The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-07-17
DETROIT TIGERS HIT LITTLE BUT HOLD A. |. LEAD
By CARL LUNDQUIST Tnted Press Staff Correspondent)

New York, July IT - (UP) - It is risky to pick flaws in pennant favorite right after it apparently has shaken a serious slump, but the wonder of it all today is that the tottering Tigers still are in first place.
 A browse through the books re- veals that they are suffering from serious case of base hit anemia. That wasn't surprising since the pre- vailing belief has been that prize pitching has kept the club up in the race. But, it was a shock to learn that the club has only three de- pendable starters at present and that it is without top flight relief pitcher.
 Since competition began with the eastern clubs on June 27, starting pitchers have been able to go the route in only seven out of 19 games and the co-ace of the 1914 staff, Paul (Dizzy) Trout hasn't started and finished a winning game since May g, three weeks after the season began. Trout, who didn't accompany the team on its current trip, is down with lumbago in a Detroit hospital and he is an extremely big question-mark in the teams plans for the remainder of the season.
 Shy On Relief
 That leaves the team with Hal NeWhouser, Al Benton, and Frank (Stubby) Overmire as its front-line pitching strength. There are sev- eral relief men, none effective. Only Feb Eaton has been able to gain a victory in the three week competi- tlon with eastern clubs. Even SO the pitching would have been good enough to get by if the hitting had held up, but right now it is the weakest in either league.
 Even with 12-hit attack which produced a g to victory over the Tanks at New York yesterday, the Tiger lineup has season average of only .248. Second Baseman Eddie Mayo is the hardest hitting regular at .287 and the rest scale down to Shortstop Skeeter Webb who is tapping bare .179. Two walks, and doubles by Hank (.205) Greenberg and Roger (.276) Cramer produced three first inning runs and an error leaked in another. Roy (.261) Cul- lenbine got homer but Bobby (.23D Swift led the attack with three hits. Charley (ReO Ruffing, making his first appearance for the Yankees after three years as a G. l., got pinch-hit single. Overmires s win was his seventh.
 The victory, coupled with double def1ation of the Senators by the Browns at Washington, to 3 and 5 to l, put the Tigers three full games ahead. Veteran Al Hollings- worth and youngster Newman (Tex) Shirley pitched the twin wins for the Browns.
 BobO Wins Two
 Unpredictable Bobo Newsom won his second straight after losing 12 in a row, two-hit, to l triumph which gave the Athletics a split after the White Sox won the opener. 6 to 2. Leroy Schalk hit three run homer to give Johnny Hum phrieS victory over the As ace, Russ Christopher, in the opener. It was Christopher's fourth straight loss. Bobby Estalella hit two homers for the As in the second game.
 Cleveland made all it's runs in the sixth, two of them on a homer by Pat Seerey, to top the Red Sox at Boston, to 2. Allie Reynolds won his ninth game.
 The Cubs scored twice in the last of the ninth to beat the Giants, 4 to 3. It was Chicago's fifth straight win and their 18th in IT games. Singles by Harry Lowrey and Paul Gillespie after a walk and an error produced the deciding tallies. Ray Starr relieved Claude Passeau to gain his first victory of the season.
 The runner-up Cardinals kept pace at St. Louis with a 2 to 0 shut out by Harry Brecheen over the Braves. Brecheen, who has been out with arm trouble was making his f1rSt start since June 23. He gave up six hits.
 Tom Seats, shelved as a starting pitcher by Manager Leo Durocher when the Dodgers were winning, came back now that they are losing to win his second straight starting assignment, beating the Pirates at Pittsburgh, 8 to 4. The Dodgers made 12 hits, including a two-run homer by Augie Galan.
 Philadelphia and Cincinnati were not scheduled in the National.
 YESTERDAYS STAR = Lefty Harry Brecheen of the Cards, com- ing back courageously after arm