Evening star., 1961-08-26
Senators in Sorry Plight
On Mound At Bat AfieId
Rain Postpones
Game Here With
Detroit Today
BY BILL FUCHS
Star Staff Writer

call off their game with the
Tigers at Griffith Stadium to-
day, thus adding to the woes
Of the club which already is
showing signs of battle fatigue.
Jim Burning threw a two
hitter at the Senators last night
to lead the Tigers to a SO vic
tory before 1907 fans. That was
the seventh straight loss for the
Senators, who are sagging un-
der a collapse of their pitching,
hitting and fielding.
Losers of II of their last 81
games, the Senators only want
to get through the remainder
of the season with a reasonably
good showing, but a crsmmed
schedule is adding to their
troubles.
Schedule Jam Ahead
Today's game has been reset
for 1870 pm. Monday. The two
clubs have a double-header on
tap tomorrow. Originally a
single game had been sheduled,
but an earlier rain-out neceS-
STATED this change.
Because Of previous post
ponements the Senators are
faced with three double e-headers
over the Labor Day week end
Friday and Sunday against the
White Sox here and Monday at
New York.
Thursday, September Z, origi-
nally a day off, has been filled
with a makeup game at Balti-
more. Another game with the
Orioles here needs to be reset.
Only dates still open for the
Senators are September IA, a
Thursday; September 1s and
25, Mondays.
Last nights victory enabled
the Tigers to remain two games
behind the league leading
Yankees, who beat Kansas City,
80.
Pitchers Falter
Burning had a no-hitter un-
til there was one out in the
seventh and the tall, lean
righthander with a 1879 record
deserves all the credit accorded
him. But the Senators haven't
been frightening many pitch
erS these days. They've lost
seven games in a row and over
the last nine games have been
the victims of a one-hitter by
Billy Hoeft of Baltimore, a pair
of five-hitters and three six
hitters. . ,..-,
Their pitching staff, once
their biggest pride, has been
reduced to two dependable
starters. Dick. Donovan. and
Bennie Daniels, but the latter
lost his last start and the for
mer has failed to survive his
last two starts.
But it is the work afield that
is most alarming to Vernon and
bis aides. Wearing the tag of
expansion team, the Senators
nevertheless have given their
followers some good, solid base
ball this season, particularly in
the field, where the defense had
been far better than antici-
pated.
But the club now has a
streak of errors to match it's
losses. They have committed
errors in seven straight games
for grand total of 13.
Cottier Gets In Act
Whether the pressures of
their recent setbacks-17 in
their last 81 games-is q factor
is conjectural, but even Chuck
Cottier. recognized as perhaps
the slickest fielding second
baSeman in the league, has not
been immune from the attack
of fumbling.
His wild throw, a hurried toss
after first bobbling a ground
ball, permitted two unearned
runs to score in the sixth
inning last night-not that
these mattered in the light of
the four runs Detroit earned
and Bunning's shutout pitch
ing.
The Tigers managed eight
hits off John Gabler. the
starter and loser, and John
Klippstein and Mike Garcia,
who pitched the top of the
ninth. That half-inning was
wiped off the line score because
a heavy downpour washed out
Washington's ninth. The in
diVidial records for Garcia
and the Detroit batters stand.
Tigers Splurge in Fourth
The Tigers scored three runs
in the fourth on singles by AL
Kaline and Rocky Colavito. a
passed ball, walk and a two
run double by Dick McAuliffe.
They made it SO in the sixth
as Kaline walked, Norm Cash
doubled him to third and with
two out both scored on Cottiers
wild throw on Chico Fernan-
dez' ground ball.
IIE OCIleI run came IN Lne
eighth as Billy Bruton singled,
went to second on an infield
out. to third on a passed ball by
Catcher Harry Bright and scor-
ed on McAuliffe's single
Only three Senators got TO
first base. Marty Keough
walked to lead off the third in
ming. Cottier replaced him on
forceout. stole second and
was stranded. Gene Woodling
hit line single to center with
one away in the seventh and
Willie Tasby hit a bloop single
to right with two out in the