The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-05-06
EASTERN CLUBS TO TEST STRENGTH
 OF CLEVELAND
Schedule Puts Two Tough Weeks Ahead for Indians
 Schulme rick's Bat Beat Phils
BY LEO HI. PETERSEN

United Press Staff Correspondent.) New York, May 6.-(UP)-The championship aspiration of the Cleveland Indians. current American league leaders, will be put to se- were test during the ensuing fort night.
 After two more sectional contests against the St Louis Browns, the
 Clevelanders must play host to the four Eastern clubs of the league in
 IA games. With the eastern con- tingent including Philadelphia. Washington and New York--clubs | rated first, second and third re- spectively in preseason estimates the intersectional play will furnish the first accurate indication of the
 Indians ability.
 Came Up Strong. Cleveland and New York, runner | up in the present race, have been the dark horse teams of the race. l Cleveland has won 12 games and lost
 six to gain two-game lead over, the
 Yankees, but this record is dis
 counted in many quarters because | the Indians's competition has been
 limited to the reputedly "weak sis ters" of the league-Chicago St
 Louis and Detroit.
 Boston is the only weak club in | the eastern group, and it is interest | ing to note that half of the ten vic- tories which have given the Yam
 kees second place have been won | from the Red Sox.
 Cleveland increased. it's lead yes- terday by defeating St Louis, II to 6, and hopes to add two more triumphs
 over the Browns and four straight i from Boston before meeting Wash ington, Philadelphia and New York | in that order. Heavy hitting offset
 weak pitching in the contest with St Louis. the Indians pounding four | hurlers for 17 hits. while the Browns were gathering IA safeties off Hard- CT, Thomas and Wes Terrell. New York returned to second place by defeating Washington, IS to 8. It was the first Yankee victory
 in six starts against the Senators this season and New York celebrated by | mauling four Washington hurlers
 for 19 hits, including four doubles
 and homers by Gehrig and Reese.
 The defeat dropped Washington | from second to fifth place. | Almost Shutout. The world champion Philadelphia
 Athletics moved into third place | when George Earnshaw turned in a six hit performance and defeated Boston. to 1. The Red Sox's lone
 run was made on Webb's homer in the seventh inning
 Donie Bush's Chicago White Sox
 played errorless ball for the first time in nine starts and pounded out II hits to- defeat Detroit, to g. Neither Frasier or Sullivan, the starting pitchers. lasted the game
 out and the veteran Red Faber. spit
 ball star, received credit for the vic
 tory.
 First division clubs made a clean sweep in National league competi
 tion. New York defeating Brooklyn. to 0; Chicago trouncing Cincin-
 nati, to 4 and Boston nosing out Philadelphia, 5 to 4. The league leading St Louis Cardinals and fifth
 place Pittsburg Pirates were not scheduled.
 Another One.
 Fred Fitzsimmons shutout the Brooklyn Robins with three hits to register his fourth victory of 1881. The Giants pounded Clark and Gal
 livan for IA hits.
 Les Sweetland, Phillies castoff, pitched the Chicago Cubs to their tenth consecutive victory over Gin cinnati-erstwhile Cubs jinx. Sweet land was given an eight run lead in
 the first three innings and coasted to victory.
 Wes Schulmerick's bat gave Bos- ton its victory over Philadelphia.
 The costly coast league rookie hom- cred In the sixth when the Braves were trailing 4 to 1 and drove in the
 winning run in the ninth with a triple.