Evening star., 1952-07-03
Masteson and Seaer Tackle Yanks in First Of Two Double Bills
Mats Can Scramble
Race With Any Luck
Against Champions
By Burton Howkins

By Burton Howkins
All the Mats have to do in order
to make a virtual dead heat OF
the American League pennant race
by July 4-the traditional midway
points to win today's double
header from the Yankees, the first
of two twin bills in as many days
with the world champions at Grit
fifth Stadium.
Coming off a successful road trip
in fifth place. right where they
started, but still in the thick of
the pennant scramble, the Mats
could toss the race into wild con-
fusion by fulfilling their long shot
ambition of sweeping the four
games with New York.
Only four games now separate
the Yankees and Mats despite
Washington's Al defeat by the
Athletics Bobby Shantz last night
in Philadelphia. Bucky Harris
hoped to gain ground by using
Walter Masterson and Lou Sleater
as his starting pitchers against Joe
Ostrowski and Tom Morgan.
The Mats have the rest of the
league roofing for them, too.
Cleveland is only three games back
of the Yankees, while Boston and
Chicago are only half a game more
behind the leaders.
First Appearance Here.
Making their first appearance
of the year here after being
rained out of previously sched-
uled games. the Yankees brushed
off the Mats In a double-header
Sunday in New York after the
Washington club had struggled
to second place within three
games of the lead.
While the Mats and Yankees
are tangling in a vital series, the
White Sox will be playing the
Browns in three games. the Red
Sox will be meeting the Athletics
in three and the Indians will be
battling the Tigers in four games.
The Mats came off their long
journey with a 1877 record and
a new sensation in Jackie Jen-
sen, sturdy blond outfielder who
has hit safely in 18 straight
games. Jensen banged a sixth
inning home run, a mighty blast
into the upper deck of the left
field stands, to account for last
nights lone run off Shantz, who
registered his 14th win. Bobby
has lost only two.
Jensen, hitting BIT. has batted
.423 during his streak. He has
been a steady batter. but his wal
Looping hasn't become infectious
among the Mats.
YOst Down to .188.
Eddie Yost. for instance, hasn't
gotten a hit in his last % at
tempts and his average has dipped
to .l88. Mickey Grasso is bat
ting .185.
But while the Mats generally
have compiled no fancy averages,
their hitting has been timely.
They are picking each other up
fairly well despite the low figures"
Harris says. "but I'd like to see
them break out in a rash of hit
ting. Certainly, some of them are
capable of it,
Harris is hoping the hitting i'm
will develop immedi-
ately, of course. but he wisely in
structed his players to skip batting
practice today. They didn't ar
rive in Washington until 1:35 am.
and Bucky felt sleep would be
more beneficial than practice be-
fore tangling with the Yankees.
The Mats had one great shot
to get in last nights game. The
AS took a 20 lead off Bob Porter
field in the first inning after Ed
die Joost walked and Ferris Fain
singled him to third. Dave Philley
slapped a double-play grounder
to Mel Hoderlein. But Pete Run
nelS dropped the toss to second
as JooSt scored. Fain scored on
Gus Zernial's single to center.
Great Catch Ruins Mats.
With two out in the third, Yost
walked and Busby was safe when
Fain fumbled his grounder. Jen-
sen then cut terrific drive to
right-center which was labeled
triple when it left the bat. Phil
ley seemingly scampered over half
OF Philadelphia to haul in the
smash with a remarkable catch.
Jensen's fourth homer of the
season trimmed the deficit to 81
in the sixth, but the Washington
defense crumbled in the eighth
and allowed the AS two more
runs.
Joost started it with a single to
left, but went out stealing before
Fain walked. Hoderlein gummed
up Philley's grounder. When
threw wild into right field
trying to pick Philley off first,
Fain scored and Philley raced to
third. Zernial. who accounted
for half the AS six hits, scored
Philley with a single to left.
Shantz. who went the distance
for the 14th successive time, set
the Mats down with four hits in
whipping them for the third time
this year. The loss was Porter
fields eighth and his third in a
row.