The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-24
CINCINNATI REDS SEEM CERTAIN
 OF 1 g } g FLAG
Leaders 9 Games Up After Losing GOOdman-Ted
 Lyons Stars
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY United Press Staff Correspondent

Unlted PreSS Staff correspondent
 New York, July 24-(UP)-The National League pennant will go West again--that much was dead certainty today with all four Vest ern clubs monopolizing first divi- sion. And Cincinnati seems to be the city that will land the big prize.
 The Reds have passed their big test with flying colors. Without Ival Goodman, who was injured in the all-star game, they had a high ly successful Eastern tour, winning nine and losing four. They came East with s 1-2 game lead and headed homeward today with nine-game advantage.
 If there had been any disposition on the part of the Reds to start blowing their head, the loss of Goodman, one of their most potent hitters, would have put the crusher on them. Instead, they played like champions. After losing Goodman, they also were minus the services of Ernie Lombardi, another key man, for a few games, but they rolled right along. In fact, they fortified their position by coming up with another starting pitcher, junior Thompson, who won two games in the East. Brought along slowly by Bill McKechnie, Thompson has now won his Major League spurs under fire. If McKechnie could only find out what's the matter with Johnny Wander Nicer, the Reds would be equipped for any emergency.
 It's a cinch that whatever chal- lenge the Reds get will come from the Cards, Cubs or Pirates. The Cards look like the leagues second best club. With Johnny Mize tear- ing the cover off the ball and those little fellows like Brown, Cutter ridge and Meyers running bases like wild men, the Cards have perhaps the leagues best attack The devel- opment of rookie pitchers Bob Bow man and Morton Cooper has taken up the slack in the Cards staff caused by partial letdown by Lon Warneke and Curt Davis, who car- ried the whole burden for while.
 The Cubs still lack cohesion and may have to fight hard to beat back the up-and1coming Pirates, who are riding Chuck Klein's comet.
 J. Thompson proved his mettle yesterday by beating the Phils, 5-2, in II innings. He scattered IA hits, and was at his best in the clutches. Lonnie Frey's double with the bases damned was the winning punch. Whitey Moore made 1t clean sweep for the Reds by winning the nightcap, 40, allowing only three blows.
 Using a yellow ball as an experi- ment, the Cardinals, behind Bob Bowman's brilliant pitching, slugged out 12-0 victory in the first game with Brooklyn. In the nightcap the Cards also triumped, 8-2, with re- gulation white ball. Bowman gave only three hits, and had a no-hit- ter until ,Koy singled with two out in the seventh.
 Pittsburgh divided with Boston. winning the opener, 3-2, Gall the Pirates runs were unearneD, and losing the nightcap. To Chuck Klein's hitting streak was ended at 2l games in the opener, but he came back to get two hits in the after piece. Lo uFette scored his 10th vic- tory and sixth shutout in the night cap, allowing six hits.
 The Cubs put on four-run rally in the ninth to lick the Giants, 7-5. It was the Giants ninth straight defeat, closing one of their worst home stays in history, in which they lost 10 out of Il.
 The Yankees finally collared the Red hot White Sox but not until they had taken an 8-5 licking from them in the opener before an 8. R. o. crowd of 5l,000 at Comiskey Park. Ted Lyons pitched and batted the White Sox to victory. It was no. 10 for him. Pinch-hitter Charlie Keller's single in the ninth gave the Tanks the nightcap, 5-4, snapping the White Sox six-game streak.
 The Red Sox slugged out double victory over the Browns, 13-5 and l1-3. It was the eight straight de- feat for the Browns. Doerr' hit 8 homer in the first game, and Will Hams and Foxx hit for the circuit in the second
 Cleveland beat Washington twice, 1i-2 and 4-3. Bob Teller scored his 18th victory in the opener. allowing nine hits.
 Tommy Bridges pitched the Tig- CTS to a 1893 victory over the Ath- letics. Rudy York hit homer and two singles to lead Detroit's attack.
 YESTERDAYS HERO-Ted Ly- ons, White Sox' 38-year-old veteran who held the Tanks to six hits and had a perfect day at bat, "3 for B."