Evening star., 1963-04-29
Weak Bull pen Dissipates Senators Hitting
Mound Stuff
In Bad Shape
For /. A. Bill
BY MERRELL WHITTLESEY
Star staff Writer

S ANNNAAAASt EPAA @Os
The Senators lead the Ameri-
can League in hitting, which is
wonderful, but they're in last
place because OF consistently
poor relief pitching.
The bullpen tossed away an
other one yesterday, 6-5, to the
Athletics in D. c. Stadium. The
AS added to their unbelievable
chain Of late-inning victories
over Washington by scoring
four runs In the eighth inning
to make 1t l6 victories in the
last II games between the two
teams. Washington now has
lost six OF Its last seven games.
The Senators have used Is
pitchers In their last six games,
and that includes Tom
Cheney's shutout victory OF
Friday night. Relief pitchers
have taken the losses in seven
Of Washington'S IL defeats.
Bleak Picture
The situation may get worse
before 1t gets better. The Sen
ators have a double -header
with the Angels tonight and
the pitching picture is not
bright.
Dave StenhouSe is hopeful OF
starting one game. but there
is some doubt because his
pitching arm is ailing. Ron
Kline is out with a back sprain,
and Art Quirk Is weak from a
virus. Don Rudolph is sched-
uled to start the other game,
and his record this year shows
IA hits in l3 innings, seven of
them home runs.
II the bullpen doesn't get an
other workout tonight 1t will
be a miracle. Don Lee and Bob
Turley will pitch for the An
gels.
COttier, Osborne Homer
The Senators boosted their
league-leading hitting average
to .256 yesterday with 10 hits.
These included two safetieS for
Jim Piersall for the fourth
straight game, a single and
home run for Chuck Cottier,
a homer by Bo Osborne to snap
his batting slump, and another
pinch single by Tommy Brown.
Switch-hitter Brown batted
lefthanded against Ed Rakow
and now has q hit from each
side.
All Of these blows, plus a
bad-hop pinch single by Lou
Klimchock. that drove in the
go ahead runs In the seventh,
were wasted. rs
Jim Bronstad pitched to two
batters in the eighth and both
singled. Claude Osteen made his
debut as q reliever this year
and promptly picked up Jerry
Lunlpe's bunt single and threw
the ball into rightfield, permit
ting two runs to score and al
lowing Lumpe to take third.
Pinch-hitter George Alusik's
single scored Lumpe. and Alusik
came around on 4 sacrifice and
a throwing error by Cottier,
who had moved to shortstop.
While the Washington re-
levers we're blowing another
game, Bill Fischer, who pitched
for the old Senators in 1859
and 80. won his fourth game
in relief to top the leagues
pitchers with a 40 record.
Kline was used as q starter
on Saturday, but Ron has asked
for the No. relief assignment
when his back heals. He has
an earned-run average Of 2.25,
which except for Cheney's per-
feet record is the best on the
club.
New Infield Setup
After three weeks of shuf-
fling infielders, Manager Mic
key Vernon believes the place
ment yesterday was the best
he has seen, and he will stick
TO 1t for several days.
Chuck Hinton made his debut
at third. Ed Brinkman stayed
at short, Cottier took over at
second. and Osborne started at
first for the first time since
spring training. Osborne pre-
fers first base. and the think
ing rs that his batting slump
may have been caused by wor-