Evening star., 1948-08-27
Pirates S Pace Exceeds
That Of 1947 for ST.;
Red 5oxAgain Lead
By Joe ReichIer
Assoeiaied Press Sports Writer


| Ralph Kiner, making his second
stab in two seasons at Babe Ruth's
record OF so home runs, is ahead
of his pace of year ago when he
crashed 81 round-trippers.
The slugging Pittsburgh outfield-
er Yesterday banged his 35th round
tripper in lis games to help the
BUGS sweep double-header from
the Philadelphia Phillies, 11-4 and
Al. The twin triumph enabled the
Pirates to regain fourth place from
the New York Giants by a full
| game.
Pittsburgh trails the National
League-leading Boston Braves by
AZ games.
Last year Kiner hit 80 home runs
in Pittsburgh's first lis games. A
strong finisher, Ralph has an out
side chance of catching the Babe
but he'll have to travel at an extra
ordinary pace He must hit at the
rate OF five home runs every eight
games.
Kiner's chances of equaling Hack
Wilson's National League home run
record of Sc are much brighter.
WestIake Hits for Slam.
Kiner went hitless in the opener
yesterday, but his outfield running
mate, Wally Westlake, belted a
grand clam homer to highlight a
six-run sixth inning which enabled
the Bucs to overcome 80 deficit.
Kiner added a triple to his second
game homer and drove in two runs
to help Mel Queen gain his third
victory.
1t took sensational running
catch by Westlake of Del Ennis
deep fly to center in the ninth
inning with the bases loaded to
wrap up the second game for the
BUGS. Had the drive gone through
the Phils would at least have tied
the score.
The Boston Red Sox recaptured
first place from the Cleveland In
dians in their tense struggle for the
American League flag, defeating the
Tribe, 8-4. A flve-run eighth-inning
rally, which included Bobby Doerr' S
three-run homer. snapped a 3-3 tie
and showed the Red SoX half game
in front of the Indians.
Trailing 2-1 in the last of the
eighth and held to two hits, the
New York Yankees pounced on Re-
lief Pitcher Glen Mounder for five
runs to defeat the White Sox, 60.
A tWo-run triple by Billy johnson
with two out drove in the winning
runs.
In winning the third d-place Yankees
moved within half a game of the
second-place Indians and one game
out of first place.
AS Turn Back Tigers.
The fourth place Philadelphia
Athletics turned back the Detroit
Tigers, 4-3. hanging the 10th defeat
upon Hal Newhouser. Trailing 80
in the eighth, the AS drove New
houser from the mound, scoring two
runs on a double by Pete Suder to
give Joe Coleman his 18th victory
The AS are 312 games out of first
place.
The National League race tight
ened considerably when the cellar
dwelling Chicago Cubs upset the
Boston Braves twice, 81 and SO,
to reduce their flrst-place lead to
.2212 games over the st. Louis Cardi-
nails. The Redbirds moved into sec
ond place, a half game in front of
the Brooklyn Dodgers, by sweeping
a day-night doubleheader from the
New York Giants in st. Louis. The
Cards won the afternoon portion of
the twin bill, 7-2, then came back
to win the arclight tussle. rs.
The Cards blasted five runs over
the plate in the fourth inning to
send Larry Jansen to the showers
and sew up the game. Del Wilber's
double with the bases loaded was
the big blow.
Stan Musial's home run with one
on in the last of the ninth off Ken
Trinkle broke SIS tie in the night
cap. Enos Slaughter had smashed
"a two-run homer earlier in the
game.
Joe Hatten pitched Brooklyn to
a 6-1 triumph over Cincinnati. 1t
was Brooklyns ninth win without
a loss at Crosley Field and Hatten's
fifth over the Reds. Peewee Reese
clouted a two-run homer off loser
Kent Peterson.