Evening star., 1949-04-26
Rookie Coleman Fine Hurting Keep Yanks on Top
Robinson Is Benched,
More Shifts Due as
Mats Drop 7th in Row
By Burton Howkins
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BOSTON, April 26.-The pan
icky Mats, who have manufactured
more zeros than q doughnut fac
tory in accumulating q string of
seven defeats. are . disorganized.
subject-to-change- e-at-any moment
outfit with the season scarcely
started.
First Baseman Eddie Robinson,
who came to the Mats from Cleve-
land with the complaint that
Manager Lou Boudreau benched
him too readily. found himself q
dugout decoration yesterday when
the Mats dropped \ 20 decision to
the Boston Red Sox here.
The Mats Joe Kuhel,- excusably
irritated by Robinson's .125 hit
ting. dispatched Player-coach
Mark Christman to first base and
employed Rookie John Simmons
in right field In . shakeup OF the
club designed to promote more hit
ting. The immediate effect was
discouraging, for Washington
fashioned only seven hits of left
handed Mel Parnell. who regis
tered his second shutout.
Kuhel had reason to suspect he
would receive considerable swat
ting from Robinson. Eddie Yost
and Buddy Lewis, Robinson
wasn't expected to compile q
nattering average. but he was
regarded as . clutch hitter who
would click in tight situations.
Coan's Hitting L. Wasted.
Yost. who finished the final
two weeks Of the 1948 campaign
with . .3s3 average and then
belted spring exhibition pitching
for . .ll4 figure. has collapsed
completely. He's hitting LAB.
Lewis, who seemingly was set to
enjoy q commendable comeback
on his .35S hitting in exhibition
Rames, is "a .053 batter.
Only Gil Coan. hitting .375. Is
fulfilling the hopes Kuhel held
for him, but Gil's batting feats
have been buried in the general
ineptitude of his mates.
The shocking slumps OF Robin
son, Lewis and Yost principally
are the reason for Washington's
pitiful plight. for in six OF eight
games they have received highly
creditable pitching. Only twice
have the Mats pitchers Yielded
more than three runs, but IN
Washington's last seven games
only seven Mats have crossed the
plate.
washington has been blanked
three times in its last six games
and the most chagrined victim Is
paul Calvert, who twice has
pitched adequately. In Is innings,
however, the Mats have failed to
create q run for the bespectacled
right-hander.
Poor Reward for Calvert. -
Calvert was q f1ve-hit pitcher
against the New York Yankees. but
on that occasion Vic Raschi re-
stricted Washington to three hits
and escaped with 80 verdict.
Yesterday Calvert permitted only
six hits in seven innings before
being lifted for q nch-hitter. but
again the Mats couldn't capitalize
on his effectiveness.
Calvert would be . full-hedged
sensation with = more powerful
team. He was the first pitcher
this season. for instance. to halt
Ted williams and under other
circumstances he would be COM
manding headlines. AS it is. he
merely is recognized as q hard
luck pitcher with a futile club.
Bobby Doerr's triple and Sam
Mele's infield out gave the Red
Sox q 10 lead in the second in
ming. They boosted the score to
its ultimate proportions in the
sixth when Johnny Pesky doubled,
moved to third on Williams
grounder and scored on Vern Ste
phens' ny to center.
1t was one Of the more COM
mendable pitching efforts the Mats
have received here in the last
three years. Over that stretch.
the Mats have won 4 games and
lost 10 at Fenway Park, nearly
matching their 3-22 record at
Yankee Stadium over the same
span.
Mats Make Three Threats.
The Mats threatened mildly
three times. In the first inning,
Sam Dente walked. Coan singled
and Simmons sacrificed. but Clyde
Vollmer took q third strike and
(See MATS, Page A-17o