Evening star., 1948-09-20
Blows Seal Twin Win,
Leaving Tribe Only
Half Game Off Top
By Joe Reiehler
Associoted Press Sports Writer

|
shortstop-manager of the Cleveland
Indians, rates as the outstanding
player of the major leagues.
1t is largely through his efforts
at bat. in the field and on the
bench-that the Indians are only
half game out of the American
League lead today, with an excel
lent chance to win their first flag
in % years.
The 31-year-old hoy manager" Is
enjoying by far his best of 10 splen-
did seasons in the big leagues. His
skill at his position, despite a pair
of weak ankles that need doctoring
before and after each game. and
the added burden of master mind
ing a pennant-contending team, are
surpassed by none. Holder OF the
major league fielding record at
shortstop. Boudreau is flashing his
usual brilliance this year.
LOUIS stickwork has been as re-
markable as his fielding. His 1855
batting average is second only to
Boston's Ted Williams. He is high
up among the league leaders in
runs batted in, runs scored, hits,
doubles and triples. Not noted for
his long-distance clubbing, Bou-
dreau has belted 16 home runs this
season, equaling his combined total
of the previous four years.
LOUIS Homers Win Second.
Lou blasted his 18th and 18th
round-trippers yesterday to account
for both his teams runs in Cleve-
lands second game 20 triumph
over the Philadelphia Athletics.
The Tribe also won the opener, 5-3.
The pair of victories, coupled with
the double-setback handed to the
Boston Red Sox by the Detroit
Tigers, 4-3 and 8-6, booster the
Indians within half a game of the
pace-setting Sox.
The Indians also vaulted over the
New York Yankees into second place
when the Bronx Bombers were held
to a split in their double header
with the Browns in st. Louis. The
hustling Brownies took the first
game, s-6; New York won the
second, 9-6.
In the National League, only a
complete collapse can stop the Bos-
ton Braves from winning their first
flag in "a years. The Braves copped
their sixth in a row and their 18th
in the last 13 games, defeating the
Cincinnati Reds, Az. yesterday
They lead the Brooklyn Dodgers and
st. Louis Cardinals by six games.
The Cards moved into second
place tie with the Dodgers, scoring
two victories over the Giants in
New York, 4-3 and 81. The
Dodgers whipped the Chicago CUBS
in Brooklyn, 81.
Pirates on Way Out.
Philadelphia all but eliminated
the Pittsburgh Pirates, trouncing
the Bucs in a twin bill, 9-6 and 5-3.
Pittsburgh trails by eight games.
The fifth-place Giants, only two
games away from being mathemat-
icallv eliminated, are 10 lengths IN
arrears. mi,
A paid Cleveland crowd Of 1882
saw Larry Dolby slam a dramatlc
ninth-inning home run with Joe
Gordon on base to give the IN
dians their first game triumph. Inc
As had tied the score at 3-3 in the
eighth on doubles by Barney NC
Coskv and Hank Majeski of Bob
| 7 enoon Russ CHRISTOPHER halted
the rally and was credited with
| the victory.
steve Gromek permitted only
three hits in registering his ninth
victory against three defeats in the
nightcap. Dick Fowler allowed the
Tribe only five hits, but two were
those payoff circuit swats by Bou-
dreau.
The sellout crowd boosted the In
dians into a new major league sea-
son attendance record of 2,300,893
paid admissions with seven home
games to go. The old mark of 2,265,-
512 was set by the Yankees in 1946.
Overmire's Only Hit Hurts.
The Red Sox went II innings be-
fore finally bowing to the Bengals
in the opener. Stubby Overmire,
fourth Tiger pitcher, singled home
the winning run with two out in the
18th. Paul Campbell and Johnny
Lipon had singled before him. 1t
was Overmire's first hit of the sea-
son. Ted williams oath home run
had tied the game in the ninth
with two out.
The second game was called after
eight innings because OF darkness.
Detroit's biggest throng OF the
season, 55,235 fans, saw Dick Wake
field break up a 6-6 deadlock with
his second home run of the day to
win the second game for the Tigers.
For the first time in a week
pitcher other than Johnny Sain or
Warren SPAIN won for the Braves.
He was Clyde Shoun, who relieved
Red Barrett in the eighth with the
score tied at %. Eddie Stanky,
making his first appearance since
July 8, when he broke his right
ankle, had singled in the tying run
! in the seventh.