Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-14
LEAD0 OF CARDINALS
CUT TO | Z GAMES
Giants Now as Formidable
for Redbirds as AS Are
for Yankees.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
- CHOEs of 1903 are heard along
L. the base ball stretch, as major
league teams thunder on toward
IL what now looms as the greatest
dual finish since the memorable
season of .Merkle's failure to touch Sec
ond. Detroit won Ban Johnson's PEN
nant by half game 20 years ago. while
the Cubs broke tie in the standing
with the Giants only by defeating the
clan McGraw, 4 to 2, In play-of the
day after the regular season closed.
Hard campaigning in the next two
weeks may loosen the 1928 races, but
for the moment, John Heydler'S three
contenders are more closely punched
than were the Giants, the Cubs and the
Pirates at corresponding stage of tine
1908 struggle. The American League
today has only two teams in the run
ming, against the four which battled 20
wears ago, but the Yankees and the
Athletics promise to make up In drama
what they lack in numbers.
THE National League situation be-
came even more tense yesterday, when
Sheriff Fred Blake led the Cubs to
6-to-1 triumph over the pace-settlng
Cardinals. as the Giants swept third
straight double header from under the
nose of Rogers Hornsby at. Boston. The
clan McGraW took the opener eased up
behind Larry Benton's fine pitching.
IL to 2. and then fought to the finish
for the second, to 6.
Giants, Cubs Close Up.
This turn of events hauled the Giants
up to within one and one-halt games
of the Cardinals. with the CUPS only
half a rane further down the liet in
third place. The American League SIT
nation remained unchanged. OF course,
with both of the leaders idle ana the
Yankees on top by margin OF one ana
one-half games.
blake not only held the Cardinals to
4 hits hut collected half that number
with his own bat, as Cuyler, English
and Hartnett led a vicious assault upon
old Clarence Mitchell and sylvester
Johnson. The Cub toll was IA SAFE
drives for 20 bases before Fred FRANK
house appeared on the scene IN tne
eighth to retire the last Chicago oatteF'
The game. specially play
August 90. was started at 1880 o'clock
before $4,000 fans. the record National
League midweek gathering. The VIC:
torv gave the Cubs an even division oil
their % games against the Cardinals.
Immediately after the game both teams
rushed to special train. which bore
them East for their final invasion.
The Giants continued their hard-f1it-
ting at Boston. getting Is safe drives In
the opener and Is in the nightcap Les.
lie Mann and Travis Jackson puncned
out homers early in the first clash, max
ing Benton's road all the more easy 10
his twenty-fourth victory ana ms
twenty-sixth complete game. Joe
Cenewich. Jim Faulkner and Carl Hub
bell were called upon before the sec
ond victory was tossed into the Giant
bat bag.
In the remaining National League en-
pagement Yesterday, the Robins closed
out their seasons business in Phlladel-
phia by winning 10 to 0. Jim Elliott
duplicated Watson Clark's feat OF enter
inc the box with only 48 hours rest to
give the Phils hits. The two teams
have one more game against each other,
the final day of the season in Brooklyn
Giants Facing Record.
II the Giants can sweep their re-
manning double-header against the
Braves today they not only will have
set a new major league record Tor all
time in winning four consecutive barr
gain bills, but will have exacted their
full toll from the two tail enders after
a rather poor start. against Boston IN
particular. John McGraw already has
closed out his seasons series against
the Phillies with II victories and de-
feats and to date has won IA and lost
only 6 in competition against Boston.
The Giant chieftain always held that
remnants we're won not from rival con-
tenders. but from second division CLUBS,
which yielded the victors their margin
On this basis, the Cardinals should take
the flag Since they are certain to per-
form at least a shade better against
the Braves and the Phils than the
Giants have performed, but this may
be one pennant to be decided on hand
to-hand fighting.
The Cardinals now face the pleasant
prospect of Ave games in Philadelphia,
but next must invade the Polo Grounds
for a double header on September 20
and a single game two days later.
After meeting Brooklyn and Boston In
seven battles, the Red Birds then will
return to the Polo Grounds for single
contest on September 80, closing the
season. The Giants have won IL out
of 10 from McKechnies club to date.
Action in the American League yes
terday was confined to the victory of
the Browns over the White Sox at st.
Louis The game was notable chiefly
for Heinie Manush's batting spree,
which Melted him perfect afternoon
of home run. a double and two singles.
His average jumped points to .37l, l
point above Gehrig and behind Cos
lin, the leader.
POT0MACS WILL ROW