The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-05
REDS MUST FIGHT
 HARD TO HOLD NATIONAL LEAD
Leonard, Senator's Pitch. CT, beats Yanks Three
 Straight Games
BY GEORGE KIRKsEY


 United Press Staff Correspondent
 New York, July 5.-(UP)-Once upon a time baseball tradition de- creed that the two clubs leading the major league races on July would go on to win the pennants, but that old gag doesn't go any more.
 In the past five years only one club, the Yankees, has led on July 4 and won the pennant. Every National league leader on Inde- pendence day the past five years has blown the pennant, and twice the Tanks themselves passed the July 4 milestone on top and then were beaten to the wire.
 So just because the Yankees and Reds were riding high today does not mean that they'll cross bats in October. It's inconceivable that the Tanks can blow their lead of 11h games, but the Reds lead of five games will take plenty of pro- tecting.
 Cincinnati missed great oppor- tunity yesterday to dig deep into first place when the Reds lost the second game of a doubleheader to the Pirates. With the other con- tenders falling all over themselves, the Reds, after winning the opener, 7-4, were in position to draw six games in front. Johnny Wander Nicer had a 2-0 lead going into the sixth, a 3-2 lead in the 8th, but Johnny Rizzo's homer tied the count and Pittsburgh won in the ninth, 4-3, on Mace Browns double and single by Bell and Vaughan.
 The Giants fell flat twice in Boston, losing to the Bees, S-1 and 1O-2. Heinie Majeski's hitting won the first game for Danny MacFay- den, and an eight-run outburst in the 8th clinched the nightcap. It was the Bees sixth straight vic- tory.
 The Cardinals and Cubs battled to stand-off, with St. Louis win- ming the opener GA, despite three homers by Hank Leiber. and Chi- cago taking afterpiece in 10 innings 3-2. Gabby Hartnett's homer tied the score in the 8th inning of the nightcap and Gus Mancuso's single drove in the winning tally in the 10th.
 Brooklyn captured both games from the Phillies, 6-3, and 8-6, cor1- ing from behind in both games. Rookie Art Parks double with the bases loaded in the 8th won the second game.
 Emil (Dutch) Leonard made the Tanks jump through hocps for the third straight time this stAson as Washington whipped the champions, 3-2. in the opening game of their twin bill. Leonard gave up only six hits. The Tanks unIimbered their heavy artillery in the night cap for an 11-l triumph.
 The Red Sox went "base-hit crazy" as they hammered out 35 hits to pummel the Athletics, l7-7 and 1s-i2. Jim Tabor recently reinstated after a three-day sus- pension by Manager Joe Cronin. tied a major league record by driving in nine runs on three homers. two of them with the bases loaded. He also hit homer in the opener, giving him four for the day.
 Buck Newsom let the Indians down with three hits as Detroit blanked Cleveland. 40. It was Newsom's 9th win. The second game was rained out.
 The White Sox triumphed twice over the Browns, "a and "A, both teams playing without their man. agers, Jimmy Dukes and Fred Ha. ney who are under suspension by the league. John Rigney pitched four-hit ball in the opener. A five run rally in the ninth featured by Ollie Bejma's second homer of the nightcap, gave the White Sox a clean sweep.