Evening star., 1945-09-09
kreeviich Drives
In Two Ta||ies,
Registers One
Travis Without Safety,
But Is Strong AfieId;
Come Won in First
By JOHN b. KELLER.

President Truman, out yesterday
for his first baseball game of the
year, was more of an inspiration to
the Mats than to the Browns from
his native Missouri, for the Mats took
command of the situation at the
start and went on. to Al victory,
much to the enjoyment of most of
the 20,3ll at hand.
This kept the Washington club
right at the heels of the leading
Detroit Tigers, who licked New
York's Yankees to maintain a 1h-
game advantage. 1t made the Mats
count for the series with the Browns
five games to one and gave them
an 1l-l1 break with the st. Louis
club for the year.
The win also made more than
pleasant the return to the game
for Cecil Travis, after nearly four
years of service In Uncle Sans
Army. Rushed into diamond action
after only a day of practice here
since his discharge, Travis did not
make any headway at the plate
other than to send over the first
Washington run as he grounded
into force-out.
But he played strongly afield at
third base and his throwing was
as free as when he had last per-
formed for the Mats in the 1941
campaign.
Brownie Castoffs Vindictive.'
1t was rough afternoon all
around for the Browns, for two of
their castoffs were instrumental in
their defeat.
Pete Appleton, who came out of
the Navy to get the 60-day trial
due a returned serviceman, pitched
for the Mats and limited the Browns
to five hits and two passes.
Mike Kreevich, for whom the
Browns had such little use they
sold him to the Mats last month,
helped himself to two of the Mats
10 hits and drove across two of
the Washington runs in addition to
carrying across another that Apple
ton batted in.
The Mats got their hits off two of
the three pitchers sent out by the
Browns. Weldon West, left-hander,
started and took the beating in the
first inning. Three hits and an in
territorial pass for two runs were
yielded by him. Then Sam Zoldak,
another southpaw, took over. He
gave up eight hits and two tallies.
Cliff Fannin, right-handed rookie
from Toledo, hurled an easy eighth.
1t was the first start of the year
for Appleton, who had done only
relief work for the Browns and had
hurled but six relief innings for
the Mats. He let only six Brownies
reach base. He was found for a
triple and double in the third,
then the next man did not get on
until the sixth when Lou Finney
walked with two gone Mark Christ
man singled in the seventh with two
out and there were two more singles
off Pete in the eighth.
Lewis Fielding Helps Pete.
He looked to be firing after the
sixth inning, but a couple of spec
tacular running one-handed catches
by Buddy Lewis at Gene Moore's ex-
pense in the seventh and ninth
helped Appleton over the rough
spots.
The Mats got their first two tallies
quickly. Case opened the first in
ming with a single and Myatt beat
out bunt. After Lewis sacrificed,
Kuhel was given an intentional
base-f1lling pass. Case scored as
Travis forced out Kuhel, then Kree-
vich singled to send in Myatt.
The Browns got a run back in the
third when Gutteridge tripled with
one out and Byrnes doubled after
the second retirement, but the Mats
came right back for their third
score. Lewis opened the home third
with a two-bagger and after two
were out scored when Kreevich got
his second hit.
An error by Shortstop Stephens
that put Kreevich on at the outset
of the sixth led to the final Wash
ington marker. Ferrell singled Mike
to third and after Torres fouled out,
Appleton singled the runner home.
A n