Evening star., 1946-08-19
Collapse Of Leonard
Wrecks Fine Record;
Mats Split With AS

Losing pitcher-Leonard" is be-
coming a familiar and irksome line
in the box score for the Mats stocky,
baloing knuckle-baller, who hasn't
won a game in a month and who
has seen what once was a splendid
record deteriorate into mediocrity
Dutch has lost six straight games
and as a result has toppled from
among the leagues leading pitchers
to merely another also ran.
A month ago all was bright on
the Leonard horizon, for he had
won eight games and lost three. He
launched the season by capturing
his first five decisions and appar-
emily was headed for a highly cred
liable year. Dutch beat the Yam
KEGS three times and figured prom
inently in keeping the Mats nestled
in the first division, but times have
changed.
Since registering his last victory
Dutch has lost two games to New
York and otherwise has been VIC
timized by Detroit, Cleveland, st
Louis and Philadelphia, absorbing
an Ito pasting yesterday at Phila-
delphia as the Mats split double
header with the AS by winning the
second game, Ga.
Win 2 of Last 8 Games.
Leonard's collapse has been syn
chronized with the general begging
down of the Mats, who started suf-
fering previously when Shortstop
Cecil Travis legs gave out. A series
of experiments at shortstop and
third base then was attempted with
no sparkling success and the Mats
haven't resembled a first-division
club since.
The Mats now have won only two
of their last eight games and have
a 2-5 record to show for their re-
cent visit to New York and Phila-
delphia. They broke even in four
games with the cellar -stymied
Athletics, which isn't considered an
achievement, and dropped three
games to the Yankees.
The only Nat to be enthused about
the clubs trip to Philadelphia, in
fact, was Mickey Vernon, who de-
parted $1,000 richer last night.
Mickey's friends of Delaware County
presented him with 81 900 bond, a
travelling case and membership in
the Amvets, while Mrs. Vernon re-
ceived a chest of silverware and a
corsage in ceremonies yesterday.
Otherwise the Mats weren't too
happy. They were limited to six hits
in the opening game by Jesse Flores,
while the AS pounded Leonard for
five runs in the four innings he
toiled and added six more off Bill
Kennedy in the two innings he Ia
bored. Sam Chapman's fifth homer
in four games gave the AS three
runs in the eighth.
Wolff Hurls Five Innings.
Roger Wolff, bothered by an all
ing back for six weeks, pitched the
first five innings of the nightcap
and left the premises with no worse
than a 3-3 tie. Wolff was clipped
for seven hits before he yielded to
Sid Hudson and now says he'll be
able to take regular turn on the
mound.
Nicked for a run in the first in
ming, Wolff was staked to 81 lead
in the third when the Mats slammed
Dick Fowler for five singles and
three runs, but the Athletics
promptly locked the score with two
runs in their half of the inning
Buddy Lewis triple and Stan
Spence's long fly gave the Mats a
4-3 lead in the seventh and they
increased it to So in the eighth on
doubles by Gil Torres and Hudson
before the AS produced a run on
Chapman's single, George Nc
Quinn's double and Hank Majeski's
fly in the eighth. Doubles by Lewis
and Gerry Priddy gave the Mats
their final run off Phil Marchildon
in the ninth.
Idle today, the Mats will meet the
Cleveland Indians tomorrow night
at Griffith Stadium. The Indians,
battling to oust the Mats from
fourth place. also will provide the
opposition Wednesday night, when
George Case and Gil Coan will COM
pete in a 100-yard dash. B. H.