The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-08
CINCINNATI UP NEAR NATIONAL LEAGUE LEADERS
Brooklyn Badly Beaten By Cards High School
 Boy Bests Yanks
By GEORGE KIRKsEY United Press tSaff Correspondent

United Press tSafR Correspondent)
 New York, May 8. (UP)-Bill Mc- Kechnie, in recognizing that deli- cate combination of pitching, hit- ting and defense makes champion, holds that a .260 hitter who can save bal games in the field is more valuable than .320 hitter who cannot run, field and throw.
 McKechnie has put his theories into practice with the Cincinnati Reds. Last year, the Reds had a weak spot at third and Bill Wer- Der was purchased to plug the gap This year, rockies Mike Mccormick, who may not hit oxer .275. Has added defensive setrength to the outfield.
 Now the Reds are getting the pitching and superlative defense to back 1t up. That is why they are only half a game out of first place today despite the sensational spurt of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Reds won their fifth straight yesterday by forcing the Giants crack under pressure. It was the 10th game of l4 played In which the Reds have played errorless ball, and their sixth straight without q fielding miscue.
 With the Giants leading, 6-5 after Harry Danning's second homer with a mate on, the Reds pulled away to win, 7-6. Tn the eighth, with two Eddie Joost and Lonnie Frey at- tempted double steal. Joost smashed into Danning and scored when the New York catcher drop ped Alban Glossop's return throw to the plate. Then Frank McCorm. icks single scored Frey with the winning run.
 Up and Down
 It's either a feast or q famine with the Dodgers. They blew sky high again to lose their second game in l3 starts, an l8-2 thrash ing from the Cardinals. The Cards smashed out seven homers, and tled one l3 extra base hits) and broke one (29 total bases) major league recorl. Johnny Mize and Rookie Eddie Lake each hit two homers.
 Pearson hurled the Phillies to q To shutout over the cubs, with the winning run scored when Catcher Al Todd let the third strike get away on what should have been the third out. The Bees handed the Pirates their seventh straight de- feat, 1l-9, dropping FrankieS Frlsch,s crew into the cellar.
 Lou Finney continued his "hotlGe atlre" hitting, in the role of sub for Dom DiMaggio. and led the Red Sox to a GA victory over the 1n- dians. Finney hit two doubles and tow singles. driving 'n three runs and scoring another. Lefty. Grove was the winner. although he was relieved by Herbie Hash in the eighth
 DiMaggio Back
 Detroit went into second place by clustering q Az defeat on the Yanks. It was the Yank's fourth straight loss an ddropped them into a tie with the White Sox for last place. Joe DiMaggio returned to action, but failed to aid the falter- ing Yankee attack. Hal Newhouser, Detroit High school boy who won't be 10 until May 20, baffled the Tanks until he was forced out Of action in the ninth by bleeding blister on his pitching hand.
 The Senators snapped Q five game losing streak with 6.5 victory over the Browns in 10 innings. John Whitehead's wild pitch accounted for the winning run. Gee Walker slashed out four hits in five trips.
 Four unearned runs helped the White Sox beat the Athletics, 6-3, Jack Knott and Pete Appleton coin- bined 10 hold the As to five hits.
 YESTERDAYS HERO--Hal New houser, Detroit's kid southpaw who became the eight crooked arm hurl- CT to beat the Tanks this season.