Evening star., 1944-07-17
Take II Of 1S in Home
Stay by First Double
Triumph Of Season
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

Eleven games Won and eight lost
is the record for the home stand
of the Mats completed yesterday as
Tor the first time in Is tries this
season they swept a double header
and their 8-4 and 4-3 victories over
Philadelphia's Athletics returned
them to 500 standing in the tight
American League race and kept
them in the running for the cham
pionship.
This evening they embark for De-
troit where tomorrow they will be-
gin their second invasion of the
West and before resuming play here
on August 8 they also will visit
Boston for a series with the Red
Sox. What the Mats do on this
trip of three weeks probably will
settle their chances for the league
laurels.
1t will be a revised club that goes
through the trip. Gil Torres, who
had done so well at third base
since the start of the championship
campaign, will not be with the Mats
nor will Mike Guerra, their second
string catcher and the fastest man
back o. the bat in the American
League.
Ortiz Likely to Go Today.
In all probability, Bob Ortiz, out
fielder, who had been expected to
be the power at bat for the club this
year, also will be missing. Guerra
and Torres quit the club yesterday
to return to Cuba rather than re-
main in the United States and regis
ter for military draft as ordered by
the Selective Service Board.
Ortiz remained here until today,
hoping that technical evasion of
the law would enable him to con-
tlnue the season with the Mats.
The possibility is slim, however, that
he will be permitted to carry on. If
the ruling is against him, he will
leave for Miami tonight and fly
to Cuba.
Pedro Gomez, youngest of the
Cubans and the only unmarried one,
will cling to the club and take the
| Western swing. He was to register
with local draft board today and
has said that if drafted he hopes
to be sent into the United States
Navy.
Gift, Evans Make Debuts.
| The Mats have ample protection
for the positions vacated by the de-
parting Cubans. Torres played
through the first game yesterday
and gave capable performance.
He had only one chance afield, but
at bat he made two singles and a
double, scored run and drove
across two others. His place at
third was taken over by Harlond
Cliff in the second setto and while
Harlond had a rough time of it he
indicated he will be an acceptable
player once he gets in good playing
trim. He should be in that condi-
ton in another two or three games.
Another Nat to make his season
debut was Al Evans, catcher, re-
Gently given a physical discharge
from the Navy. He took over the
backstopping job in the second
game that ordinarily would have
been filled by Guerra. AL did all
right and soon should be ready to
spell the veteran Rick Ferrell regu-
| larly.
The first game yesterday was all
over after the fifth frame when the
Mats got five runs. In that inning
! they chased Luke Hamlin and gave
his relief. Ell Wheaton, a good going
over. Wildness hurt both of the AS
pitchers. The fifth saw the Mats
bat around and two beyond the nine
to get three hits and as many
passes They also had a batter hit
and the AS kicked in with an error
Doubles Topple AS.
In this inning Jake'Powell cracked
tWo-bagger off Hamlin to send
in two runs and Torres hit an
other double off Wheaton to drive
across two more tallies.
The second game was a keen
duel between Jess Flores of the AS
and Mickey Haefner of the Mats
for six sessions, but in the seventh
Ford Garrison, Philadelphia left
fielder, muffed George Cases fly to
let in two scores and the ball game
was settled.
| Fourteen errors were committed
! in the two games. split between
the two teams. The AS were even
with the Mats on hits in the first
/ encounter, each getting a dozen. In
the sec0Ad. the AS outhit the Mats.
8 to 7. But outside of the first in
ming Of the second scrap when
three Nat errors helped the AS to
run. the home side had the ad-
vantage in benefits from misplays.