Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-13
EXPECT TO CLIMB.
IN IS GAMES HERE
Have Defeated West in 81
of 43 Tilts-White Sox
First to Visit.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

with the Athletics here this
afternoon the Nationals
will gladly rush home to take on
the Western quartet of clubs,
which are to furnish the opposi-
ton in Griffith Stadium the next
Is games Maybe the change will
benefit the Washington cause.
Against the East in little more
than a week the Nationals have
won but four of nine games played
to decision. Which leaves plenty
of ground to be picked up at the
expense of the WeSternerS-and
the Nationals believe they can
pick it up.
White SoX, Tigers, Browns and In
dians are to witt Washington in the
order mentioned. each aggregation to
stage four games with Johnson's
charges. The White Sox tomorrow are
to face one of the Nationals southpaws
II Sir Walter follows mound plans made
here. Bob Burke seems the likely
choice.
The West has been pleasant pick
1ngs for the Washington club thus far
this season. In 43 games with clubs of
the inland sector of the league the Ma
tionals triumphed 80 times. The last
time the West invaded Griffith Stadium
it was early in June-the johnson
band took Is of Is games contested,
finishing with a string of dozen
victories.
Looks as though the Nationals need
euch playmates now to get them back
into winning way.
THAT a club is helpless when its
L middle line of defense yields was
wildly demonstrated yesterday as
the Nationals took that 10 to beating
from the Yankees in Griffith Stadium
For five rounds the Washington club
was very much in the game with a two
run lead Bump Hadley had been hurl-
Ing brilliantly while the Nationals were
pecktng away at the left-handed Herb
Pennock successfully. Then the center
of the Washington defense cracked and
the game was gone in fifty.
Right at the outset of the sixth
Inning Harry Rice at the center out
post fooled in failing to get ball that
should have been easily caught then
Buddy Myer at second went blooie when
he had fine opportunity to end the
inning with the Yanks getting but one
run. On top of that Hadley forgot to
protect the home plate while Roy
Spencer. his battery mate, was getting
a foul in a difficult spot while there
was a 4anke runner on third base and
TO cap the sorry spectacle Joe Cronin
at short faltered to contribute to the
visitors run total
So the Yankees scored five runs
where they should have had none which
SO upset the Nationals that getting five
more runs in the next inning was an
easy matter for the New York club. And
That center line of defense was wabbly
IN the seventh too, for again Myer and
Cronin kicked in with damaging errors.
Hadiey pitched good ball. He gave
nine hits. two of them of the infield
variety, before he left under fire in
the seventh. But the Yanks never
should have had the chance to get
three OF these nine hits. No pitcher
could have done any better supported
SO wretchedly.
All told the Yankees got IL hits the
same number the Nationals cleaned of
Pennock. They got none OF Carl
Fischer, who finished the seventh after
Hadley left but collected two off Wal
ter Masters, who pitched the last two
rounds. The ex-collegian did not look
at all bad on the hill.
The defeat, coming as It did while
the AS were taking two games from
the Red Sox, was blow to the Ma
ticnals. 1t thrust them six games back
of the league leaders and left them but
four and half games in front of the
third-place Yankees.
A BUNT sent past Pennock by Kuhel
"A for single opened the way to a
Washington run in the third frame.
Joe checked in at second as Spencer
was thrown cat. then scored when Had
ley raped a one-baser to. center A
bunt by Bluege figured in the making
of another run by the Nationals in the
fourth. Manush began the inning with
a double, took third after Ruth bagged
Cronin's hoist and Harris walked With
the squeeze sign hung up, Bluege put
down a perfect bunt to tally Manush.
When the Nationals center defense
cracked in the sixth, however, the
Yanks more than matched the hcme
sides scoring To start the trouble,
Combs got a lucky triple with loft to
center. Harry Rice at first appeared to
misjudge the fly, then as he started
for the ball he slipped on the new
mown turf and half fell, so the hoist
went over his head. He recovered the
sphere quickly, though, and heaved to
Cronin, who made a great relay that
should have tagged Combs going into
third. but Bluege dropped the bail as
the Yank slid into the base.
Sewell bounced a single off Kuhel's
glove and the New Workers had their
first run. Kuhel leaped to drag down
high bounder and landed on first to
retire Ruth, while Sewell got to second
Just ahead of Joe's heave to Cronin.
After pitching two wide ones Hadley
purposely pitched two more to put
Gehrig on first. 1t looked wise move
as Chapman has not been hitting
lately. The strategem would have,
proved right, too, bvt for Myer. With
an easy side-retiring double play at
hand Buddy booted Chapnlan's ground
er and the bases were crowded
Larry singled to send over two runs
and move Chapman to third BY this
time the Washington infield was so
demoralized that wllen Spencer ran
to the grandstand wall to get Jorgens'
tout nobody thought of covering home
plate, SO with Larry breaking for Sec
ond after the catch, Roy took chance
for third out with throw to that
bag. The fleet Chapman broke with
the throw and crossed the unprotected
counting block. while Larry got to sec
ond ahead of the heave. Then Cronin
let Reese's grounder go through for an
error and Larry crossed with the fifth
run of the sickly session.
WITH Manushs single, cronins
w double and an error by Reese,
who failed to hold Chapman'S
return of Cronins smash, the Nationals
got a marker in their sixth batting
turn. but they were sour again when
the Yanks came up for their seventh
session. Three tallies were registered
with Hadley getting no one out, Myers