Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-07
SEE FLAG CHANCE
IN 3GAME SWEEP
Bump WaIberg to Win First
of Crucial Series, 5-3.
N. L. Leaders Idle.
BY HUGH S. FULLERTON, yR.,
AsEnciated Press spnrts WrIter.

DROSPECTS for development
of an exciting pennant race
i look very slim when, =
crucial" series starts with
the challenging team is games
behind the league leader. But If
the New York Yankees have any
thing to say about it, Rhiladel-
phia'S Athletics aren't going TO
win the flag again without a real
battle.
The Yanks started what appears to
be their Enal challenge yesterday in the
opener OF a three-game series with the
As. Figuring that If they could win all
three they might have chance to over
haul the leaders. the Yanks we're out to
win, and they staggered through to =
5-to-3 SiEtory, which left them only Il
games behind Philadelphia and exactly
where they started in relation to the
second place washington club.
WAlberg WaIloped.
The Yanl1s jumped on Rube walberg
in the first inning, punching three hits
with as many walks for four runs. But
they could not score again until the
nth, when Babe Ruth dropped his
thirtieth homer of the year into the
right field bleachers. Vernon Gomez
pitc6ed fine game until the ninth,
when the AS got to him for two runs
with none out, and Henry johnson was
called to the rescue. Johnson struck
cut two men and forced Eric McNair to
pop up with the bases loaded.
washington, meanwhile, had an easy
time defeating the Boston Red Sox, Is
TO l, TO retain Its place, games ahead
OF the Yanks and IL behind the Attn
letics.
The rest OF the American League
teams. which range from 251a to 37Is
games behind first place, continued to
Tight in lively manner among them
selves. The fourth-place Cleveland In
dams came through to q 4-to-3 tri-
uinph over the tail-end Detroit Tigers
when Vic Sorren. successor to Art Her
ring, walked four Inen in the ninth
inning and forced in the winning run.
Chicago took 7-to-6 decision from the
ST. Louis Browns on the strength Of
seventh inning rally for four runs. A
homer by Carl Reynolds was the fin-
ishing blow
Giants Lose Chance.
With the first two teams in the Ma
tional League idle, the New York Giants
lost q good chance to gain when they
allowed the PhillieS to take 6-to-4 de-
cision- Each team made ID hits, but
Fred Blake, the Chicago cast-off. kept
the Giants blows well spread out to
record his third straight victory for the
Philg.
Brooklyn's Robins were more sue
cessful, landing on Ben CantweIl for
four runs in the first inning and hold
ing that margin to defeat the Boston
Braves, Z to 3. Old Adoifo Luque
gained credit for the victory when be
relieved Babe Phelps with the bases fun
and two Boston runs across in the fifth
and prevented further scoring by The
Braves. The first three Brooklyn bas-
tiers. Frederick, Bissonette and Herman,
collected eight of the Robins is hits.
After going seven games without .
win and taking four siIutout defeats
from the Pittsburgh Pirates In the
course Of the losing streak, the Cin-
cinnati Reds finally came through with
three runs of Glenn Spencer in the
eighth inning Of yesterdays clash with
the Buccaneers and won by q 3-to-2
count Spencer contributed a three
base error to his defeat after giving
two doubles in the big inning.