Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-06
Becquer Backs
First-base Bid
By Hitting .313
Kemmerer Hurting
Against Kueks in
Todoy's Come
BY BURTON HAWKINS

and Jim Lemon at first base and
now Julio Becquer IS making a
strenuous bid to take over per-
manently with his 1913 hitting.
Runnels is stationed at third
base pending the recovery of Ed
Yost from injuries. That's Herb
Plews' most practical position.
too, and the Senators most
promising farmland, Harmon
Killebrew, is being groomed for
third base.
Runnels is supposed to go back
to first after the All-Star game.
providing Yost has recovered as
expected, but Becquer is attempt
ing to change the plans.
HOmers Against Yanks
BecQuer has been employed
at first base in only two of the
Senators last seven games but
has responded nobly. He con-
tributed a home run and two
singles against Chicago and
duplicated that performance
against the Yankees last night
at Griffith Stadium as the Sem
ators bowed to the league lead
erS. So, in 10 innings before
1929 fans.
The fact that Becquer sur
vived spring training came as
something of a surprise because
his bosses haven't been i'm
pressed by his batting style.
But if results count, the colored
Cuban can point to a highly re-
spectacle average as proof that
he's doing all right.
Becquer never hit 300 in five
years of minor league campaign
ing. but the 24-year-old left
handed hitter rapidly is killing
of critics of his batting style
with the best answer-hits.
Gets Is Pinch Hits
Julio has contributed Is pinch
hits for the Senators this season,
but when tested as a regular
earlier in the season begged
down badly. Now he's compli-
eating things nicely for Manager
Cookie Lavagetto.
With Johnny Kucks taking the
mound against the Senator's
Russ Kemmerer today, Becquer
is assured of remaining at first
base at least another game and
II he continues his convincing
swatting they won't be able to
chase him.
The Senators gave the Yam
KEGS a strenuous struggle before
Succumbing. Roy Sewers triple
and Becquer's thump into the
centerfield seats of Tom Sturdi-
want in the fourth inning staked
Pete Ramos to a 20 lead and he
protected it with three-hit shut
out pitching for seven innings.
Ramos Collapses
But when Pete collapsed. he
went all-out. Harry Simpson
clipped him for a pinch single
with one down in the eighth and
Tony Kubek. Gil McDougald and
Mickey Mantle also singled to
tie the score and dispose of Ra-
mos. Mantle scored from shird
when Truman Clevenger got Bill
Skowron to ground out,
Art Schult famed with the
bases loaded to end a threat
against Tommy Byrne in the
eighth, but the Senators got the
tying run in the ninth when Milt
Boiling doubled with one out and
Ed Fitzgerald injected a pinch
single to right.
RunnelS followed with a single
to the same sector, sending Fitz-
Gerald to third and when Byrne
MT Clint Courtney to jam the
bases Art Ditmar was summoned
from the bullpen. Sievers hit his
first pitch on doubleplay Jour-
ney to McDougald.
With one down in the 10th
Bud Byerly walked McDougald
and he took second base on a
passed ball before Mantle was
purposely passed. Skowron's
single to left and Yogi Berra's
sacrifice fly melted the Yankees
two runs.
Becquer singled with one
down in the 10th, but Lou Ber-
beret. batting for Jerry Schoon-
maker. grounded out and so did
Rocky Bridges.
NOTES: 1t will be Whitley Ford
against Camilo Pascual in the
series windup tomorrow
Nantes eighth inning hit was
the l.000th of his major league
career. 4. Lemon has hit safely
in 10 straight games. Mantle
bumped his head against the
centerfield wall in the seventh
inning hauling in Bridges drive.
The Senators now have a four.
game losing streak operating
While the Yankees have won 90
OF their last "a McDougald
figured in four double plays.
He handled IA chances flaw
leSSly. Ramos and Taunoy