The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-05-25
BIG LEAGUE RACES HAVE FANS ON EDGE.
 AS LEADERS BATTLE.
Yanks Open Five Game Series With Champions Cards, Giants Tied But St Louis Leads Cubs Drop Another
BY LEO H. PETERSEN United Press Staff Correspondent)


 United Press Staff Correspondent)
 New York, May 25.-(UP)-Man- ager Joe Mccarthy led his New York Yankees to Philadelphia to-day for a five-game series against the world champion Athletics, which will go a long way toward deciding the 1881 American league penannt race.
 The Athletics riding on the crest of 15-game winning streak, have visions of a clean sweep over their most dangerous rivals and if this ambition is realized the Yankees will be virtually out of the fighting. Con- nie Macks team now is running like a well oiled machine and has not lost a game since May 4.
 On Their Game.
 With the pitching staff of Grove, Earnshaw, Walberg and Rommel in top form and the hitters setting a fast pace. the As believe they have an excellent chance of equaling the American league record of 19 con- secutive victories established by Chi cago in 1906 and the major league record of 26 in row made by the New York Giants in 1916.
 New York's initial attempt to shat ter the Philadelphia winning streak I to 3 game to the Athletics at Yam kee Stadium Sunday. Rube Walberg allowed II hits, including homers by Babe Ruth and Chapman, but was effective in the pinches, while his mates punched their ten safeties off Ruling, Pipgras and Weinert, for seven tallies.
 Jones to the Rescue.
 WaShington's Senators kept pace with the Athletics and advanced to within half-a-game of the second place Yankees, by defeating Boston, 10 to 9. Boston threatened in the ninth, scoring four runs and putting the tying counter on base, but Sad Sam" Jones went into the game and retired the side.
 The Cleveland Indians, who broke a 12 game losing streak by defeating Chicago Saturday, were unable to re- to the White Sox, 4 to and to g. peat and dropped a double header Ted Lyons, Sox pitcher, won the first game by singling with the bases filled in the eighth, and Pat Cara way held the Indians to five hits in the afterpiece.
 Detroit ran its losing streak to eight games by dropping the first game of a doubleheader to St Louis, 10 to 3, but came back to take the second contest, to l. Walter Stewart held the Tigers to six hits in the opener and Bridges, Detroit rookie, retaliated in the second game by holding St Louis to seven scat tered blows.
 St Louis and New York remained In tie for first place in the Ma tional league. The Cars dividing a doubleheader with Cincinnati and New York breaking even in two games with Boston. Although the two teams are tied Tn games won and lost St Louis still holds .013 ad- vantage in the percentage column.
 First Setback.
 Cincinnatis to victory over St Louis in the opening game, saw Burleigh Grimes taking his first de- feat of the season. The Reds pound- ed Grimes for II hits while Silas Johnson was holding the champions to six. St Louis slammed out IA hits in the second game and Jess Haines coasted to a 13 to 6 triumph.
 Clarence Mitchell, veteran south paw, hung up his fifth triumph of the season to give New York 10 to victory over Boston, but the Braves took the second game, to 0, in six innings, with Ed Brandt regis tering his seventh victory.
 Five Pitchers Hit Hard.
 Pittsburg made it two in a row over Chicago, 10 to z, and moved into fourth place with the Cubs dropping to fifth. Manager Hornsby used five pitchers in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the Pittsburg on- slaught which netted 15 hits.
 Gilbert's double and Finn's single in the tenth-inning gave the Brook lyn Robins a 10-inning decision over Philadelphia to 5. The Robins tied the count in the ninth after Phila- delphia apparently had sewed up the contest by scroing four runs on five hits in the seventh.