The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-07-24
DODGERS BLOW BIG CHANcET TO
 CLOSE RED LEAD
FIatbushers Drop Double Leader to Cincinnati;
 Milnar Beats As
By GEORGE KIRKsEY


 United Press Stan Correspondent)
 New York, July 24-(UP)-"Wait til next year." the time-worn Brook lyn battle-cry, was dusted of today and brought back to life to soothe the badly-lacerated feelings of the faithful Flatbush followers.
 Unless a miracle comes to pass you can write the Dodgers right out of the pennant race after their double thrashing by the hard-hustling Cin- cinnati Reds. The men of McKech- nie stomped the Dodgers twice, 43, in Il innings and 9-2, and are now seven games out in front. With their pitching and sound defense, the Reds aren't likely to fall apart and their lead is long enough to allow for whatever slumps they may run into.
 But if it's fighting you are talking about, the Dodgers will draw a line and start battling right now. They've put on three gang fights in five weeks. The first was with the Cardinals, growing out of the "beaning" of Joe Medwick. Manager Leo Durocher and Mickey Owen. Card catcher, came to blows. Their next pugilistic encounter was with the Cubs in Chi cago last week and started between Pitchers Hugh Casey and Claude Passeau.
 In the eighth inning of yester- days first game at Ebbetts field, Lon- nie Frey slid hard into second base and spiked Pete Coscarart, Dodger second baseman. Then the fireworks started. Frey and Coscarart slugged away and Whit Wyatt, Dodger pitch CT, got in a few blows with his gloved hand on the Cincinnati player. Wyatt apparently still is nursing a grudge against Frey for injuring His knee last year. Gene Thompson, Red Pitcher, was spiked badly on the ankle, and Bill Werber, Red third baseman, got black eye. Frey and Coscarart were banished.
 With Zeke Bonura on first the Cubs defeated the Bees, 6-1. Zeke made an inf1eld hit and walked. Ken Raffensberger, Cub rookie southpaw, gave the Be es only eight hits.
 The Cardinals beat the Phillies. 73, with Bill MeGee scoring his ninth victory despite the fact he had to retire in the sixth because of the heat. Ernie Roy, with three hits, led the Cards 14-hit attack.
 NYa1ry vnrl, H;o ,fc v@vaAS asst of a three-game losing streak behind Carl Hubbell and whipped the Pitts burgh Pirates, 9-1, before 12,428 at the Polo Grounds last night. Hub bell gave up five hits for his seventh straight victory and second success sive decision under lights.
 There were two American league night contests, the Cleveland Indians blanking the Philadelphia Athletics 10 and the St. Louis Browns de- feating the New York Yankees 9-5.
 Al Milnar bested Johnny Babich in tight pitching duel to give the Tribe their win which moved them to within half game of first place. Roy Weatherly's single drove in the | winning run which gave Milnar his | 18th victory.
 Walt Judnich's two homers paced the Browns 14-hit assault on two Yankee pitchers.
 Ken Chase, who's been having a season, showed the form expected of him when he pitched Washington to a 6-3 victory over the Tigers. The Senators southpaw allowed only seven hits (two of them homers by Bartell and YorD for his sixth win against Il defeats. Sam West, the outfielder, played first base for Washington in lieu of the departed Zeke Bonura.
 The Red Sox gave another con- vincing exhibition of "how to blow 3 lead" when they lost to the White Sox 8-7 after leading, 40, and 7-3. Julius Gemon) Solters started Herb Hash to his downfall by hitting a homer with one on in the sixth. In the next frame the White Sox damned over four runs to tie the score and then won out in the ninth when Mike Tresh's single scored 5olters, who had walked.
 YESTERDAYS HERO-Al Milrar, Cleveland southpaw, who held the As to six hits for his 18th victory of the year, 10, and moved the Tribe to within half a game of first place in the American league.