Evening star., 1944-04-07
Punch Still Is MISSING
As Superb Pitching
Subdues Orioles
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

| by JOHN Is. hELLER.
| Big league pitching-if what the
Phillies have may be SO termed-will
be faced the first time this year by
the Mats as they engage Freddie
Fitzsinmons' club tomorrow in Will
mington, Del, and the going will be
plenty rough for Washingtons bat
ters unless they develop an abun-
dance of power overnight.
The Mats have about everything
needed to make them a good ball
club excepting the ability to get
runs, it appears, after their 10 win
over the -toostrong Baltimore
outfit of the international League
at Fort Meade yesterday. They have
keen pitching, an above average de-
fense and speed,
But hitting-Well, that puny six
hit punch that produced only one
run, and that unearned indicates
there is plenty to be desired in the
way of power.
Pitchers Perform Smoothly.
Os Bluege had nothing to COM
plain about in the pitching pro-
duced yesterday by the fast-balling
Early Wynn and the knuckle- ball
ing Roger Wolff. The chunky
Wynn toiled for five rounds and
after walking the first batter to
face him performed superbly. The
orioles got two hits off him after
two were out in the third. Both
were wind-swept pops that eluded
Shortstop Johnny Sullivan and
Third Baseman Luis Suarez.
+ Then Wynn braced and in the
next two innings struck out three
of the six batters to face him.
Early was fast and following that
walk he gave at the start had little
trouble with his control.
In the four innings Wolff pitched,
four Orioles struck out and only
one reached first base. Felix Mack
iewicz did that after two were out
in the seventh when Sullivan fun
bled, but the next batter rammed
into an easy force out.
Rockies Battle Mats.
The Mats swung their bats against
Harry Beardon. a youngster belong
ing to the Wilkes-Barre club, for
five innings and had three rounds
against Rube Kleckley, a 17-year-
old first baseman Manager Tommy
Thomas of the Orioles wants to
convert into a pitcher. Off Bear
don they got three singles, the only
sound one being Pitcher Wynn's
wallop to right. They got three
more off Kleckley, with Joe Kuhel's
single to right the best of the lot
Their unearned run came in the
sixth. Kleckley's first inning on the
hill. Two were out when Bob Ortiz
singled to left. Came Kuhels clout
good enough to push Ortiz to third
and wher the Oriole righfelder
messed the play the big Cuban con-
tinued home.
Six hits off a pair of rockies didn't
make the Mats resemble murderers
of pitchers.
Leonard Apt to Face Phils.
Dutch Leonard may be one of the
pitchers tossed at the Phils tomor-
row, : although Manager ,sBluege
hasn't yet decided who'll be sent to
the hill at Wilmington. Johnny
Niggeling also is due a turn.
Around 5000 soldiers marched into
the stands and to a terrace back of
left field to see the game and were
entertained as much by Coach Nick
Altrock's comedy as by the diamond
tussle before they marched away.
Best fielding play of the game
was made by Third Baseman Stan
Benjamin at the outset. George
Case shot a torrid grounder toward
left, but the Oriole speared 1t with
one hand to nip the feet Nat.
A war prisoners band added to
the party. So did the umpire behind
the plate with the exaggerated way
|of calling strikes. He was 1t. Don
Telford, a post officer formerly an
official in the Texas League.
Those left at College Park yes
terday devoted more than two hours
to batting practice. Those who
played at Fort Meade could use the
same.