The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-06-19
WESTERN TOUR TO DECIDE AMERICAN
 LEAGUE WINNER
Senators and Athletics Look Like Certain One- two Teams-Card Edge Out Braves 5 to 4
BY LEO H. PETERSON United Press Staff Correspondent)


 New York, June 19-Philadelphia and Washington renewed their battle for the American league leadership in the west today.
 The pace-setting Athletics, holding a two and one half game advantage over Washington, opened their sec- ond western invasion against Chtca- go while the Senators took on Sieve land. Washington faces the hardest schedule for the club must play IT games in IA days against the four western teams while the Aathletics have one less contest carded during the same period.
 Games Ahead
 Following five games in four days at Cleveland the Senators go to De- troit for four tilts in three days; Chicago for four contests in five days and St Louis for three encounters in as many days. After the four game series over the same number of days at Chicago, the Athletics play St Louis five times in four days; Detroit four times in four days and Cleve- land three times in as many days.
 Both Washington and Philadelphia have had astonishing success against the four western clubs, from the White Sox, Indians, Tigers and the Browsn, the Senators have won "A of 27 contests while from the same teams the Athletics have taken 23 games while dropping three. Unless the westarn clubs can stop them on the current invasion, the Athletics and Senators will make the Ameri- can league race such a runaway af- fair that nothing short of a miracle could keep them form finishing one- two.
 While the American league clubs were travelling yesterday, the western teams of the National league began their second invasion of the east.
 Close Enough
 The St Louis Cardinals retained their three-game margin over New York by coming from behind to nose out Boston, to 4. Ed Brandt, star Boston southpaw, held the Cardinals scoreless for the first six innings while his mates piled up a three-run lead off Johnson. The Cardinals tied it up off Brandt in the seventh before he retired, however, and added an- other marker in the same frame off Haid. Chic Hafey's home run ac- counted for the final St Louis tally while the Braves threatened in the ninth and had the tying and win ming runs on bases when Stout, who had relieved Johnson after the latter was removed for pinch hitting, re- tired the side.
 Carl Dit It
 The scond place Giants kept pace by turning back Pittsburg, 3 to 1 behind the splendid hurling of Cary Hubbell. Hubbell allowed only six hits and the Pirate run was due to errors by Jackson and Terry in the first inning. New York made the most of it's nine hits off Larry French.
 Brooklyn and Chicago split a double-header, the Robins winning the opened to and the Cubs the aftermath 8 to o. Dazzy Vance was hit hard in the first contest but was effective in the pinches striking out II Cub batters. In the second game Pat Malone allowed the Robins only five scattered hits, three of which went to Herman.
 Four successive walks allowed Philadelphia to defeat Cincinnati. 5 to 4. The Phillies went into the ninth with the score tied but after one man was retired the next four batters were issued bases on balls to force the winning run.