed Walter Miller
to end the round Thereafter only three
Indians dented the runway, Fonseca
doubling in the fourth, Gardner stroll
ing in the seventh and Carl Lind get
ting a pass in the eighth. A great bit
Of pitching.
The Nationals outhit the Indians. six
safeties to two, and to help them more
the left-handed Walter Miller issued
three passes and hit two batterS. Yet
in only three rounds did the Nationals
get more than one man on the base
paths.
Judge began the second with walk,
but did not reach the middle sack until
Jack Hayes singled with two gone.
Then Muddy Ruel watched a third
strike go by. Liska opened the third
with a single and there were two on
when Miller picked up Myers bunt and
plugged Buddy in the back with the
ball. Sam Rice's bunt only forced out
Liska at third, while Goose Goslin tap
ped feebly to the pitcher. Judge was
purposely passed, crowding the sacks.
Here Sam West whitfield, three pitches
being enough.
The Nationals great opportunity to
get well into the game came in the
fifth. Miller had been somewhat I'M
steady from the outset and a double
Myer bounced off the screen back of
right center at the beginning of the
fifth must have further IMPOSED the
Cleveland pitcher. Anyway Miller could
not locate the plate and filled the bases
by hitting Rice's shirt and pounding
Goslins back Judge hit the ball hard,
but unfortunately it went directly to
Fonseca and force-out at the plate
resulted.
big BOner" of the Day.
This seemed no place for West, who
twice had been a mark for Miller, so
Bluege was sent in to bat. OSsie swung
at the first pitch to him and Topped
the ball toward short right field. Here
occurred the big boner" of the day.
1t must have been apparent to both
Rice, who was on third, and Clyde
Milan, who was coaching at that base,
that it would be 100-to-1 shot against
beating the short throw home If the
ball was caught by either Lind or Falk,
who went after Bluege's hoist. Yet, in
stead of taking lead that would mean
a run in event if the ball landed safe,
Rice chung to the far corner.
The ball fell between the fielders and
with the bases loaded Rice had to go
and he was an easy force-out at the
plate, for Falk retrieved the sphere
and got it to Luke SeWell far ahead of
the runner. The scoring chance was
gone when Cronin hoisted to Falk.
1t was pitiful baserunning anyway
considered. Under no circumstances
should any other than the runner go
ing from first base to second have
been forced out. Yet the Washington
offensive tacticS were so moor that a