Evening star., 1946-10-02
Disappointed Dodgers
Vow They'll Come
Back Tomorrow
By jack Hand
A..osis,.d Pres. Sport. Writer

EN- fCOO lE ~ 0EtOOAL1 IN, Wv.
2.-Howie Pollet's heady pitching job
against Brooklyn appears to have
aroused the sluggish st. Louis Car
dinals to World Series pitch that
could send them flying past the
Dodgers in two straight ball games.
Nobody on the ball club is max
ing predictions about what will hap
pen at Ebbets Field when baseball's
first three game playoh series re-
sumes tomorrow, but the Redbirds
are a loose, confident ball club after
their 40 opening win at st. Louis
yesterday.
AS for the Dodgers, they were dis
appointed, of course, over not win
ming the first game, but are certain
they will come back to tie the play
offs tomorrow.
Enos Slaughter's great peg from
right field that nipped Bruce Ed
wards trying to 60 from first to
third on Howie Schultz seventh
inning single probably saved yester-
days game. At least Manager Eddie
Dyer of the Redbirds thinks 1t did.
Cards Pound Out IL Hits.
Three hits by Rookie Catcher Joe
Garagiola, who drove In half the
winners runs, was another highly
important factor as were Terry
Moore's three singles and the two
blows that Red Schoendienst and
Slaughter each contributed to the
12-hit attack.
Not since the Cards left Boston
September 10 had they cut loose
with hitting attack like they
showed the Brooks five pitchers.
Only Stan Musial's seventh h-inning
triple was for extra bases, but there
were hits at timely points-just
where they have been missing dur
ing the last two weeks.
Pollet's perfect performance pro-
vided the big lift in the Cards sue
cess and must have been discourage
ing to the Brooks, who had taken
heart from the news that the Cubs
had knocked out the ace southpaw
in his last two previous starts.
Brooklyn almost knocked him out.
too, but Manager Dyer preferred
to wait until Pollet would tell him
he didn't think he had it any more.
That time never came, for he threw
an eight-hitter to beat the Dodgers
for the fifth time.
Saved by Double Plays.
Rally-snapping double plays saved
him in the third, fifth and sixth,
and Slaughter's long peg broke the
back Of an uprising that just
missed tying the score in the sew
enth.
The psychological effect of the
left-hander's return to his mid
season form was even more impor-
tant than the win itself. It showed
the Redbirds that their No. ! boy
was himself again and assured
them in their own minds they were
the same club that had been able
to take Brooklyn all season.
Manager Durocher's selection Of
Ralph Branca to hurl the opener
backfired when the Birds combed
him for six hits and three runs be-
fore he gave way to Kirby Higbe
in the third. Branca had shut out
st. Louis the last time he faced
them and had pitched another fine
game against them earlier in the
season.
The Dodger manager paraded
most Of his starting staff from the
bullpen to the hill before 1t was
over. Following Higbe with Hal
Gregg, Vic lombard and finally
Rube Melton. The notable excep-
ton was Joe Hatten, likely nominee
for tomorrow's second game.
Schultz Hits Home Run.
With a break here or there, the
"Bums" could have won the game,
but each time they hit the ball hard
it was right at a Cardinal, except
for Howie Schultz home run blast
into the left field bleachers that
tied the score in the third. The
Cardinal infielders, who have been
letting base hits bounce of their
gloves and shins while they booted
away chances to clinch the flag in
the regular season, were sure
fingered stars with glue in their
gloves.
Pollet, the Cards victory symbol,
pitching with his left side tightly
taped because of pulled muscle,
just wasn't supposed to lose that one.
AS a result Of Pollet's success,
Dyer finds himself in a very healthy
pitching situation. He has Murry
Dickson, the wiry little right-hander
who worked several innings in the
bullpen yesterday, or Harry (the
Cat) Brecheen ready for tomorrow.
Dyer will announce his choice later
today.
Perhaps the most surprising ele-
ment of the playof opener was the
crowd, or rather lack of it. AL
though the Cards said they had sold
out the park Monday there were
plenty of gaps in the bleachers and
no xyi1ioy, with the Maid attnndan nce