Evening star., 1951-08-11
Mats Bow in Boston
AS Fielding Lapses
Offset Vernon Homer
By Burton Howkins
Star Stoff Correspondent

BOSTON, Aug. H. Mickey
Vernon Is carrying the Mats bat
ting burden virtually unassisted.
He has smashed across eight of
the last IL runs they've scored,
but there's ample evidence that
a one-man attack isn't enough.
Pete Runnels has pecked his
average up to $3.50 and while his
hitting is annoying opposing
pitchers, it isn't crushing them.
He has been the ideal hitter in
front Of Vernon, who is getting
him around. but Mickey has been
supplying the punch and it's get
ting the Mats nowhere.
Six weeks ago Irv Noren and
Sam Mele were running close
race for the Mats runs-batted-i in
leadership, with more than double
Vernon's output. Now Mickey has
made it a three-way race, COM
piling ga RIBS to Mele's 10 and
Noren's SO. /
Vernon in RBI Streak.
Mickey has averaged better than
a run batted in per game for thel
Mats last 40 games. In his last
three contests he has slammed
across eight with an outburst of
three homerS. Last night he belted
a three-run homer, but with that
blow Washington'S attack sub
sided quickly and the Red SoxI
came from behind to win, GA, be-
fore 28.937 fans.
The Mats fielding has cost them
two successive games. with Gil
Coan the chief culprit. but last
night Chico Marrero's tardiness in
covering first base and a wild
throw by the stubby Cuban pitcher
were more disastrous.
Boston spurted into a 20 lead
in the third inning, breaking
Marrero's string of 20 scoreless
innings, and Marrero was respon-
sible for the fracture, with Coan
a contributing factor.
Aaron Robinson slapped a.
grounder to Vernon, who noted
Marrero was making no attempt
to cover first. Mickey raced Rob-
inson to the base and beat him, but
Mel Parnell. next up, did the same
thing and this time Parnell was
the winner when Chico failed to
cover first.
Mats Can't Save Game.
Dom DiMaggio followed with a
single and so did Johnny Pesky.
the latter smashing a drive to left
which scored Parnell. When the
ball escaped Coan, DiMaggio also
scored.
The Mats erupted for four runs
off Parnell in the fifth after Mar
rero struck out. A walk to Eddie
Yost and singles by Coan and
Runnels fetched the Mats run,
and Vernon then rammed his
ninth homer of the season into
the right field seats to project the
Mats into a Az lead.
Mele followed with a double, but
at that point the Mats attack
ceased. Parnell, who was credited
with his 18th victory, and Ellis
Kinder retired the last IA Mats in
order and in ignominy, for over
that span they failed to get the
ball out of the infleld.
With two out in the sixth the
game blew up in Marrero's face.
Billy Goodman singled and so did
Walt Dropo. Clyde Vollmer
dropped a meek roller down the
third base line and Marrero
pounced on the ball only to fire
wild past Vernon, enabling Good
man to score. Robinson was
passed purOosely, filling the bases.
Maxwell batted for Par
nell and smashed a single to right,
scoring Dropo and Vollner.
Vollmer Hits Goth Homer.
Vollmer delivered his goth
homer with two out in the eighth
when he rammed Marrero pitch
in the general direction of Maine.
Irv Noren, nursing an injured
left knee. made a pinch-hitting
in the ninth inning
but grounded out. He may return
to the starting lineup today, when
Dick Starr will face Boston's
Chuck Stobbs.
Boston, with a 90 record on
its current home stand, remained
AZ games back of the Indians
and Yankees, tied for the lead.
The Red Sox and Mats will clash
in a double-header here tomor-
rn1ry