Evening star., 1945-08-27
Griffs Still Only II
Games Back DESPITE
New York DebacIe
BY JOHN B. KELLER

Still shuddering whenever New
York's Yankees are mentioned, the
Mats are trying to regain their
nerves today. After the massacre
on the Harlem, there will be brief
respite for the second-place Wash
ington club for tomorrow and We'd
nesday it will engage the last-place
Athletics in three games at Phila-
delphia.
But, the easy life-maybe-won't
last long. Those murderous Yanks,
who took the Mats for four straight
in New York, will be in Washington
Friday and for five games in three
days. Even the thought of the series
gives the Mats the shakes.
All in all, however, the Mats have
done right well since getting out of
Griffith Stadium early this month
that despite the 80 and I'll lickings
they took yesterday on top of the
double barreled defeat handed
them Saturday in New York.
They have won 13 of "a games on
the road and down in their hearts
before the trip began they would
have been happy to settle for an
even break in the tussling through
the five cities they have visited.
They're still only IL games of
the pace set by the Detroit Tigers.
And they're running into a long
home stand next month.
Browns Become Menace.
But they had better do their
stuff from now on. They're only
three games ahead of st. Louis
champion Browns, still reckoned one
of the better clubs in the league
and certainly the toughest the Mats
have tackled this season.
Unfortunately, the Mats suffered
from infield troubles and over
smartness of their pitchers in the
New York series and it proved dis
astrous to their formerly healthy
winning percentage. Second Base
man George Myatt, whose under
pinning already was nandicapping
him, came up with dental trouble
and had to turn his job over to
Fred Vaughn. Rookie Dick Kimble
had to return to Washington to
have an injured side looked after
so his shortstop job was turned
over to Gil Torres, already worn
by too steady play and slowed to a
tortoise's pace. Then Hills Layne,
who had fielded well at third in the
West in addition to supplying a
punch that Harlond Cliff couldn't,
faltered seriously on defense.
AS If that were not enough to
handicap the Mats, who for more
than two weeks had been burning
up the league, some of the pitchers
became overwise when they reached
New York and insisted upon trying
to throw fast ones instead of using
their best In stock-the knuckleball
when facing the Yankee power
hitters.
Haefner Gets Little Help.
But nothing like that can be said
with reference to Mickey Haefner,
hurler who took the beating in yes
terday's first engagement. While
the Yanks got to him for 10 hits and
the Mats got but eight off big Red
Rufflng, who came back from the
Army to the New York club early in
the summer, Mickey easily could
have scored 20 shutout. The Mats
back of him did him wrong.
Joe Kuhel, who got to a triple,
double and single to score one Of the
Washington runs and bat in the
other, and Rick Ferrell, who singled
Kuhel across in. the second inning
to get the Mats lead, were the only
ones really helpful to the little slab
man.
Three hits were made OF Haefner
In the second inning for two
Yankee scores, but Mike Garbark's
triple-the third hit that sent in
both counters-might have been
better handled, it appeared. George
Binks in left broke slowly for the
ball and when he finally gathered
speed, it was too late. The ball
sailed over his head to the depths
of left. This is no second-guess
criticism, but straight from the
feed box.
Then came a poor piece of work in
the ninth that gave the Yanks the
game. One was out when Oscar
Grimes hoisted a weak one to short
right, a hoist that it seemed Vaughn
could get in his hip pocket. Vaughn
went back and Buddy Lewis came in
from right. Vaughn stopped and
Lewis stopped, but still there was a
chance for Vaughn to get the ball.
Instead, it dropped over his shoulder
and what should have been a second
out became double for Grimes.
Garbark's Hit Decides 1t.
So Haefner was ordered to walk
Frank Crosetti, ever a tough cookie
in clutch, and take a chance on
Garbark, who despite his earlier
three-bagger, could not be looked on
as hitter. He had been benched
for a month because of his poor
stickwork. But Garbark singled and
the game was gone.
The Mats never were in the second
game after the second inning when
Aaron Robinson homered into the
right-f1eld stand with two mates on
base. Roger Wolff sserved this homer
pitch to Robinson. Three more Yam
kee tallies were yielded by Wolff in
the fourth, although Vaughn's fail
ure to nab pop fly had much to do
with the scoring. Then AL Carrasquel
took over and did nothing worse
than permit tremendous homer in
the fourth-and by that Robinson
again.
AL Gettel pitched for the Yanks
and breezed along. The way his gang
was hitting, he had nothing to worry
about.