Evening star., 1948-08-16
Lead Grows as FeI|er.
Lemon Come Back;
AS jolt Yanks
By the Assoeiotsd Press

Lou Boudreaus mid-July predic-
ton that his pennant-hungry Cleve-
land Indians would win the Ameri-
can League pennant looks better
than ever today.
Back home for a six-game stand
against the lowly st. Louis Browns
and Chicago White Sox, the In
dians are safely ensconced in first
place, a game and half ahead of
the Philadelphia Athletics, ~ in
front of the Boston Red Sox and
five ahead of the New York Yam
KEGS,
Further cause for jubilation among
the Tribe was the fine pitching form
displayed by the two Bobs-Feller
and Lemon-who hurled the In
dians to a 60 and 80 sweep over
the White Sox in Chicago yesterday.
Another bright spot is the sched-
ule for the remaining six weeks,
which gives the Indians q distinct
advantage over the other contend
ers OF their remaining As games,
80 are against second division teams
and Is are at home.
Boudreau's Bat Big Help.
Here is the way the other teams
shape up. The Athletics have AZ
games left, % at home, 81 against
second division clubs. The Red Sox
have 43 games left, 26 at home,
% against second division clubs.
The Yankees have Al games left,
l9 at hcme, q against second deci-
sion clubs.
The happiest note for the Indians
IN yesterdays triumphs was Feller's
fine showing in the first game in
when he spaced II hits for his 18th
victory. 1t marked the first time
he has pitched complete game
since he was beaten by the Browns,
80, on July IL.
Lemon pitched one of his best
games of the season in registering
his seventh shutout in the nightcap.
He thus became the first pitcher
in the majors to win 16 games. He
permitted only seven singles.
Manager Boudreau played a big
part in both victories. He collected
seven hits in 10 times at bat, scored
three times and drove in three runs.
He banged triple and three singles
in the opener and added another
triple and pair of one-baggers in
the nightcap. He was his fine self
at shortstop, handling Is chances
f1awlessly. Catcher Jim Hogan and
Outf1elder Dale Mitchell also did
some heavy clouting. Each collected
five hits. Four of Hegan's were
doubles.
AS Bounce Back.
The Athletics rebounded from
their two crushing defeats at the
hands of the Yankees by whipping
the Bronxites twice in New York
5-3 and 5-3. The first game went
10 innings
The twin-triumph enabled the
AS to take over second place from
the Red Sox, who were held to a
split by the Mats in Washington.
In the remaining American
League game, the Detroit Tigers
came up with two runs in the top
of the ninth to break a IL tie and
defeat the. st. Louis Browns, 81.
Brooklyn climbed back within
three games of the National League
leading Braves by defeating them
in Boston, AZ.
The third-place st. Louis Cardi-
mails picked up a half game on the
leaders, dividing a double-header
with the Pirates in Pittsburgh. They
now trail Boston by 81 games. The
Cards won the opener, 8-3, but lost
the nightcap, 5-4.
The Phillies set back the fifth
place New York Giants twice, 81
and Us, to move within three
games of their victims Chicago and
Cincinnati divided a double header.
The Cubs won the opener, 7-6, and
the Reds copped the afterpiece, SO
Yanks' Top Crowd Of Year.
The largest Yankee Stadium
crowd of the year, 72,46S, asw Joe
Di Maggie hammer his 26th home
run with one on in the last of the
ninth to enable the Yankees to
overcome 20 deficit in the opener.
The AS, however, came roaring back
with three runs off Ed Lopat in
the 10th to put the Athletes in front
again. Di Maggie tripled in an
other Yankee run in the last of
the 10th, but Lou Brissie replaced
winning pitcher Carl Scheib and re-
tired Larry Berra for the third out.
| Mike Guerra's bases-loaded triple
was the big blow for the AS in
the nightcap. Bill McCahan won
his third game, but yielded home
runs to Berra and Tommy Heinrich
to give the Yankees total of 101
for the season. 1t marked the 25th
year that the Yankees have reached
100 or more home runs, a major
league record.
Ralph Branca, making his first
start since July 30, proved he has
fully recovered from his sore arm.
He held the Braves to seven hits in
seven innings before yielding the
Dodger pitching chores to Paul
Minner and Hank Behrman. Ed
Duke Snider put him in front in
the first inning with a two-run
homer and he never was headed.
Johnny Sain was the loser. 1t was
his 11th loss against IS victories.
Long Time Between Starts.
Ted Wilks, making his first start
in two years for the Cards, scattered
seven Pirate hits in winning the
opener. Ron Northey, who drove
in four st. Louis runs on four hits
in the opener, put the Cards ahead,
4-3, when he homered with one
aboard in the second game, but the
Pirates won when Ralph Kiner
hammered his 30th home run in the
fifth inning.
Southpaw Ken Heintzelman of
the Phils missed a no-hitter when
Whitley Lockman tripled in the sew
enth for the Giants only hit in the