Evening star., 1942-05-29
Hubmen Lose Z
Of Last II TiIts,
Most on Tour
Gordon Gusts Doerr
As Batting Leader;
Cards Nip Pirates
BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Sports Writer


The Boston Red Sox come close
to being the worst road team in the
major league and this malady, which
has kept them from resembling PEN
nant contenders in the past, now has
placed even their first division berth
in jeopardy.
The Red Seekers are a real first
class outfit in Fenway Park at
Boston. It's only when they venture
away from those friendly fences
that they stumble.
The Cronin clouters have lost y
of their last IT encounters, all but
three away from home.
This slump, which contrasts with
Bostons feat in winning IA Of its
first 81 games while playing mostly
at home, has dropped the club within
a game of the birthplace st. Louis
Browns.
Another result of last nights de-
feat in Washington was the loss of
the American League batting leader
ship by Bobby Doerr, who had been
hitting above 400 till this week
Last night he dropped to .379, three
points behind Joe Gordon Of the
New York Yankees.
Gordon's Hit Beats As.
Gordon extended his current hit
ting streak to 13 games yesterday
and won 80 decision for the world
champions over the Philadelphia
Athletics by rapping single with
the bases loaded and the score tied
in the ninth. The Yanks were held
to six hits by Jack Knott, but Rookie
Hank Borowy kept the AS in check
even though giving nine.
Virgil (Fire) Trucks, strikeout
king of the international League
last year, pitched his first complete
game for the Detroit Tigers and held
the Cleveland Indians to four hits
for So victory. Trucks famed six,
but allowed homer by Roy Wealth
erly.
The st. Louis Browns rallied for
four runs in the eighth inning to
beat the Chicago White Sox, ga, and
gain their sixth victory in seven
games. A double by Rick Ferrell
knocked in the deciding runs.
The Brooklyn Dodgers set down
the Boston Braves again, Ga, with
Kirby Higbe pitching seven-hit ball
and choking off Boston rally that
netted three runs in the ninth, two
on homer by Max West. Higbe
struck out Pinchhitter Ernie Lom-
bardi to end the uprising.
Cards Win in Eleventh.
The st. Louis Cardinals took ad-
vantage of this outcome to
strengthen their hold on second place
in the National League with a 80
eleven-inning triumph over the fall
tering Pittsburgh Pirates, who now
have lost IL Of their last IS games
Till the ninth, another triumph
loomed for the Cooper brothers on
the strength of Morris strong pitch
ing and two-run homer by Catcher
Walker Cooper in the fourth. But
the Pirates put across the tying run
in the ninth and brought John
Beazley on the scene for his second
relief victory in two days. Two safe
bunts and a sharp single by Frank
Crespi scored the winning run in
the eleventh.
The second bunt, by Martin
Marion, resulted in close play at
first, bringing an argument that
caused Elbie Fletcher to be banished
and an angry fan to come onto the
field and attack Umpire Tom Dunn
after the game-although Umpire
ziggy Sears ruled on the play.
Big Bill Lee, making a fine come
back this season, achieved his sew
enth victory by holding the Cinci-
natti Reds to six hits while the
Chicago Cubs forged to a 2-1 tri-
umph in II innings. Lee himself
knocked in the winning run with
long fly.