The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-10
WEAKER CLUBS MAKE II TOUCH
 FOR LEADERS
Three American League TOp-NOtchers Knocked
 Off Yesterday
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent)
 New York, Aug. 10. (UP)-The first three teams in the American League will testify today that the club with an attitude of every thing to gain and nothing to lose" makes for tough opposition.
 The leading Detroit Tigers, the runner-up Cleveland Indians and the third-place Boston Red Sox all fell yesterday before clubs not given much more than a mathematical chance of copping the pennant.
 Clipped for five runs by the Bos- ton Red Sox. in three innings, the Washington Senators came from behind to score 8 ninth inning, 6-5 victory. Relief Pitcher Joe having filled the bases by walking Buddy Myer in the ninth and then forced in the tying run with another walk. Rick Terrell won the game with a fly that went over Roger Cramer's head in left field.
 The Tigers went down before the Chicago White Sox, 3-2, before 36,713. Ed Smith, portly Chicago southpaw, held the Tigers to five hits and then after two unearned Tiger runs had tied the score in the seventh, he began the winning rally in the ninth. He led off with 8 sin- gle, advanced on a sacrifice and went home on Mike Kreevich's double.
 Indians Taken
 The hard-playing St. Louis Browns handed Cleveland a costly defeat, 4-3 before 2,588. The Indians had the game almost in the bag, leading 80 going into the home half of the seventh with Mel Harder apparently in control. St. Louis scored once in their half of the seventh, however, and then tied it on Walt Judnich's Fist homer with one on. In the ninth, Gift doubled, harder was yanked in favor Qf Eisenstat, Heffner bunted safely and swift won the game with g single.
 The Tanks found the Yankee Stadium welcome relief after their stormy road trip G won, 12 lost for one of the worst records in Yankee history and came up with a 20 triumph over the Athletics. But the hard-luck jinx kept trailing the Tanks in victory as Red Ruff ing, who started the game pulled 8 muscle in his left hip and had to retire in the third. Ruffing allowed one hit and Steve Sundra, who re- lieved him, gave up only one more during the last six and thirds innings.
 Reds Five Up
 Cincinnati kept its five-game Ma tional League lead intact with a 7-2 night game victory over St. Louis before 28,325. Gene Thomp- son, out of action since he was spiked on July g, hurled an eight hitter for his 11th win.
 The Pittsburgh Pirates replaced the Cubs in fourth place, just two games away from the Giants, by scoring their eighth straight win, 6-2, over the Bruins in night game played before 29,978. Rip Sewell held the Cubs to four hits for his fourth straight and 10th win.
 The Brooklyn Dodgers have had only three complete, winning pitch ing performances this month and Whit Wyatt furnished all of them. The tall, Bald Georgia righthander scored his 18th victory and fourth in a row yesterday when he blanked the Bees, To. Wyatt not only held the Bees to four hits, outpitching Dick Erickson, but he scored the winning run. He singled in the 8th and scored on hits by Dixie Walker and Babe Phelps.
 YESTERDAYS HERO Plump Ed Smith, who pitched and batted the hustling Chicago White Sox to a five-hit, 3-2 victory over the lead- ing Detroit Tigers.