Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-22
GIVEN LITTLE HELP
BY OTHERS IN RACE
Forced to ToppIe Red Sox
Twice to Hold Lead as
Macks Win Two.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

T@HESE days the Nationals are
doing their own battling to
maintain their league lead,
but 1t would help them ever
20 much If some other CLUB Wouio
knock the props from unoer the
world champion Athletics occa-
sionally. No matter how fast 9
pace the Washington club sets, IT
seems the Philadelphia OUTFIT
manages to keep in stride with 1t.
The only real beating the AS have
taken thus far has been from the
Mats. Seven times have they
licked Mack's minionS. But three
clubs other than washington
have trimmed the Mackmen, and
each has done so but once. No
help there.
The Nationals have been trounced by
all their rivals, yet none has succeeded
in winning more than two games from
them. This has been done by the AS
the Tigers and the Browns ana, odoly,
the last two crews mentioned now are
around the bottom Of the league.
IT'S quite true that club must de.
pend upon itself in the main 10 get
Anywhere, but 1t may reasonable expect
some aid from others in beating on
determined rival. Unless the Nationals
soon get this aid the going Is apt to be
very rough for them. Stepping out nc
a 1888 pace is great, but 1t quickly be-
comes q strain, especially upon the front
runner.
I'm the road the Nationals have
~ moved faster than at home this
season. In six games on foreign neios
-
raraes In Grifith Stadium they have
travelled at q .654 pace. They have been
away from home 30 little that 1888 does
not truely represent their strength
abroad. Getting fair share OF the
breaks. though, they are likely to shine
away as they have here. With well
balanced pitching staff, strong defense
and the sharp hitting they are apt to
produce, the Nationals ought to get
invasions OF New York. Philadelphia
and the West.
In the long string Of games at home,
q string broken only once by the visit to
Philadelphia for the double bill with the
AS, the Nationals have moved swiftly.
OF a. games OF the current home stand
16 have been bagged by the wearers OF
the washington uniform. Some pace
for club that last season never showed
ally k4lC akltAA tkAG 3nob AAAOAeA Va PAeJs.
CWINGING along nicely yesterday, the
- Nationals maintained their ONE
pion Athletics. Although the AS twice
took the Yankees into camp In Phila-
delphia, the Nationals opened their six
game series with the Red Sox with q
double victory. They were decisive VIC
tories, too, those 10-to-2 and Stool en-
gagements. And the Mats had to bag
both games to hold their lead.
In the first game the Red Sox were
away in 'front.', but their score was
matched In the second inning, the Mats
went ahead IN the third and continued
counting IN each inning thereafter. In
the second game the Mats were never
In danger, for they picked up q good
lead early In the proceedings. and after
the Red Sox checked In with their lone
marker, did some more denting OF the
plate.
side.
GAM JONES and Ad Lska did the
- finging for the Mats, and good
Job they did. In scoring his fifth win
In i've starts this Spring, Jones allowed
the Boston bunch but seven safeties
and one pass. These were spread over
four rounds. A double by Oliver, .
single by Reeves and a sacrifice by
burst were clustered in the first round
to give the Red Sox . tally. The lone
pass, that to Todt who batted for Rus
sell In the eighth, and successive singles
by Oliver and Reeves, accounted for
che second Boston marker.
The first two Red Sox to face Jones
Sn the fourth singled, but Cam tight
ened to fan Regain and Sweeney, then
o runner was forced out to retire the
side. Sweeney singled with one gone
In the seventh, but never left first base.
Jones never seemed to work hard except
in the fourth, when he struck out two,
but he got away with the game In great
style.
Liska in the second game yielded but
six hits and q pass. The pass, issued In
the second inning, did no harm, nor did
three hits made by the Red Sox in the
fourth. Reeves opened this inning
with q double, but was too ambitious
and was nabbed by Cronin's fine relay
Of Vests return when he tried to make
after two were out. Doubles by Reeves
and Scarritt were good for run in
the sixth, but Hevings single was made
with two gone in the seventh and was
wasted. A sparkling bit Of work by Ad.
TACK RUSSELL and Ben Shields, the
latter a. rookie left-hander, were
reached for runs by the Mats in the
initial encounter. They got IS hits on
Russell In the seven rounds he toiled
and three of Shields In the eighth.
Every Nat in the lineup, except Cos
lin, who had to retire after first
inning batting effort caused his charley
horsed leg to break down again, hit
safely. Rice collecting triple and three
singles to head the attack. Loepp, who
replaced Goslin in left field, helped
himself to two doubles
Singles by Myer and Cronin and Joe's
force out by Bluege accounted for the
tying tally put over in the second ses-
sionJ while the pinking of Jones by
Russell, Loops two-bagger and Judges
single Melted two runs In the third.
The Nationals continued scoring to the
finish, hitting over all runs except that
In the sixth, which was helped across
by o brace Of Boston errors.
OFF three Boston pitchers in the Sec
~ ond game the Nationals got
IL safeties. Danny MacFayden
started, but was lifted after working six
innings. Eight hits were made of him.
Singles by Judge, Myer and Ruel were
good for q marker in the second, and a
Noeu fn Tud0a Mvor's single Cr0ntn'S