Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-06


strength is a handicap to a club
trying to get somewhere, mlgnC
hit nearer the mark. When the
pinch comes the ball CLUB must
call on all it has, and Wnen tnat
all fails to produce time atter tlme
1t is Just too bad. Recent emer-
pencies have found the NatlonalS
woefully weak in reserve battlng
talent, and this weakness has mao
something to do with the loss CT
four of the last five games oy
them.
ment of the Washington club mas peen
of little help AS to hitting, 1t boasts
an average of only .o63. AS to its mem
bers getting on the runway, without
erasing a player already on, its aver
age is somewhat better. For that 1t
shows rating of .167.
Eighteen times this season the pinch
batting department of the washington
club has been called upon in emer-
pencies. One time only has 1t produced
q hit. Sam West once singled after
picking up George Loops bat. West,
by the way, is the only one who has
served as pinch-hitter who has reached
first without sacrificing a runner. In
addition to singing, he has walked
twice Immediately after taking team
mates place in the batting order.
Seven players have been used as
pinch-batters. They are Red Barnes,
Jack Hayes, Benny Tate, Bill Barrett,
George Loepp, Roy Spencer and West.
Barnes has been up six times, Hayes
three times, Tate twice, Barrett, Loepp
ana Spencer once each and West four
times.
Barnes has forced out runner twice,
grounded out once, lofted to the outfield
once and had third strike called on
him twice. Hayes has drilled into one
forced-out, hoisted to the outfield once
and grounded out once. Tate has
grounded out and watched q third
strike go by. Barrett has put up an
outfield fly, Loepp an infield pop, and
Spencer has whacked into double play.
This makes Vests record look pretty
good. Getting to first three times out
of four when handed another fellows
bat gives him a big edge over the other
members of the Nationals pinch-bat-
ting department..
, a MOTHER player has been turned
"A back to the Nationals by minor
club, but If he reports here, he very
likely will not be made member Of
the pinch-batting department. He is
Paul Heidelbach, right-hand pitcher
sold conditionally last October to the
York club of the New York-Pennsylyania
League. He was with the Nationals
only a short time last season, having
been purchased late from the Gadsden
club of the Georgia Alabama League.
Heidelbach did not show enough to
warrant York turning over the remain
der OF the purchase price to the Wash
tngton club, so President Griffith now
Is casting about for another minor berth
for the pitcher.
CoOsE GosLIN's batting slump has
~ dealt the Nationals serious blow.
He has not been hitting since the Ath-
letic series, when he pounded the ball
to all corners of the lot. In the last
seven games here the Goose has COL
lected but four safeties, to give him an
average Of :l48 over the stretch. All
told, he has been to the plate in the
seven games 80 times and has reached
the runway nine times. In addition to
his quartet of hits, Goslin has drawn
three passes and been hit by the pitcher
twice. The Nationals need the Goose's
hitting. When he is in stride he is the
big punch of the club. He is trying
everything he knows of to shake off the
slump but usually getting back to hit
ting form takes deal of time.
A GATNST other clubs in the Ameri-
"A can League the Tigers were not so
impressive, but they showed the Ma
tionals enough yesterday to bag 3to-1
victory in their first appearance of the
season here. They had pitching and
defense, things they had not had In
other games, according to report, and
they had just enough punch to over
come the Johnson band.
For six innings the game was splen-
did tusSle between Elon Hogsett and
Lloyd Brown, left-handers both, but in
the seventh the Tigers, who had been
restricted to five hits in six innings,
mixed a trio of singles with an error
by Loepp, to stake themselves to a 2
run lead. The Nationals Immediately
got back / of these tallies, thanks to
doubles by Brown and Loepp after two
were out in the home seventh. but the
Tigers countered by nicking Brown for
O single. sacrifice and double in the
eighth for another run. That ended
the scoring for the game.
THERE was a parade of pitchers to
i the hill after Brown and Hogsett
left. Garland Braxton relieved
Brown in the eighth with two gone, and
Carlos Moore pitched the ninth against
the visitors The Tigers got all their
10 hits of Brown. Moore, by the way,
was impressive as finisher Tor the
second successive day.
Hogsett was lifted In the eighth when
the Nationals threatened to knock the
props from under him. They reached
him for two hits and he went to the
showers, leaving two ON with one out.
There followed quick shifting of De-
troit hurlers due to Manager Harris
efforts to prevent any good coming
from Manager Johnsons juggling OF
pinch-batters.
johnson sent Barrett up to bat for
Ruel. expecting Harris to have Page,
left handler, relieve Hogsett. Instead
Harris sent In Herring "a Highlander,
80 johnson yanked Barrett and picked
West. A walk to Sam filled the sacks
and Tate was sent in to bat for Brax-
ton. Harris countered by lifting Herring
and rushing Page to the box. johnson
withdrew Tate and substituted Spencer.
And Spencer drilled into double-play.
When the Nationals got gay with
Page in the ninth, he passed out leaving
two runners on with one gone. Sullivan,
a rookie Highlander, came on to have
Barnes bat into force-out and to
throw third one by Cronin.
Turing the fray the Nationals got
- eight hits, were handed six passes
and had batter hit by a pitcher.
The Tigers also were charged WIN one
error. On three occasions the johnson
band had IS many as two on the run
way at once and twice they had the
bases filled. But 1t had no punch in
such pinches. Thirteen runners stranded
tells the story of the third defeat In q
row.
+ SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION.
Atlanta, 4; Birmingham, 8.
| New Orleans, 4; Little Rock, 8.
| kaN&y two gamAA geAAdulM6.