Evening star., 1954-05-18
McDermott Hoping
To Go Route Against
PiIIette or TurIey
By Burton Hawkins
Ssor sfaff Correspondent

BALTIMORE, May 18.-For
the first time in So years. the
Washington Senator's invade this
city for two-game series to-
night and tomorrow to play the
Orioles on a big-league basis.
Washington has a pair of the
leagues leading home run hit.
ters in Roy Sievers and Mickey
Vernon and a .339 batter in Jim
Busby. but thus far its attack
has been futile because of shoddy
fielding. disappointing pitching
or lack Of cohesion in the bat
ting order.
Rare have been the games in
which the Senators have been
completely out of contention.
They've been cumming up key
plays, their pitchers have been
willing on short notice. with pre-
cious little help from the bull
pen, and aid from pinch-hitters
has been virtually non-existent.
One of the more disturbing fig
ureS in the teams collapse has
been Maury McDermott, who has
displayed flashes of brilliance,
only to fade with astonishing
rapidity in the late innings. The
wavy-haired lefthander will bid
for his second victory tonight.
Maury's Opponent Uncertain.
McDermott will be opposed by
either Duane Pillette or Bob
Turley, the speed specialist who
is particularly effective under
the inadequate lights here. If
Turley is not used tonight, he
will start against Chuck Stobbs
in tomorrow nights game.
Turley and McDermott hooked
up in a duel in the only meeting
between the clubs. Both pitched
five-hitters, with Turley emerg-
ing a 2-1 winner when more poll
ished fielding would have pre-
sented Maury a 10 triumph.
The Senators have slammed %
home runs and apparently are
destined to swat more of them
than any Washington club in
history. The Senators of 1888
belted IS homers, but the current
team will smash 100 or so If it
continues the present pace.
That slugging. in the absence
Of consistent hitting. generally
has been wasted. Fifteen of
those home runs have been hit
in losing games. Contrastingly.
the Senators pitchers have per-
mitted 13 home runs and IL of
them have figured in opposition
victories.
RunnelS May Shake Slump.
A faint stirring of optimism
was noticeable at Chicago. where
the Senators split a double head
er Sunday. Pete Runnels got four
hits against the White Sox. If
he's about to snap out of his pro-
longued slump. the Senators will
be a vastly improved club. Man
ager Bucky Harris is hopeful the
wiry shortstop finally is squared
away.
The also was some satisfaction
cleaned from the first starting
appearance Of Outfielder Jim
Lemon. The towering blond. re-
Gently picked up from the In
dians, hit two singles in four
tries and will receive a more
thorough testing.
Lemon collided with Second
Baseman Wayne Terwilliger on
a pop fly to rightfield and DANA
ged a knee slightly. If he's fit
he'll return to rightfield tonight,
but otherwise Tom Wright will be
employed there.
Handicapped at Moment.
Lemon is the free-swinging
type Of hitter who will strike
out lot." Harris said. Hes
handicapped at the moment be-
cause he hasn't seen much
pitching. but If he gets on the
beam he could be big help. He
can hit a ball a mile"
Hank Greenberg, general man
ager of the Indians, was re-
luctant to part with Lemon, who
smashed 80 home runs for Okla
homa City several years ago but
failed to click with Cleveland.
with steady play he could de-
velop into a future terror" Hank
said. The Senators are hoping
the future will rush to meet the
present in Lemons case and boil
ster club which requires a more
sustained attack.
Harris is desirous, too, of more
effective pitching. Only Bob Por-
terf1eld, who is Washington's lone
winner of the month. has been
steady. The Senators have won
three of their last 16 games and
Bob has won all of them. He
needs help. and McDermott may
provide some of it, starting to-