The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-19
Homer Beots
 PoIIettO OutOf |MoundReco
By CARL LUNDQUIsT United Press Sports Writer

New York, April 19-UP)-There was a heart-break in victory today for leftyS Howie Pollet of the St.. Louis Cardinals.
 The lean, black-haired pitching stylist from New orleans made his post-war debut a winning one yes- terday, beating the Pittsburgh Pi- rates at St. Louis, 6 to 2 on five hits. And just one home run toss to rookie Ralph Kiner in the eighth in. ming wrecked a dream that Pollet had carried with him since he left the Cards in 1943 to go to war.
 Fans have short memories, so not many of them could have known that Pollet left that year with a string of three straight shutouts- 28 straight innings of "goose-egg" pitching, since one of the games went 10 innings.
 "Well, I guess I'll have to go to work on that when I get back" he said before checking in his uniform,
 It wasn't easy for him to give up then because after two years of re- current arm trouble, he had con- quered soreness and was becoming the best pitcher on the Cardinal staff. Of the eight victories he reg istered before leaving, five were shutouts and one of his defeats was by a l to 0 margin.
 Had he gotten past Kiner and his two-run homer, Pollet would have tied a National League record for four consecutive shutouts, held joint- ly by Grover Cleveland Alexander of the 1911 'Phillies, Ed Reulbach and Mordecai Brown of the 1908 Cubs, and Bill Lee of the 1888 Cubs However, they got theirs in one sea- son, Pollet had to put war be- tween his 1943 and 1945 efforts.
 Except for missing his goal, Pol let's pitching was well nigh flawless. He struck out eight batters and was brilliant with men on base. Four Cardinal runs ill the eighth clinched the issue In rally highlighted by Al Schoendienst's tripple and Stan MuS1dl OOubAGs M0oAttA dASS AAAb ee homer in the fourth.
 Homers also wrecked two other shutouts yesterday, both in the Am- erican League.
 Alton Benton, the Detroit Tiger Spring beauty" who is almost un- beatable early in the season, twirl- ed a Stout-hearted five hitter to beat the visiting St. Louis Browns, 6 to l. Johnny Lucadello connected for sixth inning homer that gave the Browns their only run. Pat Null lin with a tripple and Hank Green berg, Pinky Higgins and Barney McCoskey with single and double apiece paced the l2-hit Tiger att tack.
 The Yankees let go with a blast of base hits at Philadelphia to beat the Athletics, 8 to 1. Al Gettel was working on a shutout when Buddy Rosar hit a fifth inning homer, Johnny Lindell more than matched that with a three run Yankee homer.
 The hard-hitting Boston Red Sox won their third straight game at Washington. 3 to l behind Mick ey Harris. Johnny Pesky drove in two runs with three hits, while Ted Williams with long triple and double accounted for the other. The Mats made six hits.
 The Dodgers made opening day at Ehbets Field & gala occasion by beating the uptown Giants, 8 to before 29,825 noisy fans. Vic Lom- bardi pitched & siX-hitter and had nothing to worry about after the third when the Dodgers counted five runs. Pee Wee Reese, Billy Hermon and rookie Terrell Ander- son made two hits apiece and Pete Reiser stole two bases.
 Chicago's remarkable luck against the Reds produced another victory at Cincinnati where muffed fly ball by rookie left fielder Ed Lukon opened the gates for three runs and a { to 2 victory. The error, which came with the bases filled and two out nullifed a four-hit job by Nate Andrews. HI Bithorn of the Cubs also was effective. Rookie Grady Hattons homer was the only pun ishing blow against him.
 There were no other games sched. uled..
 Yesterdays Star-Howie Pollet of the Cardinals, who missed his fourth straight big league shutout by two innings in a 6 to 2 win over the Pi- rates.