Evening star., 1942-04-22
Cellar Beckons
As Reds Slab
II Hurlers in 6 Comes
Give Up 81 Sofeties;
CurdinuIs Click
BY JUDSON BAILEY.
Associated Press Sports Writer.


The Cincinnati Reds are stagger-
ing groggily at the doorway to the
National League cellar and finally
learning what their best friends
wouldn't tell them during spring
training
The Reds pitching. one Of base
balls marvels for the last three
years, suddenly has faltered.
Yesterday the st. Louis Cardinals
shut out the Redlegs, 80. The fact
that Cincinnati did not score never
would cause ripple of concern
anywhere, because the club never
has been able TO hit. but that Bucky
Walters gave up II hits in 6is
innings was a matter of moment.
In their six games so far the Reds
have had to use IL hurlers, Elmer
Riddle, the leagues leading twirler
last year, was belted of the mound
in the first inning he pitched this
season. Gene Thompson lasted only
three frames In his first start. John
Wander Nicer pitched a five-hitter,
but spoiled 1t with the zone bad
inning" he seems to have In game
after game.
Walters Gets Stumbling Start.
Walters was beaten in the opening
game of the season. too. He pitched
seven-hit ball. yielding four runs in
the first four innings. Altogether the
Reds have given SO hits in so
innings.
Other clubs might win with this
sort of pitching. but the Reds can
not. Cincinnati has scored only Is
runs on 46 hits and the once fault
less defense now resembles a sieve.
Rookie Bert Haas made four errors
in four games at third base and
Manager Bill McKechnie in despera-
ton shifted him to the outfield to
preserve the youngsters power in
the batting order. Then the Reds
made eight errors In one game.
To show what the Reds are up
against. st. Louis pitchers have al
lowed 48 hits in seven games, and
the Cardinals themselves have made
81 hits for 80 runs. And against the
weaker opposition of the Eastern
division Brooklyn pitchers have per-
mitted Sc hits In eight games. while
their teammates have amassed 81
runs on 81 safeties.
Prior TO yesterday the Cardinals
had come up with two four-hit
games. Mort Cooper looked mas
terful in holding the Reds to three
singles in his latest outing, and the
offensive his teammates waged on
Walters was nothing short OF
vicious.
Dodgers Slaughter Braves.
The Dodgers administered an even
more heartless thrashing to the Bos-
ton Braves In a 1872 decision. They
knocked Al JaVery out of the box
with six hits and six runs in the
first inning. They chased Dick Err
rickson with five hits and three
runs in the Sc ind. And they COL
lected eight hits and four runs off
Johnny Hutchings while coasting
with second-stringers the rest OF the
way. Meanwhile, Rookie Ed Head
pitched eight-hit ball for his sec
ond success.
In the only other National League
game Truett (Ripl Sewell held the
Chicago Cubs to six hits while the
Pittsburgh Pirates patterned a So
triumph around home runs by Bon
Elliott and Stu Martin.
The New York Yankees crushed
the Philadelphia Athletics, l0-4. by
way of celebrating Manager Joe
McCarthy's 55th birthday anniver-
sary. Charley Keller hit a grand
slam homer in the first inning, and
the Yanks raided the AS for five
runs in the fourth. Charley (Redy
Rufing breezed TO his second vic.
tory.
The Detroit Tigers whipped the
Chicago White Sox, 4-2, with Lin
wood (Schoolboy) Rowe and John.
ny Corsica sharing a six-hit pitch.
ing stint. Rowe kept the Sox shut
out till the ninth, when Corsica had
to come in with the bases loaded.
Cleveland punched its hits to beat
the st. Louis Browns, 40, in the
other American League game as
Lefty Milnar kept seven safeties
adequately spaced.