The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-05-08
Reds Mokinq Bill Look Good

New York, May 8-(UP)-The Cincinnati Reds, after a wobbly takeoff, were beginning to make their manager, Deacon Bill Mc- Kechnie, look Ike a first class prophet today.
 The deacon forgot his mild man. ners at the start of the season when oddsmakers tahbed the Reds as 40 to l long shots in the Na- tional League race.
 That is ridiculous Y" he fairly shouted. we're not a 40 to shot for the pennant and we will not finish last. We're going to be lot stronger than lot of people think and if we get any help, we are going to cause plenty of trou- ble."
 Won 6 Of 8
 The Reds aren't out of the sec- ond division woods yet and they may not get out, but right now they are riding high with six Pic- tories in eight games, and they are playing a heads-up brand of ball that makes them worth another look, not necessarily as contenders, but certainly as trouble-makers.
 Those who doubted the poten- I tial:ties of the Reds felt they had tabbed them right when they drop ped four in a row at the start of the season and five of their first seven games. What they forgot was that the Reds were having a streak of incredibly bad luck, los- ing tight games for the need of a timely hit or because of late in- ming pitching or defensive lapse. Or the nine games they have dropped to date, six were by one run mar gin and the fact remains that they haven't suffered a bad beating yet.
 Yesterday, their luck was on the right side, when they topped the Giants, 2 to 1 at Cincinnati for their third straight win. Lonnie Frey's inside-the-park homer that Goodwin Rosen fell down in field ing gave them the victory margin. Earlier, a wind-bloWn double by Grady Hatton, followed by another two-base smash by Al Libke gave them their other run. Joe Beggs gained his third victory without de- feat, and would have had shutout but for Johnny Mize's fourth hon. CT.
 The Cardinals regained sole te- nancy of first place by topping the Braves, 6 to 4, in the seasons first night game at St. Louis. Rookie Fred Martin, backed by a five run first inning, won his second game. He is the only Cardinal right hand CT to start and finish a winning game this season. Stan Musial raised his batting average to APO with two hits, one a double.
 Brooklyn at Pittsburgh and Phil adelphia at Chicago in the Nation al were rained out.
 Homer In 14th
 The Red Sox stretched their win ming streak to 12 games when Leon Culberson's grand slam homer broke up 14-inning game with th Browns at Boston for 10 to ( triumph. Ted Williams, who hit a two-run homer, double, and single, set the pace before Culberson'S vic- tory smash. Clem Dreisewerd, who kept St. Louis scoreless for the last eight innings, was the winner. How ever, the Browns got 19 hits off four Boston pitchers. The victory put Boston three and a half games ahead of the Yankees, who didn't play the White Sox at New York because of threatening weather.
 Paul (Dizzy) Trout won his tooth Major League game for the Tigers at Philadelphia, topping the Ath- letics ' to 2. Hank Greenberg's s fourth homer and Rookie Anse Moore's three singles paced the Ti- ger batting attack.
 The Senators gained fourth place with 2 to victory over the h. dians at Washington in 10 innings. Al Evans scored the winning run on Stan Spence's long fly. Mickey , Haefner held Cleveland to five hits and an unearned run for his first 1946 victory.