The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-05-10
Cronin Club Hos .361 Bat
 Average

New York, May 1O.-(UP)-The Boston Red Sox, hottest major league team since before the war, came to town today for an early 2 showdown with the New York Yam keeS, anxious to prove they are the greatest array of sluggers seen here since the era of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Company. t.
 They may have squandered their base hits in a 14-game winning streak which is still intact and by ] the same token the slumping Yam keeS may have been saving theirs | to pummel the Red Sox. 5 - But regardless of what happens in the important three-garl1e test between the top American League pennant contenders, it can't be denied that Manager Joe Cronin's sluggers have been more than sem sational in compiling the longest winning streak in Red Sox his-a' tory.
 Atomic Lineup v,
 The starting lineup which Cronin: will send at the Yankees has anA unbelievable average of 361 for the 14-game drive. Leadoff man Leon Culberson is batting ..361; Johnny < I Pesky,/ 465; Ted Williams 469; Bobby Doerr, .241; Rudy York, .278; Dominic DiMaggio AT; George Metkovich, .333 and Hal Wagner 300. ;r That excludes pitchers, pinch < hitters, and alternateS but the ], average for the entire team dur ;voo, %Loo 5,.i1 ie IXyifI1 hitting like that, there is small wonder that the Red Sox have the longest streak of victories since the Yankees put together IA in 1941.
 In contrast, the season average of the Yankee starting lineup is .265 and that gives the team a break in the figures since during the IA games which ran parallel ' to the Red Sox streak, the hitters were far below that average. Only Charley Keller of the vaunted Yan-+e kee slugging department is hitting respectfully with 362 mark All of the other starters are below 300 for the season. Joe DiMaggio, for example, is batting PAT He has gone hitless in his last two games i. and has made only two hits in the last six = =
 The Red Sox rocked White Sox- pitching again yesterday in 2 to, 5 victory that was highlighted by Doerr'S tWo-run homer. They got all their runs in the first four in- nings after which Jim Bagby had, no trouble in gaining his second victory. He didn't pitch well, but he didn't need to. The Red Sox made II hits while Bagby and Mace Brown allowed the White Sox 15.
 Potter Checks BOmbers
 Nelson Potter of the Browns held the Yankees to four hits in a to 1 win at New York. Chuck Stevens and Frank Mancuso hit successive homers in the third to account for three runs and the. other three came unearned in the eighth when the usually sure-field- ing DiMaggio made errors on two hatters in succession to set up the rally. Keller's homer was the only Yankee run.
 Eddie Mayo singled with the sacks loaded in the 18th to drive in two runs and give Detroit its fifth straight win, to at Wash- ing. The Mats threatened in their half when Stan Spence tripled and scored on fly, but Paul (DizZy)l Trout came in to retire the last two batterS.
 The Athletics made IA hits off four pitchers and cashed in on fine relief pitching by Russ ChriSto- pher' to beat Cleveland at Phila- delphia, 2 to 6. Christopher pitched four scoreless innings to gain his second win. Russ Derry led the As with three doubles while Hank Edwards and Lou Boudreau hit homers for Cleveland.
 Bill 'Voisells pitching and hom- CTS by Johnny Mize and Jack Gra- ham gave the Giants winning :. combination, s to l over the Pirates at Pittsburgh. The Giants made Il. hits while Voiselle held the Pirates to seven. 23-5dDei4
 Double Steal Paves Win x
 Johnny Hopp came home on a double steal in the 18th after which Boston scored two other runs to beat the Cubs at Chicago, to 2 as young Jim Wallace went all the \ way to gain his first 1946 win. Harry Lowrey got a Cub homer. The Reds made an, early lead stand up against late. four-rm ou- ' slaught by Brooklyn in the final two innings to win, 8 to at Gin cinnati as their second baseman, Lonnie Frey, equalled a major z league record for his position by making II assists. Peewee Reese of Brooklyn and Grady .Hatton and Max West of the Reds hit homers. 4e1.t@I./,1