Evening star., 1946-09-27
Loss Of Reiser, Cards
Slate Handicap Buns;
Greenberg Eyes Mark
BY Joe Reichler
Associoted Press Sports Writer

Brooklyn's battling Dodgers are
only half game off the National
League lead, but overhauling the
pace-setting st. Louis Cardinals now
appears tougher task than ever.
The Buns, who beat the Phila-
delphia Phils, 30, before a capacity
crowd of 81, ,708 at Ebbets Field yes
terday while the Cards idled, have
only two more games to play while
their st. Louis rivals have three.
And that one game difference in the
schedule is on the Buns losing side.
The Cards still can take a loss in
one of their engagements and finish
the regulation season with nothing
worse than tie. A defeat for the
Dodgers apparently would blast their
cause.
And the Dodgers must finish their
schedule under handicap. AS the
Phils were downed, Outfielder Pete
Reiser, a prominent figure in the
late Brooklyn drive, was lost to his
club. Reiser suffered a broken bone
in his left leg while sliding back to
first base in the first inning and to-
day is hospitalized.
Both Ending Season at Home.
Each team plays its remaining
games at home the Cards taking on
the Chicago Cubs in all three games
in series starting tonight and the
Dodgers claShing with the Boston
Braves, beginning tomorrow.
Both the Braves and Cubs are ex-
pected to offer stiff opposition,
especially so since they are in a.
struggle for third place. At present
only half a game separates them
with the Cubs having the edge.
The Dodgers yesterday got off to
a one-run lead in the first inning,
knocked out Charley Schanz in the
fourth with a four-run outburst and
added two more against Oscar Judd
and one at the expense of Charley
Stanceu. Joe Medwick banged a
two-run homer in the sixth.
Kirby Higbe, one of the eight
pitchers used by the Dodgers in
Wednesdays game, had three-hit
shutout for seven innings, but was
tagged for three safeties in the
eighth that accounted for both
Philly scores.
Greenberg Nears Homer Mark.
Hank Greenberg, Detroit's hard
hitting first baseman, who yester-
day collected his 43d and 44th home
runs, needs only one in each of the
Tigers last three games to break
Rudy York's single-month record
of 18 established in August, 1887.
Hank already has slammed 16
home runs this month, although he
has played in only % Of the Tigers
% September games.
Although tl.s has reached the 40
mark in four -baggers four times, in
only one other year has the big first
baseman topped this seasons total |
That was in 1888 when he came
within two of tying Babe Ruth's
record of go.
Greenberg has driven in 38 runs
to take over the American League
leadership in that department with
1875, as well as in home runs.
Greenberg's pair of round trippers
(the fourth time he has hit two in a
game this season. helped the Tigers
defeat the st. Louis Browns, 6-3.
Cubs Win With Late Rally.
The Cubs came up with four runs
in the last half of the eighth to
defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-3,
and break a third-place deadlock
with the Braves, who were held to a
split by the New York Giants.
Mort Cooper nabbed the first game
for the Braves, 30, with a neat |
three hit performance, but the
Giants won the second, 5-4 A pinch
hit home run by Sid Gordon in the
last half of the ninth decided the
issue.