The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-09-12
Deod-Tired Dodgers
 Face Cards

New York, Sept. 12-(UP)-The Brooklyn Dodgers, with many an ex-GI in their midst who knows all about fighting hearts and aching bodies, hoped that combination of equipment would be sufficient today to give them victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the game they want to win most of all.
 This is the big one-the payof battle in the payoff series between the clubs that are battling once more for the National League pen nant. To be sure, there are three games to be played between the clubs, but the Dodgers need that opener to keep their morale from being crushed.
 Should St. Louis win, Brooklyn would be 2 1-2 games behind and the Cards could relax, secure in the knowledge that they needed only to split the remaining pair to main tain that margin.
 Dodgers Dog Tired
 The Dodgers are tired. Sheer fight and little else has kept them up in the race for months and even a bulldog gets a bit battle weary after so long a time. And they are going into the series after a 19- inning, 0 to 0 marathon with the Cincinnati Reds, the longest score less tie in the history of major league baseball.
 They were never more magnifi- cent, even without victory at the finish. They knew that by winning they could cut the Cardinal lead to game since the Phils had defeat ed St. Louis at Philadelphia, 9 to 4.
 But the Reds are old enemies, and Manager Bill McKechnie wanted keenly to upset the Dodgers in the season finale between the teams. He started lefty Johnny Wander meer, whose star first blazed across the baseball horizon when he pitch ed two successive no-hit games, the second against the Dodgers at Brooklyn in 1888.
 For 15 innings Vandy curved and logged his best pitches past the Dodgers. He struck out IA, gave up but seven hits, walked only two men. After batting in the 18th, WearinesS overlook him and he asked McKechnie to send in a re- lief man.
 Gregg Aided Afield
 Dodger starter Hal Gregg was just as stubborn, though he had phenomenal fielding support. Out most of the year with 8 muscle in- jury he finally gave up after 10 innings and Hugh Casey, ace Dodger relief man went the next six effec- lively. Harry Gumbert finished for Cincinnati while Art Herring and Hank Behrman rounded out the game for Brooklyn.
 Twice Cincinnati had tallies in the making, but brilliant throws cut them of at the plate.
 In the fifth Eddie Lukon tripled and tried to make it an inside-the- park homer but Pete Reiser rifled a throw to shortstop Peewee Reese, whose snap relay to catcher Bruce Edwards was in time. In the fate full 18th Dain Clay and Lonnie Frey drew walks of Behrlnan and Bert Haas singled sharply to right. Clay was streaking for home but the "old reliable" Dixie Walker, cut him of with a perfect peg to the plate.
 Vandermeer also shut out Brook lyn the last time he faced them, giving him string of 25 scoreless innings against Dodger batters.
 Cubs, Braves Tied to 17th
 There Is longer stretch of score less innings for one game on the major league books, the Braves and Pirates putting it on in 1918, but l that one ended in a to 0 decision for Boston in the 21st inning.
 Coincidentally, the Cubs and Braves put on the years second longest game at Boston which end ed in Thinning, to 3 deadlock. | There were no runs scored after | the fifth when the Cubs made two |
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