The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-05-17
BOSTON BRAVES, WITHOUT CASEY, NEARING N.L.TOP
Sunday Double Win Over Reds Puts Hub Club in
 End Place; Tanks Split
BY PAUL SCHEFFELS United Press Staff COrrespondentl


 New York, May IT. - CUP) - Casey Stengel, popular manager of the amazing Boston Braves, today was the proudest and yet the most acutely embarrassed man in the major leagues.
 Stengel is on the fence in a sing ular situation. His Braves have scared into second place tie with the Cardinals in the National League on the strength of Il vic- tories in 19 starts, an achievement that is one of the most surprising developments of the infant season.
 Yet all this time Stengel has been hospitalized after a preseason auto accident and other hands have been holding the reins on the rollicking Braves. True, the cagey Casey was the one who shaped the Braves in to their present effective pattern during spring training, but it must brings a wry grin to the bedridden pilot now that substitute is sup plying the spark that's making the Hub team trave:.
 Champs
 The Braves looked like champions yesterday as they allowed the Reds only one run per game in double victory, 3-1 and 6-1, that hoisted them another notch in their current rapid climb. Red Barrett backed Cincinnati down with four hits in the first game and doubled the load ed bases to provide the winning runs in the second inning. A grand slam homer by Phil Masi in the third inning of the nightcap pro- vided the impetus behind Jim To bins seven hit mound success.
 Brooklyn increased it's pace-mak- ing margin to three games by cog ing the Cubs, 40 and 3-2.
 The Phillies split doubleheader with the Cardinals before another amazing crowd - 3O,823 - at Shibe Park. St. Louis won the first game, 4-3, but after an Thinning struggle, but the Phillies notched the night cap, 2-1.
 Manager Mel Ott homered for the third successive day as the Giants whipped the Pirates, 3-2, and then bowed 2-1. Otis four-caster game in the eighth after buster Maynard had singled to provide the winning edge in the first game.
 Going Up
 Washington's surging Senators racked up the only double win in the American League, 7-1 and 10-6, over the Tigers to climb into third.
 The Yankees slammed the BroWns, 7-3, in the first game, but bowed, 4-3, in the second (1O innings). Charley Keller clouted his fourth homer, and Rollie Hemsley slapped his first since 1941 for the Tanks ill the opener. Pinch-batter Floyd Baker singled through the box to send pinch-runner Mark Christman over the winning run in bhe 10th inning of the nightcap.
 Chicago divided with Boston. The White Sox took the first game, Az, and Boston stole the second by an identical score. Three singles, coupled with an inside the-park homer by Jimmy Grant, to give Chi cago its run off Dick Newsome in the fourth inning of the first game. Luke Appling's misplay after Rove Partee and eLon Culberson had singled provided the Red Sox' edge in the nightcap as Lou Lucier allowed Chicago nine hits.
 Jesse Flores registered his fifth straight victory as the Athletics won over Cleveland, 5-3, although he needed mound assistance from Roger Wolff. Roy Cullenbine'S homer in the eighth with none on provided the Indians with a 3-2 decision in the nightcap.