Evening star., 1952-08-10
.Marrero Faces
Shantz in First
Game Today
Harris Gets Charlotte
Catcher; PorterfieId
Escapes 10 Deficit
By Burton Howkins

bOp EOTCeTIlclu, dCCuSCOmeu 10
losing 10 games with the Mats.
was trailing by that score last
night when a deluge postponed q
game with Philadelphia at the
end of the second inning at Grif-
fifth Stadium before $500 fans.
Beaten three times by 10 scores
and shut out six times. Porterfield
wasn't loser but the Mats were.
They lost the services of Catcher
Mickey GraSso for at least a week
when the index finger of his right
hand was split by a foul tip of
Billy Hitchcock's bat in the sec
ond inning. Grasso was taken to
Georgetown Hospital to have the
lacerated finger stitched.
The Mats thus were reduced to
one catcher. the veteran Clyde
Kluttz, but they Immediately con-
tacted their Charlotte farm club of
the Class B Tri-State League and
requested the Hornets to rush
George Bradshaw here in time for
double headers with the AS today
and tomorrow.
Bradshaw IS years old and a
6-foot-2, 185-pounder, batted 1886
with Charlotte. He is a right
handed hitter.
Double Header Monday.
Last nights game will be played
as part of a twi-night double
header tomorrow. The first game
will start at 5 o'clock to enable the
Athletics to catch an II o'clock
train for Boston.
The sudden downpour caught
the Griffith Stadium ground crew
with its tarpaulins only half down.
Half the inf1eld was covered but
the ground crew couldn't pull the
|sodden second section into position
and abandoned the attempt after
|straining futilely for several mo-
ments.. There was a sizable pud-
die between the plate and the
mound, and first and third base
lines were strips of ooze when UNI
pires called of the contest after
waiting one hour.
1t marked the fifth time in eight
scheduled dates here that the
Athletics were rained out and it
was Philadelphia's 21st postponed
game. 1t also was the 10th time
that Alex Kellner, the AS start
ing pitcher. was rained out of an
assignment.
Bobby Shantz, the little left
handler who has been the OUT
standing pitcher in the major
leagues this season, will bid for
his 21st win in the first game Of
today'S double-header.
ShantZ, who has whipped the
Mats three times in as many starts
this season, will be opposed by
Connie Marrero. striving for his
ninth win. Shantz has lost only
three games and has an earned
run average of 1854.
Frank Shea, trying for an elu-
sive 10th victory, will take the
mound for the Mats in the second
game. The AS will counter with
Harry Byrd. rookie right -hander
with a 90 record.
Zernial Bats in Fain.
The AS clipped Porterfield for
q run in the first inning. After
Eddie Joost watched q third strike.
Ferris Fain singled to left and
Dave Philley sent him to third
with a single to center. Big Gus
zernial chased Ken Wood back
to the leftf1eld wall for his blast.
enabling Fain to score and Philley
to take second after the catch.
Elmer Valo walked but Cass
Michaels' grounder to Eddie Yost
forced Philley at third base.
The Mats threatened in the first
after Jim Busby followed q walk
to Yost by hitting into a double
play. Jackie Jensen walked and
Pete Runnels singled, but Ken
Wood fouled to Hitchcock at third
base.
Joe Astroth doubled for the AS
with one out In the second inning,
but Porterfleld whipped third
strikes past Kellner and Joosr.
BY remaining idle the Mats
picked up half game on league
leading New York and now trail
the Yankees by six games.