Evening star., 1940-05-10
Club Hasn't Had
Winning Jaunt
Since 1888
Harris Sturts Krokky
With Edict to Show
Class or Lose Job
By Staff Correspondent of The Star.

By Staff Correspondent Of The Star.
PHILADELPHIA. May l0.-The
Mats came here today on the first
lap of their initial road trip of the
season. They embarked earlier on a
brief jaunt which embraced only
three games but that hardly counted.
This one is 12-game affair and by
the time Bucky Harris gang gets
back Washington should know how
far up, or down, the Mats are going
to finish.
For some years however since
1888, as matter of fact-the Griff-
men have been bad road team.
They haven't shown winning road
record in six years and they start
this trip with misgivings. For in
stance, it was necessary today for
Harris to nominate Joe Krakauskas
to pitch the opener of a three game
set against the AS.
II have to pitch him." Bucky ex-
planned, defensively. IF he's a pa
looka I've got to know, definitely
and for all time. Maybe he'll flnd
himself. Certainly he's no good as
relief pitcher and he's too wild
to use as batting practice pitcher.
So I've got two alternatives-pitch
him or get rid of him."
Anyway, They're Hitting.
The junket the Mats are starting
today was to include three games
here with the Athletics and then a
tour of the West, embracing two
games each in Detroit and Cleye-
land, three in Chicago and two in
st. Louis.
One cheerful note as the Griffmen
pulled into Philly today was an indi-
cation the boys were hitting again.
Before pulling stakes in the Capital
they jumped on Thornton Lee and
Vallle Eaves of the White Sox for
15-hit barrage including homers
by Jimmy Pofahl and Jimmy Blood
worth. and won a game, 8 to 4.
Some of the hits were a little on
the scratchy side, including two of
the four made by Gerry Walker,
But, by the same token, some of the
Mats whacked some good balls which
were caught. Twice Zeke Bonura
was the victim of sensational
catches and one Shortstop Luke
Appling robbed Bloodworth of one
blow.
Dutch Makes Slab Mark.
The game marked Dutch Leon
ards second victory of the season
and one of the few times the Mats
have made any runs for Dutch,
incidentally. Leonard is a trail
blazer. He is the first Washington
pitcher to win more than one game.
Speaking of pitching, it is difficult
to follow the Mats line of reasoning.
krakauskas has been so wretched
that he was denoted to the bullpen.
Joe Haynes has been equally as
wretched, only Joe throws right
handed. Leonard, Ken Chase and
Sid Hudson supposedly are regular
starters and yet KrakauSkas was to
work today and Haynes is to con-
tinue his turn. It is beWildering be-
cause, from time to time, Clark Grif-
nth and Harris announce that four
starters are enough.
Four are enough, but the Mats are
dabbling with five and if there is
anything Leonard, Hudson and
Chase need it is a regular turn every
fourth day. The way they are work..
ing now they are averaging about
an appearance a week.
Finally Lick a Lefty.
The Mats came from behind to
divide the two-game series with the
Chisox and win their first decision
from left-hander this year. Lee
was the victim. They tried eight
times before and were unsuccessful.
Lee had 3-to-2 lead going into
the seventh, when the Griffs put
together some cheap hits and some
real ones for a flve-run rally which
clinched the decision for Leonard,
who scattered 10 hits. Eaves, a
right-handed rookie, finished for the
Sox and gave the Mats final run in
the eighth.
Leonard had only two trouble
some innings-the fourth and fifth.
It was in these frames the Sox got
three of their runs.
Hudson will work the second
Philadelphia game tomorrow and
it's anybody's guess after that.