Evening star., 1952-08-08
Ke||ner Opens Series
Tonight, Shantz Due
TO Pitch Tomorrow
By Burton Hawkins

VaQe GrlmCn STADIUM COn1gnC,
eager to take over the Mats fourth
place berth in the course Of a Ave-
game series. Admittedly, they
are worrying Manager Bucky Har-
his by firing left-handers against
his light-hitting OUTFIT in the first
two games.
Bucky isn't impressed with the
productivity of Ken Wood. who
has been his cleanup hitter against
left-handed pitching. Wood has
tumbled to .199. q figure that
seemingly doesn't warrant his
presence in the lineup. much less
in the vital No. 4 spot.
But the Washington manager
isn't certain any Of his replace
ments would represent an i'm
provement. '"They all look alike
against left-handers." said Harris.
who can't get enthusiastic over
what Gil Coan. Frank Campos
and Earl Rapp have shown him
swinging against southpaws.
Tonight's game will be tele-
vised over Station WTTG (Chan-
mel 81 and broadcast over Station
WWDC.
Wood Not Hitting.
AS the Mats split double
header with the Yankees yester-
day before a crowd Of 1853.
Harris tested Campos and Coan
against left-handed Bob Kuzava in
pinch-hitting roles. Both watched
third strikes as their team lost a
dull I'll game after winning the
opener. Az.
Wood, q right-handed hitter. is
employed exclusively against left
handed pitching. He's supposed to
be a long-ball swatter, but in his
last five games he has made only
two hits, both infield affairs, in
Is attempts.
With Alex Kellner due to face
them tonight and Bobby Shantz
slated to try for his 21st win
tomorrow night, the Mats will have
their work cut out for them. After
their meek showing against Ku-
zava. who held them to four hits,
the Mats can't view the immediate
future with unbounded enthusi-
aSm.
Apparently they will be forced
to depend on their pitching and
Harris will lead with his best
against the AS. He'll open with
Bob Porterf1eld tonight, use Con-
ME Marrero tomorrow night and
probably call on Spec Shea and
Walter Masterson in Sundays
double header.
Pinch Hitters Flop.
Deals earlier this season were
supposed to have fortified the
Washington bench. but it hasn't
developed that way in regard to
pinch hitters. The Mats have only
two bases on balls to show for the
last 20 pinch hitters they've used.
The bench hitters are batting .134.
Julio Moreno. although clipped
for IL hits. went the distance to
win the opener yesterday. The
Mats pounced on Jim Mcdonald
for two runs in the first inning
when Jackie Jensen tripled, Pete
Runnels singled and Mickey Ver-
non doubled.
New York got a run in the
third when Hank Bauer, Mickey
Mantle and Yogi Berra singled,
but the Mats made it 3-1 in the
fourth when Floyd Bakers pop
fly fell for double and Jim Busby
brought Baker around with a sin
gle.
Weddings single of Moreno's
pitching hand and Gil McDou-
gald's drive which Jensen mis-
judged into a triple cut the home
clubs advantage to 80 in the
sixth. The Mats boosted the score
to it's final proportions in the
Eighth when Runnels singled, went
to third on Vernon's single and
scored on Bakers fly to Mantle.
First Win Over Yanks.
The win was Moreno's first over
the Yankees in three seasons with
the Mats and his eighth of the
year.
The Mats never made it interest
ing in the second game. Don john,
son was mauled for three un-
earned runs in the first inning
after Runnels bobbled Weddings
grounder following singles by Phil
Rizzuto and Mantle. Johnny Mize
poked a two-run double after that
costly tumble.
johnson, who hasn't won a game
this season, yielded two more runs
in the third inning to seal his
fourth defeat. The Yankees in
creased their lead to TO in the
fifth when Woodling rammed a
two-run homer over the RIGHT