Evening star., 1947-04-16
You Take II Atfifud,
Costly 10 Griffmen
|As Red Sox Score
By Burton Howkins
stor stoff Correspondent


BOSTON, April 16.-When the
Mats cease their overly polite field
ing tactics and stop granting gift
hits to the opposition they'll estab-
lish themselves as a club to be
feared in the American League pen-
nant race. OF their performance
in one game, there is nothing wrong
with Washington that more polished
fielding can't cure.
The box score Of that 7-6 defeat
dealt the Mats by the Boston Red
Sox here yesterday before an OPEN
ing-day throng of 30,822 doesn't
show any errors by the Mats, but
that box score is the most convincing
liar since Baron Munchausen. The
Mats shoddy fielding cost them the
game.
Boston malled Early Wynn for
Is hits, but Wynn should have
walked off Fenway Parks mound
with triumph. It was in the first
inning, with Dom Di Maggie on
second with two out, that Jerry
Priddy and Buddy Lewis sprinted
to the right field boxes for the
dangerous Ted Williams high pop
fly. Both arrived on the scene in
time to catch the ball, but at that
point their graciousness exceeded
their ability.
Additional Generosity.
With a great show of generosity,
Priddy and Lewis permitted that
foul fly to plop between them. Will
liams then singled to right, scoring
Di Maggie.
Less damaging, but equally dis
concerting to Wynn, was Rudy
York's pop fly between home and
third in the second inning. On
that occasion Cecil Travis and Al
Evans held a conversation consist
ing Of you take it."
That innocent little hoist also
fell to earth untouched, but York
was retired later on a deep drive
to Stan Spence in center.
That wasn't the extent of the
Mats erratic behavior. In the third
inning Evans streaked to the field
boxes along the first base line in
pursuit of Ed Pellagrini's foul fly.
He was under the ball, 5 feet from
the railing, but he muffed it. He
wasn't charged with an error, prob
ably because the official scorer was
in a forgiving mood and Pellagrini
then blasted home run over the
center over the centerfleld fence.
1t became infectious, for later In
the inning Lewis misjudged Will
liams' liner into a double, but VIII
liams was out at third attempting
to be greedy with the Mats.
Gift Runs Cost Game.
Those first two Boston runs were
outright gifts and it developed they
cost the ball game. Tex Hughson,
who retired the first Is Mats in
order, grasped a 80 lead when
Johnny Pesky, Di Maggie and
Bobby Doerr singled in the fifth,
but the Mats then became trouble
some.
Mark Christman's single off
Pesky's glove was the first Wash
ington hit starting the sixth. He
was forced by Evans and Wynn
flied out, but Joe Grace and Lewis
followed with singles to score Evans.
Grace was out attempting to reach
third on Lewis single to center.
The Mats sliced Bostons advant-
age to 80 in the seventh when
Mickey Vernon singled, took second
on a passed ball, shifted to third on
Travis single and scored as Priddy
forced Travis.
The Red Sox bounced back with
three runs in their half of the sew
enth In an inning when the Mats
didn't distinguish themselves with
their fielding. Pesky beat out slow
roller to Priddy and Di Maggie a
single to right, sending Pesky to
third. Pesky scored and Di Maggie
romped to second as Priddy funbled
with Williams grounder, then recov-
cred in time to throw him out but
too late to engineer what should
have been a double play.
Mats Pound Hughson.
Doerr walked and York's grounder
hoped between Travis legs for a
single, scoring Di Maggie. Sam Mele
walked to fill the bases and Doerr
scored as Christman threw out Wag-
ner before Priddy tipped out Hugh
son.
The Mats unloaded their artillery
on Hughson in the eighth to ac-
cumulate four runs. Evans and
Wynn singled, but Evans was on
third with two out after Grace
drilled into double play. Lewis
and Spence walked to fill the bases
and Vernon then pumped a double
high off the left field fence, scoring
Evans and Lewis.
Into that situation walked Earl
johnson, who proceeded to walk
Travis. When he pitched two balls
to Priddy he was supplanted by
Harry Dorish, who seemingly had
escaped damage when Jerry lifted q
pop fly in back of third base. Will
liams, Pellagrini and Pesky watched
the ball drop safely for a double
and the score was tied as Spence
(See MATS, Page AID