The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-06-16
TANKS, RED SOX IN HARD DRIVE FOR LEADERSHIP
Win Over Teller Puts Pre- season FavOrites "In
 There"; Dodgers Lose
BY GEORGE KIRKsEY

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 New York, June 16-(UP)-Turn on the sirens and rush for the storm cellars because here comes the Yankees, hotter than forest fire at high noon.
 With seven straight victories and two in a row over the league-lead- ing Cleveland Indians, Joe McCar- thy,s men have served notice that they mean to take over the Amer ican league stronghold any day now. The Tanks trumped Bob Fel- Ter Saturday, Al, and then came back Sunday before 43,062 in Yan- kee stadium to vanquish the In- dians again, 3-2.
 Red RufYing, winning his seventh game and his third from Cleveland, would have had a shutout if Joe Gordon hadn't dropped a pop fly in the eighth to let the Tribe make two unearned runs. Joe DiMag- gio's 18th homer provided the win. ming run. It extended DiMaggto's hitting streak to 28 straight games, within one of the Yankee club rec. ord held by Roger Pecknpaugh, present Cleveland manager, and Earl Combs, Yankee coach.
 Won 12 of IS
 And right behind the Tanks come the Red Sox. They are all ablaze themselves right now, with 12 vic. tories In thei rlast l5 games. By knocking off the White Sox twice, s-6 and GA, the Red Sox moved within 3 1-2 games of the Indians. Another Sunday pitchers duel be- tween those two grand old men of mound, Lefty Grove and Ted Lyons, blew up. Grove retired in the fourth after being hit on the pitch- ing arm by drive from Kuhel's bat. Lyons went the route but was rapped for IS hits. Homers by Doerr and Williams (No. 12) paced the Red Sox attack in the nightcap.
 Over in the National league, the boys are getting ready to call out the fire laddtes to stop the red-hot Reds, who've finally found the win- ming touch. With eight victories in their last nine stars, the worlds champs have moved into third place, nine games off the pace. They knocked of the Giants twice Sum- day, 5-2 and 6-3. Elmer Riddle won his fifth straight in the opener, Mel Otis windI-blown fly which went for homer (No 16) with mate on robbing hdm of a shutout. In the nightcap, the Reds spotted the Giants a 80 lead in the first and came on to win like champs. Bucky Walters won his seventh game, and allowed only one man to reach third and only one to reach second after the first inning. Bill Werber's homer tied 1t and Ernie Roy drove in the winning run.
 Cards Two Up
 A crowd of 34,543, the largest in St. Louis since 1889, saw the Dodgers and Cardinals cut each others throats In q twin bill, leaving st. Louis with two-gar1ie league lead. Kirby Higbe held the Cards to seven hits ard Brooklyn won the opener, 8-1, but Ernie White, rookie southpaw, pitched a two-hitter to give the Cards a SO victory in the nightcap. Pete Reiser, Dodgers outfielder who Is leading the league in hitting, twisted his ankle in the nightcap and probably will be laid up 10 days.
 Claude Passeau pitched the Cubs to 6 6-0 shutout over the Phillies. but 42-year-old Charlie Root was plastered for eight runs in the sixth inning of the second game and the tailenders coppedI the nightcap, 8-4.
 Bill Posede! pitched the Braves to 8 5-1 victory over the Pirates. Rain halted the nightcap after two inn- ings with Pittsburgh on top, 10.
 Although they broke even with Washington, the Tigers slipped in- to fourth place in the American league ahead of the White Sox who Slumped to fifth. Sid Hudson out- pitched Hal Newhouser to give the Senators 7-5 win in the opener but the Tigers copped the six-inning rightcaL (called by darkness). Az. Bruce Campbell homered with one on to tie the score and Mullins double drove in two more.
 An eight-run rally in the eighth enable the Athletics to come from behind and trim the Browns, 10-4. Bob Johnson hit homer No. 13 with one on. The second game was post poned because of wet grounds.
 YESTERDAYS HERO = Ernie White. Cards rookie southpaw, who handed the Dodgers their second shutout of the season with a three- Elk aan4.Ke,a.raa a Hann aa Gi Yniala snIs.sa