The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-23
CLEVELAND LEAD CUT DOWN AGAIN
 BY N. Y. YANKEES
Champs Scalp Indians l5- 2; Rookie Hurler Blanks
 Brooklyn so
BH GEORGE KIRKSEY United Press Staff Correspondent)

Bx GEORGE klHkSEY
 United Press Staff Correspondent)
 New York, Aug. 2S.-tUP)-Are the Cleveland Indians going to wilt under pressure and blow Che Ameri- can league pennant? If you had seen them lose to the Yankees yes- terday, 15-2. you'd answer yes and positively.
 The Indians are playing like 8 club with a heavy load on its mind. they were going to rip the Tanks They started out yesterday like they were going to rip the Tanks apart. Roy Weatherly hit a homer and Boudreau singled in the first off Lefty Russo. Then Ketner ana Mack led off with singles in the second. Then came the break Hemsley lined to Crosetti and Mack was doubled off first. If Hemsley,s drive had been a couple of feet to the left or right, it would have been good for two bases and two runs and Russo would have been hanging on the ropes.
 Instead Russo got out of the in- ming without any damage and it was the Indians who fell apart in the Yankee second. Al Milnar walked Selkirk and Dickey sent him to third with single. Dahlgren popped to Trosky Then Crosetu hit a double play grounder to Milnar. It was exactly the kind of play the Indians were praying for. Yet Mill mar had brainstorm, got nobody out and one run came in. He looked at the plate, then looked at first, then at second and finally decided to throw to second. When he did he heaved the ball into center field, After Russo's single drove in Dickey. Milnar got another chance to make a double play on Gordon's bounder to the box. Again he hesitated but this time he threw true and Mack dropped the ball. When the fire was finall put out the Tanks had nine runs. Joe DiMaggio's homer with the bases loaded was the pay off blow.
 Hot Tempers
 A list fight was narrowly averted when Manager Witt took Milnar out Of the box in the big second inning uprising. As Milnar passed the first base coaching box Earl Combs, Yankee coach, passed a re- mark and the Cleveland southpaw started for him. Quick action by the umpires broke up the impending battle but tempers flared again a few minutes later and Combs and Luke Sewell, Indians coach, almost came to blows.
 The Red Sox continued their fav- orite pastime of blowing big leads wa ssquandering a 6-run advantage and losing a 10-inning affair to he Tigers, SIS. The victory snapped the Tigers 6-game losing streak and reduced the Indians lead to AZ games. After the Bosox had ham, mered Buck Newsom to cover, Fred Hutchinson held Boston to four hits In 8 1-3 innings and drove in the winning runhimself with an infield hit.
 Bin Werber,s 18th homer in the ninth inning enabled the Reds to nose out the Bees, 3-2, and extend their National league lead to 6H games.
 Morton Cooper hurled the Car finals into a third place tie with the Giants by defeating the Phillies. go. Johnny Mize hit homer No. 36 with TWO mates on base.
 Giants Split
 The Giants outlasted the Pirates Q win the opener, 5-4, in l2 in- aings but Pittsburgh won the night zap, 40 behind Truett Sewell's 5. lit pitching.
 The Dodgers lost their fourth 'traight in the west by lowing to he Cubs. so. Verne Olsen held ne Dodgers hitles suntil the sey- nth when Medwick and yosmik ingled. Then the Cub rookie south- 'aw retired six men in order in the 'th and 9th innings. The victory 'ictory placed the Cubs in a 5th 'lace tie with the Pirates.
 Johnny Berardino collected five ngles In five trips to pace the St. ,ouis Browns to an 8-4 victory over he Philadelphia Athletics before .l54 at Shibe park last night,
 YESTERDAYS HERO-.Verne oI- en, Cups rookie southpaw who dtched hitless ball for six innings nd beat the Dodgers, 5-O, allowing my two hits, one of them a tricky ounoer through an infielder.