BIG TRAIN TAMES TIGERS BATS
Shutout Pulls Senators to Within 1/2 Game of AL Lead
DETROIT, July 30 (AP) -- Walter Johnson scattered three hits en route to a 2-0
whitewashing of the Detroit Tigers before 16,322 at Navin Field this afternoon,
pulling the Washington Senators to within a half game of the first place Bengals.
Johnson (15-8) outdueled Earl Whitehill (9-5), who fired eight strong innings of
his own in defeat. It was the second shutout for the Big Train this season
and arguably represented his best performance of the year given the fruits of
the effort, the stakes of the game and the momentum of the opposition. The
loss snapped a four-game Tigers winning streak and represented just the second
defeat in the last 13 contests for Detroit.
While, on balance, the game was crisply played, the Senators scored the only run
they would need in the second inning with the assistance of the Tigers
defense. With one out, Washington's Muddy Ruel reached base safely when
Detroit second baseman Les Burke couldn't transfer a routine grounder from his
glove to his throwing hand, and was charged with an error. Roger
Peckinpaugh's sharp single between short and third advanced Ruel to second and
Ossie Bluege's base hit to left-center gave the Senators a 1-0 lead. The
uprising was stifled when Johnson grounded into a 5-4-3 double play, but the
unearned tally was costly.
Whitehill surrendered a second run to Washington in the top of the fourth.
Goose Goslin led off with a single and Joe Judge, in trying to sacrifice the
runner to second, bunted so effectively that he reached base on a single of his
own. Ruel then successfully sacrificed the runners to second and
third. Whitehill walked Peckinpaugh intentionally to load the bases.
Bluege's ensuing grounder to short was hit weakly enough to force a play at
first. The batter was retired but Goslin scored to give the Senators an
insurance run and a 2-0 advantage. Johnson's fly to left ended the inning.
Johnson was masterful on this afternoon. Bob Jones' leadoff third inning
single represented the first Detroit baserunner, but Johnson immediately erased
him by inducing a double play grounder from Johnny Bassler. The Tigers
didn't have another man reach base until Topper Rigney drew a two-out walk in
the fifth, but Johnson got Jones to roll out to third to end the inning.
Ty Cobb walked with one out in the seventh, and stole second, but Johnson
retired Harry Heilmann and Lu Blue on grounders to the left side to escape any
damage.
After the mini-uprising in the top of the fourth, Whitehill held Washington at
bay through the eighth. In the bottom half of that frame, Detroit finally
mounted a serious threat to Johnson. Unfortunately for the Tigers, it
started with two outs. Rigney struck out and Jones grounded to third, but
Bassler bounced a grounder through the box for a single. Del Pratt came in
to run for the slow-footed catcher and Al Wingo was called upon to pinch hit for
Whitehill. The lefty swinger drilled a ball just inside the first base bag
and down the right field line. Senators right fielder Same Rice reached
the ball quickly and the Tigers held Pratt at third, but Detroit now had the
tying runs in scoring position with the top of the order coming up. Burke
had been held hitless in three plate appearances thus far so Tigers
player-manager Cobb sent Larry Woodall up as a pinch hitter. With the game
apparently on the line and the crowd on its feet, Johnson managed to get Woodall
to lift a routine fly to Goslin in left field. The inning was over and
Detroit's best scoring chance of the game was gone.
Reliever Herman Pillette set the Senators down in order in the top of the ninth
and Johnson was forced to work through the meat of the Tigers' order one more
time in the bottom half. That he did, with aplomb. Heinie Manush was
retired on a routine fly to Goslin in left. Cobb stung the ball, but lined
to Rice in right. Heilmann then hit a one-hopper right back to Johnson,
who speared it and threw to Judge at first to end the game. It was the
seventeenth complete game of the season for the anchor of the American League's
best pitching staff. Johnson proved his worth yet again by stifling the
AL's most prolific offensive team on a mere three hits.
The same two teams will go at it again tomorrow afternoon at Navin Field.
7/30/1924, Was24-Det24, Navin Field 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1924 Senators 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 6 1 1924 Tigers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 4 1 Senators AB R H BI AVG Tigers AB R H BI AVG Rice rf 4 0 0 0 .315 Burke 2b 3 0 0 0 .229 Leibold cf 3 0 0 0 .273 Woodall ph 1 0 0 0 .351 Harris 2b 3 0 0 0 .270 Manush lf 4 0 0 0 .316 Goslin lf 4 1 2 0 .354 Cobb cf 3 0 0 0 .332 Judge 1b 3 0 1 0 .295 Heilmann rf 4 0 0 0 .361 Ruel c 3 1 0 0 .283 Blue 1b 3 0 0 0 .328 Peckinpaugh ss 3 0 1 0 .239 Rigney ss 2 0 0 0 .270 Bluege 3b 4 0 1 2 .322 Jones 3b 3 0 1 0 .251 Johnson p 3 0 0 0 .313 Bassler c 3 0 1 0 .399 30 2 5 2 Pratt pr 0 0 0 0 .283 Whitehill p 2 0 0 0 .154 Wingo ph 1 0 1 0 .360 Pillette p 0 0 0 0 .500 29 0 3 0 Senators INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Johnson W 15-8 9.0 3 0 0 2 4 108 70 2.88 9.0 3 0 0 2 4 108 70 Tigers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Whitehill L 9-5 8.0 5 2 1 2 2 98 63 3.64 Pillette 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 11 7 5.71 9.0 5 2 1 2 3 109 70 Det: Wingo batted for Whitehill in the 8th Pratt ran for Bassler in the 8th Woodall batted for Burke in the 8th Woodall moved to c in the 9th Pratt moved to 2b in the 9th E-Burke, Rigney. 2B-Wingo(10). RBI-Bluege 2(33). SB-Cobb(14). K-Goslin, Judge, Bluege, Burke, Manush, Heilmann, Rigney. BB-Leibold, Peckinpaugh, Cobb, Rigney. SH-Harris, Judge, Ruel. GWRBI: Bluege Temperature: 92, Sky: clear, Wind: out to left at 14 MPH. Attendance: 16,322 Game Time: 1:53