Evening star., 1940-05-26
Walker 'sDariinq
On Basepaths
.upsets As
Wesoj's Great Cotch,
Bonuro's Betting
Count Heavily
By BURTON HAWKINS.

Employing the fluttery knucklers
of an ailing Dutch Leonard as an
elevator, the Nationals whisked into
a fourth-place tie with Chicago's
White Sox yesterday at Grifith
Stadium as they dealt the Phila-
delphia Athletics a AZ trimming.
Leonard, pitching on a recently
damaged left knee which still is
bothering him, checked the Athletics
with seven hits and earned the
distinction of twice travelling the
route this year without issuing a
base on balls.
In registering his fourth straight
victory and his fifth triumph of the
season, the portly right handler
bumped into tro2ble b.t once when
the AS nudged him for their only
runs in the fourth. In the last five
innings, Dutch braced and allowed
only two Athletics to reach base
and neither advanced as far as
second.
Walker Runs Wild, Snaps Tie.
Leonard was opposed by the
formidable Lovill (Chubby) Dean,
the reformed first baseman, who
limited the Mats to nine hits, most
Of which were inserted at judicious
intervals. Dean, whose two sue
cessive decisions over the Yankees
early this year were sensational. thus
received his second setback Of the
campaign. He, too, allowed no
walks.
The clever baserunning capers of
Gerald Walker, whose antics on the
basepaths were labeled as likely to
infuriate Washington fandom when
the trade which brought him to the
Mats from Chicago was announced,
sent the Mats into 80 lead after
Philadelphia had locked the score
in the fourth.
Walker, currently the darling of
grandstand umpires, led off Wash
irgton's fourth with solid single
to right. After Zeke Bonura flied
out, Gee attempted to steal second
sand was safe when Second Baxeman
Benny Mccoy dropped Catcher
Frank Hayes throw Then, as First
Baseman Dick Siebert occupied him.
self in racing to the bag to retire
Geek Travis on an infield tap,
Walker streaked around third and
continued across the plate to score
standing.
B0nura Drives In Tallies.
The surprised AS saw the Mats in
crease that lead in the sixth. Johnny
Welaj drilled double down the left
field line and scored on Bonura's
sharp single to center after Walker
had fou]ed to Third Baseman AL
Rubeling
The Mats pounced on Dean for
three singles to produce two runs in
the first inning. George Case
thumped hit to left and raced to
third as Buddy Lewis followed with
one to right. Case scored after
WelaJ flied deep to Left-fielder Dee
Miles, and Lewis, who moved to Sec
ond on Walkers infield out, scooted
across on Bonura's single to center.
Philadelphia was showing signs OF
dealing Leonard a stormy session in
the fourth. Wal,.v Moses led off with
a lusty home run over the right-field
fence and burly Bob johnson
sWatted a triple off the center-fleld
screen, the ball ricochetiag into the
face OF Welaj, after Mccoy had
popped to Shortstop Travis.
Welaj's Catch Helpful.
Welaj continued play despite a
bloody nose and the AS continued
to damage Leonard. Siebert pumped
single to right to score Johnson.
Slebert advanced to third through
the medium of a passed ball and
wild pitch, but was stranded as
Leonard struck out Hayes and forced
Rubellng to pop to Second Baseman
Jimmy Bloodworth.
1t was Welap who saved Leonard
considerable embarrassment in the
third, when he wheeled and sprinted
back for spectacular overtime -shoul-
der snatch Of Rubeling's deep drive
opening the inning.
After the fourth, though, Leonard
required little aid. Obviously favor =
ing his knee, Dutch retired the AS
In order in the fifth, seventh and
ninth innings and allowed harmless
singles by Mccoy in the sixth and
Moses in the eighth.