Evening star., 1948-05-08
Above 300 Averages
OF Early and Evans
Pleasant Surprise
By Burton Howkins

The Mats have their weaknesses,
but they are flexing muscles in
strange spots. Jake Early and al
Evans, who were supposed to wave
futilely at enemy pitching, are
among the leagues 800 hitters and
are supplying welcome strength to
the caboose division of Washington's s
batting order.
Washington achieved a minimum
of batting distinction last night,
crumbling 80 before the 4-hit hurl-
ling of Bob Lemon, but among the
Mats safeties was single by Early.
No longer Is a hit by Jake ansocca-
sion for blinking, for burly
Early is batting 1921.
Manager Joe Kuhel anticipated
little help at the plate from his
catching department. His back
shoppers were regarded as strong
arm boys who would handle receiv-
ing assignments adequately, but
long shots when they lifted lumber
and headed for the plate.
Evans is Hitting .316.
It's a pleasant surprise Early and
Evans have been giving the boss,
for AL is hitting .316 and jabbering
Jake is proving no pushover. Neither
was a sensation last season, what
with Evans batting .241 and Early
.224, so their early uprising this year
qualities them as candidates for
kind words.
Early is batting almost exclu-
sively against right-handed pitch
ing and Evans is showed into action
against left-handers. It's situa-
ton which would work out happily
for the Mats If they could sandwich
more robust hitting elsewhere In
the lineup.
Gil Coan, for instance, has batted
timid .083 in his last six games
after a refreshing start. Johnny
Sullivan and Earl Wooten are hit
ting 200. all of which has served
to nullify the improved batting de-
pertinent of Early and Evans.
Lemon. converted inflelder and
outfielder, experienced VIII
amounted to do difficulty with the
Mats. He permitted only two OF
'em to reach second base and
neither reached third as Lemon
registered the first win of his ca
reer over Washington.
Haefuor INSAS M
Meanwhile, the Indians were
taking liberties with Mickey Haef-
ner in dealing him a third defeat
Cleveland, the only club which
didn't whack q home run at Grit
fifth Stadium last season, atoned
for that deficiency in the fifth in
ming, when Allie Clark and Joe Cor
don rammed tremendous homers
into the left-center field bleachers.
The Indians had grasped q &c
lead of Haefner in the third inning
and the score mounted rapidly in
the fifth when Clark blasted his
home run with none on and Gordon
followed with another after Lou
Boudreau had walked.
That SO predicament lasted until
the ninth, when the Indians boosted
the score to its final proportions
with a 3-run outburst against For
rest Thompson, who yielded singles
to Boudreau and Eddie. Robinson, 6
double to Gordon and another
single to Pat Seerey.
Lemon and Gordon each obtained
three hits to spark the Indians 49,
hit assault on Haefner. Chick
Pieretti and Thompson. Boudreau
lifted his batting average to .452 by
swatting two singles and walking
three times.
Hudson on Mound Today.
Washington hoped to gain split
in the Cleveland series today when
1t dispatched Sid Hudson to the
mound against Gene Bearden, a
Ileft-hander who won Is games for
Oakland last season.
NAT NOTES: Last nights game
was played in treacherouS ooze due
to the failure of Washingtons tar
paulin to repel water the tar
paulin cost the Mats $500 last
year and now is worthless :. three
new ones, large enough to cover al
most the entire field, have been or
dered.
In case of a train strike the Mats
won't be stymied they've char
tered planes and buses >. Cleve-
lands Jim Hogan didn't run out a
pop fly last night and 1t probably
will be the last time the ball
plopped in front Of Early inches in
side the foul line and Hogan was an
easy victim.
Washington has been limited to
hits or less in G of its Is
games :. . Lemons shutout was the
third inflicted on the Mats this sea
son and it was the third sue