Evening star., 1944-05-08
By JOHN b. KELLER.


ing Wednesday against the amazing
st. Louis Browns at Griffith Sta
dium, the Mats in the next two
weeks should just about show where
they'll go in the American League
race this year.
They have stepped along at a
lively clip against their Eastern
rivals. If they are able to travel
at a pace trifle better against the
Western invaders there would be
reason to believe they could finish
pretty well up in the chase for the
flag, If not at the head of it.
Completing swing through the
East with a split decision in a
double header at Philadelphia, the
Mats find themselves just few
games out of first place and we'll
equipped to give all rivals torrid
fight. Their record of five wins
against two losses for the recent
trip shows they are prepared to
make trouble for all opposition.
No other team they have seen has
given them anv reason to believe
they can't stay in the thick of the
fight all summer. Outside of the
Browns-and the Mats have a fine
chance to advance in carrying the
battle directly to them this week
there has been no unexpected dis
play of strength among the Western
clubs.
Mats Are Hustling Club.
AS to the Eastern outfits, New
York,s Yankees are enjoying the
greatest success without frightening
anybody. This club is good in spots,
but not anything like the band that
won the world championship last
fall.
New York doesn't resemble a
club that can pull very far away
from the others. And if the Yanks
can't do this, who can?
Spirit and hustle marked the play
of the Mats on their trip until they
took on the AS yesterday. Then,
after taking the first game, 2 to l,
in 10 innings to run winning
streak to three games. their longest
of the early season, the Mats begged
down and took a 7-to-3 beating in
the nightcap.
The opening encounter was a
smart pitching duel between Roger
Wolff and Bobo Newsom SO long as
they remained on the hill. The
ex-A outlasted the ex-Nat an inning,
Newsom retiring after eight rounds.
He had been nicked for eight
safeties, although the only damaging
one was Stan Spence's fifth home
run of the season. This was
clout that cleared the right-fleld
wall at the 350-foot point. 1t opened
the second inning.
Game Taken in 10th.
1t kept the Mats in front until
two were out in the ninth. Then
Wolff, who had yielded only two
hits, was found for two more and a
run. frankie Hayes singled ana Bob
wilkins, who ran for him. rode home
on a double by Dick Siebert. Gil
Torres at third made whale OF a
stop of Irv Halls torrid drive to nip
the AS rally.
The Mats got to Luke Hamlin,
who had relieved NeWSom, for VIC
tory in the 10th. Wolff walked
reached third through a wild pitch
and Catcher Lou Parisse's wild
throw, then turned the running job
over to Mike Guerra. The little
Cuban romped home as George
Myatt singled.
Early Wynn came on to hold the
victory, although it took double
play to get him eff spot after he
had walked George Kell at the out
set of the AS 10th.
The second game was mostly
Bobby EStalella. The former Ma
get three hits-a single, homer anc
triple-that knocked across three
runs and after tripling he carried
over another.
Carrasquel Driven Out.
Al Carrasquel opened fire for tht
Mats, but was spotty in his worl
and left after filling the bases with
two out in the sixth. Up to tn,
home sixth the Mats had man
aged to keep the score at Sail
then the AS took command. The,
counted off Carrasquel in this rount
and got three more markers of
Santiago Ullrich, who finished.
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