Evening star., 1948-04-24
Near Top With Surge
Beating A'sin 10Th
For Third in Row
By Burton Hawkins
Stnr StnH Corraspondanf


picted few days ago as the leagues
chiselers, unfit to associate in major
league company and assorted base
ball buns assembled to stagger ig-
ANONYMOUSLY into the basement, the
Mats now are nestled in triple tie
in the American Leagues strato-
sphere. 1t may be temporary ex-
flilaration, but meanwhile the Mats
are enjoying the intensified interest
in their activities.
The Mats stock was lower thans "a
worms cellar on Monday night.
They had dropped 1874 decision
to the New York Yankees following
a brace of exhibition losses to the
Baltimore Orioles of the Interna-
tional League. They had emerged
from the South to the accompani-
ment of four beatings in seven games
with the Philadelphia Phillies. The
Mats, it seemed, were mentioned In
the same breath with Stain, head
colds and blowouts.
Now the league is topsy-turvy,
chiefly as the result of the Mats
conduct. They refused to fold after
that opening day embarrassment.
They bounced back to capture two
games and the series from the highly
regarded world champions. Help
ing to open the Athletics home
season yesterday, the Mats Travelled
10 innings to hand the opposition
its first spanking, So.
Only 1928 Paid See Opener.
AS surprising as the Mats surge
was the Philadelphia inaugural at
tendance. Only 1928 paid to see the
Shibe Park opener of the AS, fresh
from three straight wins over the
vaunted Boston Red Sox.
It was as proud possessors OF
three-game winning streak, with the
possibility Of undisputed ownership
of first place crooking fetching
finger at them, that the Mats tan
gled with the AS here today. 1t
was with the suspicion. too, that
the trade which sent Outfielder
Stan Spence to the Boston Red
Sox in exchange for Second Base
man Al Kozar and Outfielder Lee
Culberson was a marvellous move.
It's too early, of course, to claim
a victory for the Mats in that trans
action. Only time will reveal the
wisdom of that swap, but thus far
President Clark Griffith can chortle
over the behaviour of Kozar and
Culberson.
Kozar, who never had played in
major league game before Mon
day, currently is batting an ex-
tremely delightful .438. He Is lead
ing the club in hits with seven
among them two doubles and
triple-and he's the Mats leading
run-scorer with six.
Culberson Shines for Mats.
Culberson has fashioned .455
average with five hits in II at
tempts and is displaying no de-
iciencies afield. They've caught on
quickly with Washington fans. have
Kozaf and Culberson, and they've
helped the Mats catch fire. Il
For their fourth straight game
the Mats scored in the first inning
here yesterday. Eddie Yost opened
with a triple off the leftfield barrier
against Bill McCahan,. who last
September unleashed no-hit game
at the Mats expense. Yost scored
when Kozar was whipped out by
Shortstop Eddie Joost and the Mats
owned a 20 lead in the third when
Kozar doubled over Sam Chapman's
head in center, shifted to third
after Gil Coan flied out and scored
after Mickey Vernon flied to Barney
McCosky in left.
Pete Suder's single, Walter Master
sons wild pitch which sent Pete to
third and McCahan's infield tap
sliced Washington's advantage to
81 in the AS third, but the Mats
boosted the score to 81 in the eighth
when Sherry Robertson doubled and
came around on Mark Christman's
single to center.
Ferrick Relief Winner.
Masterson had five-hitter in his
grasp until the eighth, when Suder
rammed a homer into the upper
leftf1eld stands with none on and
one out. The AS locked the score
when George Binks batted for Nc
Cahan and walked and Joost blasted
a double off the center field wall.
Tom Ferrick escaped damage in
the ninth and In the tenth Wash
ington manufactured runs off Lou
Brissie. Vernon opened with sharp
single to center and Robertson
sacrificed. Culberson flied out, but
Christman's single to left scored
Mickey. Christman continued to
second on the throw to the plate
and Jake Early's double scored him.
Ferrick seemingly was headed for
trouble when Buddy Rosar launched
the AS tenth with a single to left
and Suder beat out grounder, but
he eased out of that predicament.
He forced Rudy York, batting for
Brissie, to pop to Kozar, then got
Joost and McCosky on easy outfleld
flies.
Yost, Vernon, Robertson and
Christman each got two safeties to
lead Washington's 11-hit attack,
while suder collected three of the
AS nine hits.
Early Wynn was to pursue the Mats
fourth straight victory here today
against Phil Marchildon. Sid Hud-
son ard Ray Scarborough will pitch
in tomorrows double-header against
the AS Brissie and Carl Scheib.