Evening star., 1945-08-18
Haefner Slab Master
Over Benga|s;; Wolff
Benton TangIe
BY JOHN B. KELLER,
Star Staff CORRESPONDENT.

DETROIT, Aug. 18.-No matter
what happened in their final clash
here with the first-place Tigers, the
second-place Mats were to leave De-
troit today without loss of any
ground to the pace-setters in the
American League scramble.
Little Mickey Haefner saw to that
yesterday as he restricted the Ben
gal band to seven hits while his
teammates cleaned nine off Little
Stubby Overmier for 81 win that
put them one up in the series.
This afternoon it was to be up to
Roger Wolff to try to check the
Tigers as the Mats faced AL Benton
in an effort to narrow the gap be-
tween themselves and the leagues
top team to 11a games.
Wolff holds a season record of
two wins and one loss in his clashes
with the Detroit club, while Benton
pitched to an even break in two
starts against the Mats. The first
time they faced AL, the Mats got but
one run. The next time they got
none.
The Tigers yesterday did their
scoring off Haefner in the first in
ming when they clustered three hits.
Skeeter Webb singled and Red Bo-
rom sacrificed. Doc Cramer singled,
but not long enough for Webb was
caught at the plate by Mike Kree-
vich's fine throw. But Hank Green
berg slashed a two-bagger to right
to bring Cramer home.
Keeps Tigers in Cage.
After that, the Tigers collected a
triple, double and two singles be-
sides two passes, one intentional,
of Haefner, but got nowhere. Rudy
York, who singled in the second,
was forced out Webb singled in the
third to be forced when Boron at
tempted to sacrifice. After Cramer
rolled out, Greenberg was put on
base purposely. Roy Cullenbine
proved soft out.
Bob Maier tripled with one out
in the fourth. Overmier walked
with two gone. They tried double
steal, but Fred Vaughns fine re-
turn throw to Rick Ferrell nailed
Maier at the plate. Greenberg
opened the sixth with another
double to right. Hank thought of
taking another base when he saw
Buddy Lewis tumble the ball mo-
mentarily. But Greenberg was
trapped and run down in a play in
which the entire infleld and Haef-
ner took part.
The Mats wasted a triple by
George Binks in the first round, but
Lewis pulled them up to even terms
at the outset of the fourth with his
first homer since coming back from
the war, a drive into the upper
right field stands. An error by the
third baseman gave Harlond Cliff a
lift in the sixth and hits by Vaughn
and Ferrell sent him around. Sim
giles by Ferrell, Gil Torres and
Kreevich accounted for a ninth
inning tally after two were out.
1t was the second win of the yeal
for Haefner over the Tigers, who
have defeated him twice. 1t was
the Mats third triumph at Over
miers expense. He has downed
them once. The half-pint left.
handler waged stirring duel yester-
day, one keen enough to keep the
14,770 at hand in the stands to the
finish.
Ty Cobb Sees Game.
Among those present at Briggs
Stadium yesterday was Tyrus Ray
mond Cobb, who used to amaze the
last generation of baseball fans with
his marvellous hitting. AS a base
ball scrivener here wrote, Ty's bat
ting genius and flashing spikes de-
veloped splendor that lives II
years after his retirement from the
base lines"
Stopping here while on his way to
New York to manage the West team
in the Boys All-Star game at the
Polo Grounds on August %, Cobb,
whose home is in Lake Tahoe, New,
saw his first game of the year. From
what he has read of the clubs, Ty
believes the American League race
is solely between the Tigers and the
Mats and he's picking the Tigers,
which club he broke in with in 1905
and played with so many years.
In yesterdays game, Cobb saw
none of the base stealing nor f1ashy
base running in which he became
famous on the diamond. But it
was good baseball" he said. Cobb
is So.