Evening star., 1952-05-12
Jensen Still Goinq
Strong, but Wilson
Is Hit|ess in "A Tries
By Burton Hawkins
S.or Stoff Correspondent

DETROIT. May 12.-Jackie
Jensen, traded away by the
Yankees, has demonstrated in
nine games with the Mats that
the New York club may have
made a bad mistake in giving up
on him so soon. He's hitting .405
with Washington, has batted
safely in every game and has fig
ured prominently in the Mats
surge to second place.
Jensen, who opened the season
/ in centerfield for the Yankees,
was benched quickly when he
failed to hit in his first nine at
tempts, and came to the Mats as
a los batter. He had obtained
only two hits in 19 efforts. Now
he's batting .304 for the season in
a spectacular climb.
BY getting Jensen, Clark Grif-
fifth may have made one Of the
shrewdest deals of his career.
He's no polished outflelder yet, but
he has an arm which will Offset
some of his miscalculations. Ex-
perience should smooth his field
ing and, meanwhile, it will be
brave runner who is willing to
test Jackie's strong arm. 1t may
be the best in the business.
Rain Wipes out Hit.
Jensen got three hits in four
attempts yesterday in Phila-
delphia as the Mats Travelled II
innings to beat the Athletics, So.
The second game of a scheduled
doubleheader was rained out after
two scoreless innings. Incident
ally, this wiped out hits by Jen-
sen and Mickey Vernon off the
books.
Jackie has maintained his ter
rife pace, but Archie Wilson has
Stacked off badly. A sensation in
his first games with Washington
when he batted $50, Archie has
gone hitless in his last IA efforts.
He was yanked for Pinch-Hitter
Gil Coan in the first game yester-
day and Bucky Harris sent Coan
to leftf1eld as his replacement in
the second game.
It's likely Harris will follow
that pattern, employing Coan
against right handed pitching
and Wilson against left-handers.
Julio Moreno kept the Mats in
yesterdays game with smart six
hit pitching until he reinjured
his right elbow while attempting
to field a bunt in the 10th inning.
Trainer George Lentz said he
believes the injury is minor but
ordered X-rayS taken here today
as a precautionary measure.
Pop Fly Figures Again.
Bob Porterfield came along in
the role of relief pitcher to pick
up his third win-and Washing
tons eighth in nine games-as
the Mats dubbed Carl Scheib for
three runs in the eleventh. Once
again it was an uncaught pop fly
which led to disaster for the AS.
The Athletics blew a 81 deci-
sion to the Mats Saturday when
Ferris Fain dropped what would
have been a side-retiring pop fly
in the ninth inning. Jensen pro-
duced a baseS-loaded single on
that occasion.
Yesterday, with two out and
three on in the 11th, Eddie Yost
lifted a high fly to short right
field. Either Second Baseman
Skeeter Kel or Rightfielder Elmer
Valo could have handled the
windblown fly, but each backed
off and the ball plopped in foul
territory by inches.
Yost then delivered single,
scoring two runs, and Jim Busby
followed with another to drive in a
third run.
An earlier Busby single, a walk
to Jensen and Vernon's single gave
the Mats a 10 lead in the first
inning against Alex Kellner. The
AS shot ahead, 81, in the sixth
on Kellner's single, Eddie Joost's
double and long fly balls by Valo
and Dave Philley.
The Mats tied it up in the eighth
when Yost singled, took second
on a wild pitch and scored on Jen-
sens third straight single to left.
With two out in the ninth,
Moreno got in a jam after walk
ing Hank Majeski. Kell beat out
a slow roller down the third base
line and Joe Astroth was pur-
posely passed. Billy Hitchcock
batted for Kellner and Moreno
escaped damage when Hitchcock
flied to Busby.
Double Play Helps.
Again in the 10th, Moreno was
in difficulty. He walked Joost, and
Valo sacrificed. Julio hurt his
arm on that play, twisting it
against his side in a peculiar man
ner. Porterfield replaced him and
Intentionally passed Philley. Bob
threw one pitch and got out of
trouble when ShortStop Pete Run
nels caught Gus Zernial's liner
and tipped to Cass Michaels.
catching Joost off second for a
double play.
Vernon opened the 18th with a
double to center, but Runnels
grounded out and Michaels popped
out. Mickey Grasso was given an
intentional pass, but Porterfield
singled off Kell's glove to fill the
bases. Then Kell and Valo messed
up Yost's pop fly and Eddie. pro-
ceeded to capitalize on it.