Evening star., 1940-06-24
Latest Switch
Seen Aiding
Nationals
Take 3 of 4 St. Louis
Tits; Krokky Gets
Another Chance
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Staff Correspondent.

BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Staff Correspondent.
CHICAGO June 24.-Equipped
with more enthusiasm for their la
borious immediate future, the Ma
tionals today were to tangle with
the White Sox here in the first of a
three-game series, with Manager
Bucky Harris experimenting through
necessity rather than desire.
Because his pitching supply has
reached stage of exhaustion, Bucky
was to entrust starting assign
ment to loop-legged Joe Krakauskas
today. 1t was to be something of a
novelty for Joe, who hasn't started
an engagement since May 10. In the
intervening six weeks Krakky hasn't
covered himself with glory in relief
roles. but he's big, strong and will
ing and the remaining members of
Washington's mound corps represent
weary crew, what with Harris be-
ing forced to employ his entire staff
In snatching three of four games
from the Browns at st. Louis. For
Krakky the opportunity represented
chance to redeem his early fall
ures and restore himself to a more
esteemed station. Then, too, the
starting nomination presented a
shot for the burly Lithuanian to
grasp victory, an item which has
evaded him thus far in the cam
paign.
Sid Hudson, the towering rookie
right-hander who narrowly missed
no-hit game in his last perform
ance, will be Harris selection to hurl
tomorrow nights game. Sid, operat-
ing under the lights last Friday
night at st. Louis, held the Browns
hitless until the ninth inning, when
Rip Radcliff doubled to right to
register the only safety of him.
Colbert Performing Smoothly.
Hudson's appearance will be in
triguing. Harris, who never has
wavered In his high regard of the
elongated youngster. is inclined to
feel Sid's sensational showing
against the Browns may have served
as the tonic Hudson has needed.
If Sid finally is squared away and
ready to win, it will erase one of
Harris more pressing problems.
Bucky thus far has had no oc-
casion to regret the shift which sent
Charley Colbert to shortstop, for
since the Mats latest shaking they
have resembled fairly adept club.
Colbert, granted an occasional
rest. is calculated as Washington's
snoothest shortstop. Cecil Travis,
at third base, is unraveling a pol
ished brand Of playing. while Buddy
Lewis, in right field. represents less
Of a liability than at third base.
Hardly harming the appearance of
the revised club Is the fact it is
hitting. The Mats, who were pa
thetic figures at the plate in losing
seven straight games at Detroit and
Cleveland, suddenly unleashed q
paSsel of power at st. Louis, COL
lecting an average of more than 13
hits game. Gerald Walker, Travis
and Zeke Bonura, who were sharing
the miseries of prolonged slump,
regained their stride against the
Browns, who captured an abbrevi-
ated game, 80, to snap the Mats
three-game winning streak. Wash
tngton's infant winning string
perished in the nightcap of yes
terday's double-header after the
Mats had won the opener, 1875.
Leonard Wins Eighth Game.
That first game was launched in
a distressing manner for Pitcher
Dutch Leonard. who yielded four
runs in the first inning before set
tling to check the Browns with six
scattered hits over the remaining
eight innings. It was his eighth
triumph Of the season. The Mats
whitfield st. Louis lead to AZ in
the third inning and splurged with
five runs in the fourth. Singles by
Travis and Buddy Myer, doubles by
Lewis and Colbert, triple by Walk
er and George Cases home run sent |
the Mats into a IA lead, which they
increased to liza in the fifth on five |
singles. Walker blasted line
drive homer into the left field stands
In the seventh to manufacture
Washington's twelfth run. Singles
by Case and Lewis and Walkers
infield out scored for the Mats in
the first inning of the second game,
but a tremendous 430-foot home
run into the center-field stands
by Chet Laabs locked the score
in the Browns half of the inning.
Ken Chase escaped further damage
until the fifth inning, when the
Browns nicked him for a double
and two singles to score twice and
take q 81 lead. Lewis double and
Walkers single sent run across
for the Mats in the seventh, but
their bid for a fourth straight VIC
tory choked when Travis fouled
to Roy Cullenbine to end the game,
l called at that point due to darkness.