Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-06
Brilliant Stop
In Ninth Cuts Off
Cincinnati Rally
Three Homers CIouted
By Griffs in Ending
4-Gome Losing Streak
D.. 4
BY Burton Hawkins
Stoy Stoff Coyrexnondent

COLUMBIA, S. c., April S.
The Mats emerged from their pro-
tracted batting slump today with
19-hit attack that included
three home runs and three dou-
bleS in a wild sixth inning, but
at the finish it was a superb field
ing play by Third Baseman
Floyd Baker that preserved a 81
victory over Cincinnati in their
exhibition series.
1t was grievous day for pitch
ers, with every pop fly threaten
ing to become an extra-base hit
in stiff breeze, and although the
Mats took a ga lead into the
ninth inning they came out thank
full that Baker. alternating with
Eddie Yost at third, had saved the
game.
The Reds had scored three
times off Rookie Gerald Lane to
slice their deficit to two runs and
had runners on first and third
with two out when towering Joe
Adcock slammed a hard grounder
"a few inches inside third base. 1t
was labelled for extra bases when
it left his bat, but Baker inter-
copied it with a brilliant diving
stab.
Mats Snap Losing Streak.
Bakers desperate lunge cut
down the ball and he quickly re-
gained his feet and fired to Fred
Taylor at first base to retire Ad-
cock and send the 1888 customers
home blinking. The Mats thus
snapped four-game losing streak
and achieved their first win in
five exhibitions with the Reds,
who accumulated Is hits off Sid
Hudson and Lane.
Into their biggest outburst of
hitting this spring the Mats
poured four doubles, a triple and
three home runs, embarrassing
Ken Raffensberger with a five
run blast that featured nothing
but doubles and home runs in the
sixth inning.
Washington clipped the left
handed Ratfensberger. a 16-game
winner with the Reds last year,
for three runs in the first inning
Gil Coan's double and singles by
Irv Noren, Sam Mele and Cass
Michaels plus an error by Left
fielder Adcock, staked Hudson to
a 3-run lead.
Sid enjoyed that margin briefly,
for the Reds caught up with him
in the third inning. A walk to
Grady Hatton, Bobby Adams
triple, Ted Kluszewski's double
and Adcock's single tied the score
and Cincinnati shot ahead in the
fifth when the muscular Klus-
zewski lifted a home run over the
left field wall.
Best Hitting of Year.
Then the Mats went to work.
producing their best hitting OF
the year. Michaels homered over
the wall in center field, some 400
feet distance. Mickey Vernon fol-
lowed with another drive over the
same section of the fence.
Pete Runnels doubled to left and
Mickey GrasSo presented the Mats
a third home run in the inning
when he waited one over the left
field fence. Hudson grounded out,
but Eddie Yost denied the center
field wall with a double. Frank
Campos flied out, but Noren
doubled to right, scoring Yost.
Dick Sisler gathered in Mele's fly
to right, ending the uprising.
WaShington'S lead mounted to
ga in the seventh when Vernon
singled and Runnels tripled off
Bud Byerly. Hudson and Lane kept
Cincinnati's bat subdued until the
ninth when the Reds nearly es-
capped with the decision.
Joe Rossi, rookie catcher, started
the assault on Lane with a home
run, marking the first run scored
against the Nat rookie in nine
(see MATS, Page B-2J