Evening star., 1948-08-16
Mats Make En- Close
But 38th 1-Run Edge
Goes 10 Red Sox
By Burton Hawkins

The Mats will consider 1t distinct
delight If they cling to their current
hazardous hold on sixth place for
the remainder of the year. They're
not winning frequently, but they're
in a swarm Of photo finishes and
creating considerable excitement for
second division club.
When the Mats split a double
header with Boston yesterday at
Grifnth Stadium before a crowd of
Is ,029, capturing the first game. 5-4.
before dropping an 81 decision, it
marked q continuation of their
wholesale participation in games de-
cided by one run.
The Mats are leading the league
in that respect, for 80 times this
season they have figured in games
decided by = margin of one run.
They've won 81 of the close ones
and, strangely, show an l1-8 edge
over first-division clubs in one-run
games.
Eleven of the Mats last 20 games
have been determined by one run.
It's 81 shot, in fact, that any
game the Mats play will result in
a photo finish.
Bd9ox Make Brave Bid.
Washington owned ST. lead
entering the ninth inning of yes
terday's first game, but with one
out, Ray Scarborough was clipped
for a double by Dom Di Maggie,
Johnny Pesky beat out a bunt and
Third Baseman Eddie Yost Clipped
in wild throw to present the Red
Sox a run.
Forrest Thompson was rushed
to the mound, but Ted Williams
hammered his first pitch over the
right field fence. scoring Pesky
ahead of him. Vernon Stephens
popped out, but Second Baseman
Al Kozar fumbled Bobby Doerr's
grounder and when Stan Spence
walked, Tom Ferrick hastened to
relieve Thompson, Ferrick whipped
third strike past Jake Jones for
the final out.
The Mats had thumped Jack
Kramer for two runs in the third
inning on doubles by Earl Wooten
and Jake Early, Scarborough's
bunt and Yost,s single. Stephens
triple and Spence's double wrested
run from Scarborough in the
fourth, but the Mats nicked Kramer
for another run in the sixth and
nailed Tex Hughson for two more
in the seventh.
In was Scarborough's sixth tri-
umph in his last seven starts and
his 18th win of the year.
| MastersOn Too Generous.
Walter Masterson invited his 10th
defeat in the first inning of the
second game when he walked four.
Singles by Di Maggie and Matt
Bats shot the Red Sox into 40
lead, but the Mats bounced back
with two runs in their portion of
the inning, produced another run
in the second and locked the score
at at A. in the fourth when Al
Evans was hit by pitched ball,
moved along on Mastersoa's sacri-
flee and scored on Yost's single.
That situation existed only briefly,
however, for Spence pumped a 3-run
homer over the fence in the fifth.
A double by Mickey Vernon and
triple by Wooten and Evans sliced
Washington's deficit to rs in the
eighth, but the Red Sox picked up
a run of Earl Harrist in the ninth
when Di Maggie walked and Steph-
ems and Doerr singled.
With one out in the ninth, Garden
Ginenwater tripled and scored on
Tom McBride's single, but Vernon
forced Mcbride and Joe Dobson
famed Mark Chrlstman.
Possibly more damaging to Bos-
ton than that first game defeat was
the loss Of First BaSeman Bill Good
man, who was forced to retire in the
seventh inning with stomach pains.
He was flown to Boston and hos
pitalized. Preliminary diagnosis re-
vealed abdominal symptoms of ap-
lpendicitis.
Idle today, the Mats meet the
Yankees here tomorrow night in
the opener of a 3-game series.