Evening star., 1943-09-27
Due for Stealing Homer onors Spice Waning A. Season
Leg Hurt, Theft.PaceI
Case May Miss Race
With Moses Toniqht

The Mats prospects of capturing
second place and the nice folding
money that goes with it are en-
hanced by mathematics that show
Cleveland would be forced to cap
ture five of its remaining eight
games to finish in the runnerup
spot even should Washington lose It's
final seven engagements.
A notoriusly poor road club, Cleve-
land can move into second place
only through a spectacular squirt
coupled with a complete collapse by
the Mats. Should Washington
snatch four of its last seven games,
the Indians could do no better than
tie for second by winning eight
straight.
Washington's 31z-game lead over
Cleveland appears formidable, but
less secure is the base-stealing lead
of the Mats George Case, who stole
three bases in the second game of
yesterdays doubleheader with the
White Sox at Griffith STADIUM. The
Mats dropped 1873 decision in the
opener before annexing the night
cap, So, before $4,000 customers.
Leg Ailment Bothers Case.
Cases three thefts boosted his
total steals for the season to 56, one
ahead of Chicago's Wally Moses.
Each has seven games remaining to
play, including tonights twilight
night doubleheader starting at $50
o'clock, but Case is handicapped by
a severely swollen left leg which may
necessitate his being benched.
George has aggravated a pulled
muscle in his left thigh. Until yes
terday the leg was taped heavily,
but George discarded the bandages
to insure more running freedom and
consequently his leg is puffed badly.
He was dubious about being able to
play tonight after Furnishing his lame
leg in overcoming Moses advantage.
Chiefly responsible for the Mats
second game triumph was Case, who
contributed three of Washington's
eight hits and scored three runs in
addition to stealing third base in
the first inning and second base in
the third and seventh innings.
The Mats pounded Johnny
Humphries for three runs in the
third inning as Case singled, Mickey
Vernon doubled and Jake Powell
and Sherry Robertson singled, but
the White Sox bounced back with
two runs off Mickey Haefner in the
fifth on walk and three singles.
Haefner in Fine FettIe.
Cases double and outfeld flies by
Vernon and Powell produced a AZ
lead against Bill Swift in the Mats
half of the fifth and Washington
added its final run in the seventh
when Case singled, stole second,
to third as Vernon grounded
out and scored after Powell flied
out.
In annexing his 18th victory Haef-
ner allowed only seven hits, stopping
the White Sox with two in the final
four frames.
That first game was exceedingly
embarrassing for the Mats, for in
the fourth inning Chicago urloaded
10 hits for 13 runs against Early
Wynn, Jim Mertz and Bill Lefebvre.
The White Sox poured home run,
two triples, a double and six singles
into that inning and rurther hu-
inflated Washington by stealing
four bases, including negotiation of
a triple steal.
Smith Coasts to Win.
Pitcher Ed Smith, who contrib
uted single and home run to the
frantic fourth, got along very well
with that 1870 lead, which was
boosted to $50 proportions in the
sixth as Skeeter Webb doubled
across Ralph Hodgin and Joe KuheI,
who had singled. Smith permitted
II hits, while Chicago n,angled
Washington pitching for II.
Milo Candini and Johnny Mig
ceiling are slated to hurl for the
Mats tonight as Chicago and Wash
ington meet for the final time this
season. Thus far the White Sox
have won IL of 20 games with the
Mats. H.