Evening star., 1938-05-03
FAILURE IN PINCH
LOSES YANK SET
Griffs Left on at Rate of
Nearly 9 a Game as Run
Average Lags.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

With the Yankees gone, to the relief
OF all, Bucky Harris Nationals today
turned to the task of carrying the
fight for the American League leader
ship to the Cleveland Indians. Riding
out in front, high, wide and handsome,
the Indians invade Griffith Stadium
this afternoon for three-game series.
The Yankees slipped away last
night, under cover Of gathering dusk.
with 3-to-2 victory. 1t was their
fourth win in six games with the
Griffmen so far and, to hear the
Mats tale of woe, New York should
have won only one of the half-d
skirmishes.
This, of course, is a highly partial
viewpoint, but there may be some
thing in the contention Yesterday,
for instance, the Mats succeeded in
loading the bases with one down in
the eighth inning, but they failed to
push across the tying run, much less
any other run. Two days before they
kicked away another game to the
Yankees, Earlier, Catcher Rick Fer
rell accidentally tipped the bat of Joe
Gordon in New York and the Mats lost
4-3 decision
Still Leaving Runners Stranded.
Owner Clark Griffith is upset over
the Mats at the moment and he points
the finger of scorn at his hitters,
which is as it should be- When the
season opened the Washington pitch
ing was supposed to be questionable
There wasn't supposed to be enough
high-class hurting to keep the Mats
in the race, for all of the clubs offen-
sive power.
Now the problem is finding that
highly touted power. Monte Pearson
was reeling like punch-drunk fighter
toward the close yesterday, but off
him and Johnny Murphy the Mats
could score only two runs, while leav-
ing II runners stranded. Twice the
Grlffs have been shut out, Red Ruffng
turning the trick the first time and
Fritz Ostermueller the second.
Since the two opening games against
the Athletics the Griffmen have scored
only Al runs in II ball games, or an
average of a fraction over four per
game. And, what hurts, they are
leaving plenty of runners stranded on
the base paths.
Three times in 13 games they have
left more than 10 runners. The aver
age is close to nine per game. The
attack is woefully unbalanced. with
Lead-off Hitter Melo Almada and No.
2 Hitter Buddy Lewis bea1 ing the
brunt of the burden and the rest
walking to the plate for the exercise.
In the last two days Almada and
Lewis, between them. have driven
across half of the Washington runs.
De Shong Deserves Better Break.
All of the Mats hurlers so far have
come through nobly, except Ken
Chase and Joe Krakauskas. They
have disappointed. but their failures
came as no surprise in view of their
poor spring showings. But Wes Fer
rell, Monte Weaver, Jimmy De Shong.
Elon Hogsett, Pete Appleton. Dutch
Leonard and Joe Kohlman have de-
livered consistently and theirs is not
the blame for five of the six setbacks
to date.
De Shong deserved better fate
than the 80 licking handed him yes
terday. Jimmy got tough break in
the third inning when frankie Gro
setti, seeking to recall a half swing,
looped fluke double to right field
When Bill Knickerbocker followed
with single the Yanks had a 10
lead.
In the fourth inning De Shong
made one bad pitch. He hung up a
(See STAN, Page A-15,)