Friday, May 17, 1946

                 W  L  Pct GB
Salem ......... 15  7 .682 —
Spokane ....... 14  9 .609 1½
Yakima ........ 13  9 .591 2
Tacoma ........ 11 10 .524 3½
Wenatchee ..... 12 11 .522 3½
Bremerton ...... 9 12 .429 5½
Vancouver ...... 9 14 .391 8½
Victoria ....... 6 17 .261 9½

SALEM, May 17 — Yakima nosed out Salem, 18 to 17, Friday night in a Western International league carnival of base hits and errors, taking a 3 to 1 lead in the current series and whittling Salem's league lead to a game and a half over second-place Spokane.
Yakima ...... 413 040 501—18 18 3
Salem ....... 054 200 015—17 15 7
Strait, Marshall (2) O'Boyle (3), Bohnen (9) and Gibb, McConnell (9); Gunnarson, Gerkin (3) Wyatt (7), Malgradi and Salmon.

VANCOUVER [Dan Ekman, News-Herald, May 18]—It has not been established that Ray Orteig can drive a car, whittle totem poles and play “Twelfth Street Rag” on the zither all at the same time. But the big righthander did do the work of at least two men last night at Capilano Stadium, when he pitched and batted the Brownies to a 3-2 win over Wenatchee Chiefs in his first start of the season.
The Orteig-paced win was the Caps’ third in five starts against Wenatchee, and they close out the series in a twin bill today at 2 and 8 o’clock, with Jim Hedgecock and Alex Palica slated for mound duty.
SPURGEON CONNECTS
Although Ray Spurgeon poled out the single that won the game last night, Orteig was the standout performer, as he served up nine-hit ball, came through neatly in the pinches, and rapped in the first local run. In fact, his hitting prowess was so well recognized that he was intentionally passed in the seventh, the Chiefs wisely choosing to take Reg Clarkson instead.
The game was a “beaut” from all angles, and the Chieftains made it rather too close for comfort. As a matter of fact, they outhit our lads, nine to five, and could afford to feel a little bitter at the outcome, though not quite so much as they indicated in constant tirades against the new arbiters, Tuna and Smith.
Chuck Cronin, who appeared last year here with the Fort Lewis Warriors, started on the Wenatchee hill, and allowed just four hits before retiring for a pinch-hitter in the seventh. Long John Fitzgerald took over, and also took credit (or debit) for the loss.
Wenatchee wiped out the two-run Cap advantage in the eighth, when they staged a four-hit attack, including one by Kurt Schmidt, who [unreadable] times in the series. The third counter was cut off at the plate, amid much hue and cry, and the Caps took over, with the blue chips piled high.
The outlook was foggy indeed when Dick Zender flied out. But Art Bonnell drew a free pass, and things started to happen. Estrada grounded to third, and was already called out when Wenatchee fist-sacker Adams dropped the rock. In the resultant mixup, Bonnell went all the way to third, and crossed the plate with the winner on Spurgeon’s sharp single. That was all, brother.
[WILfan note: Spurgeon and Estrada each had two hits, Orteig the other for Vancouver. Estrada and Orteig doubled].
- - -
VANCOUVER, May 17—Although outhit nine to five, Vancouver Capilanos won a pitching duel from Wenatchee Chiefs 3-2 to take a game lead in their league series.
A pair of errors led to Wenatchee's loss and paved the way for two of Vancouver's runs in the seventh and ninth. Jim Estrada and Ray Orteig had contributed two doubles in the third to give the Caps a 1-0 lead.
Wenatchee tied the score in the eighth on four singles with Dick Adams and Clyde Haskell batting in the counters.
First Baseman Adams fumbled a throw in the final frame enabling Art Bonnell to move from first to third after which he scored on a single by Ray Spurgeon.
Wenatchee ....... 000 000 020—2 9 2
Vancouver ........ 001 000 101—3 5 0
Cronin, J. Fitzgerald (8) and Pesut, E. Fitzgerald (9); Orteig and Spurgeon.

VICTORIA—Spokane Indians made it five in a row over Victoria Athletics with a 5-2 triumph.
Three home runs supplied Spokane's winning margin as they ran up an early five-run lead. Bob Patterson clicked for a circuit clout in the first and Levi McCormick and Marty Martinez connected in the third.
Newcomer Dick Conover got roughed up in the early going but settled down to hold the Indians to two hits in the last six innings.
Ed Murphy poked out two singles, one in the first and one in the seventh, the only base hits off Bob Kinnaman until the next when the A's staged a belated rally and pushed over two runs. Frank Cirimele doubled win one down and scored on Ian Lowe's stinging single through the box. Murphy was safe on George Risk's boot, and Lowe went to third. One out later, Les Mulcahy singled in a run, but Bob Cherry flew out to centre and the ball game was over.
Spokane ....... 113 000 000—5 7 1
Victoria ........ 000 000 002—2 5 2
Kinnaman and Paulson; Conover and Mulcahy.

TACOMA, May 17—Featured by an explosive fourth inning in which the teams scored a combined total of 17 runs, game here saw the Tacoma Tigers come from behind to score a 20 to 12 victory over the Bremerton Bluejackets, knotting the series at two games each.
Bremerton ......... 100 702 002—12 13 7
Tacoma ............ 103 (10)24 00x—20 18 3
Holt, Curran (4), B. Federmeyer (4), Kostenbader (4) and Volpi; Martin, Greenlaw (5) and Kemper.

ON THE SUNBEAM
By ALF COTTRELL, Sports Editor
[Vancouver Sun, May 18, 1946]
Hunk Would Cut Home Run Quota

Big Hunk Anderson had just emerged from underneath a tree after banging the ball rather cleverly onto the second green at Langara. The Capilano pitcher, by the way, shoots in the 80s.
“This is a tough league, tougher than I thought it was when I was looking down from the Coast League,” Hunk said as he waited for Ron Bryant to putt.
“We are a long way out of first place, anyway you look at it,” he continued. “That Ray Orteig ought to help us, though, if he gets in the regular lineup. And I don’t see how they can keep him out of there. That guy can hit.
“But that short, right field fence—didn’t they ever think of putting a screen up there to keep them pop flies in the park.
“Doggone, you sail along in no trouble at all, and, suddenly a guy lofts one to right and you’re Willie Dundee.”
Anderson, who pitched a nice game Thursday night, despite losing, was here before.
“Played for Coley Hall’s club when I was just a kid. Say, is that Hal Straight around then? He pitched for our club then,” said the large fellow, who looks like Bill Findler, the old soccer fullback, except Hunk is bigger.
“This town,” he said, “is situated the prettiest of any town I ever saw, and I saw a few of ‘em in that navy. Come on, partner, can that one and keep ‘em on the run.”
I didn’t can it, or any other putt, but we practically ran them (Keith Matthews and hurler Bryant) right off the golf course. From 10 to 14 feet out, this Mr. Anderson apparently has yet to miss his first putt.