Evening star., 1945-07-02
Hank Thrills 47,72o
In Comeback Debut;
Holmes Stays Hot
BY JOE REICHLER,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Hank Greenberg's impressive re-
turn to baseball indicated today
that former major league stars now
in service may be as good as ever
when they come back to the game
The cynosure of former diamond
heroes who are afraid long layoff
will endanger their baseball careers,
the 34-year-old Greenberg demon
strated yesterday that four years in
the service have not dimmed his
batting eye, by smashing home
run for Detroit before 47,729 en-
couraging rooters.
The round tripper, the 250th of
his major league career and his
1,300th hit, helped the Tigers sweep
double-header from Philadelphia s
Athletics 9-5 and So. The final
results extended the Mackmen's los
ing streak to Is straight and in
creased the Tigers first place lead
to 3l2 games over the New York
Yankees, who lost twice to the
Chicago White Sox.
Benton Saves Trout.
Paul Dizzy Trout gained his
eighth victory for Detroit in the
opener, but needed help from AL
Benton, pitching for the first time
since he broke his leg May "a. Buck
Newsom suffered his 18th success
sive defeat, in relief. Frank
(Stubby) Overmire survived a
stormy three-run first frame in the
nightcap to outpitch Russ Christie
pher. Greenberg did not play in
the second game.
Greenberg's auspicious comeback
debut stole the spotlight from Bos-
tons Tommy Holmes, whose three
homers, two in the nightcap, helped
the Braves win from the world
champion st. Louis Cardinals, 6-3
and 81.
Holmes, whose two hits in each
game raised his league-leading bat
ting mark to .397, extended his con-
secutive game hitting streak to %,
five short of Rogers Hornby's mod
ern National League standard of
33. Mort Cooper gained credit for
his first victory over his former
teammates, in relief, as pinch hit
ter Butch Nieman homered with
two on in the 10th of the opener.
Jim Tobmin won his Tooth game
in the nightcap.
Dodgers Bolster Lead.
Brooklyn increased its first place
lead in the National League to
Al games over the Redbirds by
dividing with Pittsburgh, the
Pirates winning the first 4-3 and
the Dodgers taking the second, AZ.
A pair of big Chisox innings
ruined the Yankees, 11-4 and 6-5.
The Dykesmen tailed nine runs in
the fifth of the opener and came
from behind with three in the
eighth to squeeze out the second.
The double triumph moved the Sox
into the first division ahead of
Washington.
The New York Giants and Chi
cago Cubs split. After Van Mungo
gained his ninth triumph in the
opener for the Giants, IA, the Cubs
won the second game behind Hank
Wyse, 4-3.
Ferriss Scores 18th Win.
Dave Ferris gained his 18th vic
tory against two defeats in the twin
bill between the Boston Red Sox
and the st. Louis Browns. The
American League champions won
the opener, 7-3, behind Bob Mum
Grief In the nightcap, Ferriss al
lowed three runs in Ia innings of
relief pitching, but a 5-run rally in
the ninth won for the Red Sox
sensation. IA.
Philadelphia's Phillies surprised
Cincinnatis Reds by sweeping a
pair. 80. and 8-6. Rookie Dick
Mauney gained his first major
league victory with a four-hitter in
the opener, which saw the Reds en-
counter three mishaps. First Base
man Frank Mccormick suffered a
possible nose fracture when nit by
a batted ball, Shortstop Eddie Miller
was spiked and Pitcher Joe Bowman
left the game after collapsing from
the heat