Evening star., 1943-07-03
Griffs Right at Heels
OF Leaders After
Nipping Chisox
By . Staff Correspondent of The Star.

mytnlCdl halfway pOlnL III major
league pennant pursuits. The teams
leading the leagues July frequently
win pennants and while the Mats
may not reach the top spot by to-
morrow night, they at least are cling
ing close enough to first place to
make it interesting.
The Mats are a game and half
of the pace Of the leading
Yankees and while Washington
hasn't been amazing anybody with
its conduct in recent games, 1t has
remained in second place long
enough to be stamped as distinct
pennant threat despite almost unan-
imous weak hitting.
BY now the Mats are rated the
surprise of the season. They
launched the campaign as 100-to-1
shots to win the pennant, generally
selected to finish seventh or eighth.
With the halfway mark rapidly ap-
preaching, Washington has discov-
cred little to fear in the American
League.
Unexpected Assistance.
Except in the pitching department,
the Mats haven't performed any,
where near their capabilities. They've
made more errors than any team
in the league and George Case, Stan
Spence and Gerald Priddy, among
others. haven't fashioned hits as
frequently as 1t was believed they
would.
Pitchers Dutch Leonard and Ewald
Pyle have sagged after refreshing
starts, but from unexpected sources
Manager Ossie Bluege has received
aid to take up the slack From Milo
Candini and Alex Carrasquel Bluege
is getting more good pitching than
he had hoped for in his widest
dreams.
Carrasquel admittedly has been
luck-anointed on several occasions.
but he also has been better pitcher
than at any time since he Joined
the Mats five years ago, and it's re-
flected in his nine victories against
three defeats. In previous seasons
he never accumulated more than
seven triumphs.
Candini has won seven games and
lost none. He hasn't finished his
last two starts as he has pursued
an elusive eighth victory. but there
is no evidence of him hitting the
toboggan. The trim italian, in fact,
seemingly is improving as the sea-
son ages.
Against the Athletics recently,
Candini left the game for a pinch
hitter in the seventh inning and the
Mats came up with three runs in
that inning to present him 80
lead. Pyle proceeded to blow that
advantage and thereby strip Candini
of an eighth win
Early Brings Victory.
Against the White Sox yesterday
at Chicago Candini permitted only
two hits in seven innings but was
trailing, 81, due to an error by
Second Baseman Priddy and a
mental lapse by Milo. Priddy fun
bled a seventh inning double-play
ball that could have preserved a
shutout for Candini and later in the
inning Milo threw to first base with
one out and permitted what might
have represented the winning run
to cross the plate.
When Johnny Sullivan walked to
open the eighth. Bluege inserted
the feeble hitting George Myatt as
a pinch-hitter for Candini. at which
point somebody suggested Mr.
Bluege be acquainted with the facts
of life. Candini has been request
ed to sacrifice five times this sea-
son. On four occasions he did so
perfectly. On the fifth occasion
his attempted sacrifice was so splen-
did he beat it out for hit.
If there is anybody on Mr.. Blue
ge's bench who is a better bunter
or hitter than Candini the burden
Of proof rests with them. In his
last five trips to the plate Candini
has belted single, double and home
run and he's batting .273 for the
year, but apparently because he's
a pitcher and pitchers are sup
posed to be weak hitters, he's being
yanked for pinch-hitters.
To Jake Early the Mats owe
vote of thanks for capturing a 80
decision over the White Sox yes
terday. After Mickey Vernon dou-
bled off Johnny Humphries in the
second. Jake fetched him across with
a single to center. With two out
in the ninth inning. Bob johnson
on third and the Mats trailing, 81,
Jake sent the game into extra in
nings with another single to the
same spot.
Sox Limited to 4 Hits.
1t was Early, too. who scored the
winning run in the 1lth inning.
With two out, Jake belted a double
to left and after Priddy walked Sui
livan singled to left, scoring Early
who spanked the Mats nine-hit at
tack with three hits.
Candini, Carrasquel and Jim
Mertz collaborated in limiting the
White Sox to four hits. Carrasquel
replaced Candini starting the eighth
and hurled shutout ball for three
innings. In the 18th, though, he
pitched a single to Pinch-Hitter
Ralph Hodgin and walked Wally
Moses, at which point Bluege sum-
moned Mertz to the mound.
Thurman Tucker attempted to
sacrifice but forced Hodgin at third.
Moses and Tucker then attempted
a double-steal, but Moses was nailed
at third before Guy Outright
struck out. Outright. incidentally,
was stopped after hitting safely in
26 consecutive games.
The Mats will tangle with the
Browns in a night game here to-
night and remain here for a double
header tomorrow. On Monday the
Mats will play the Tigers in two
games at Detroit, one in the morn
ing and one a twilight affair