Evening star., 1949-06-07
First 4 Clubs Parted
by Only Half Game;
Tribe Has Big Inning
By Joe Reichler
Assoeiossd Press Sperfs Writer

/ Asseeiosed Press Sperss Writer
This tightest Of all National
League pennant races has every
body going around in circles
Even Ford c. Frick. highly opti-
mistic president Of the circuit
never dreamed 1t would be any
thing like this.
| Sure. he predicted an eight
team race right down to the wire,
But then he always does. This
humdinger is beyond his fondest
hopes.
Here 1t is in June. with one
third Of the season almost out OF
the way, and a mere half-game
separates the first four clubs.
At the moment Brooklyn and
the New York Giants share first
| place. st. Louis and Boston are
only a half-game behind. with
the Cards holding third place by
.002 percentage points over the
Braves.
Only yesterday the Giants had
sole possession OF the top rung
The day before it was the Braves.
Five days ago the Dodgers held
the lead. Tomorrow 1t could be
any one OF the four teams.
Dodgers Tie for Lead.
The only thing that can't pos
sibly happen after tonight's games
is a four-way tie for the lead.
That's out because the Giants
and Cardinals tangle with each
other in the Polo Grounds under
the lights. The loser could drop
into fourth place. Brooklyn takes
on seventh-place Chicago and
Boston meets sixth-plaee Cincin-
natl.
The Dodgers took advantage OF
defeats by New York and Boston
yesterday with a 5-1 night-game
triumph over Pittsburgh to dead
lock the Giants for the top rung
Don Newcombe, recently brought
up from their Montreal farm,
pitched the Brooks into the dead
lock.
The big Negro highlander
hurled four-hitter against the
Bucs. He struck out II, high for
the league this season. A wild
pitch in the eighth cost him q
shutout.
In the meantime, the Dodgers
collected eight hits of Loser Bob
Chesnes. including home run by
Duke Snider, a triple by Gene
Hermanski and doubles by Her
manski and Newcombe himself
A three-run fifth inning. featured
| by Gil Hodges bases-loaded single
broke up a scoreless pitching duel
Reds Overcome Giants.
Howie Fox pitched and batted
the Reds to a As victory over
the Giants. He not only scat
tered eight hits for his second
triumph over the New Workers
but singled in what proved to be
the winning run in the sixth.
Johnny Wyrostek had provided
him with a 80 lead in the third
with his sixth home run behind
two runners. Sheldon Jones was
the loser.
The high-fiying Redbirds made
1t five victories in their last six
road games and II out Of their
last II starts by humping the
Braves, 7-3. Two three-run in
nings-sixth and ninth-did the
trick. Enos Slaughter's sixth
home run helped. Red Munger
who needed help from Ted Wilks
in the eighth, was credited with
his third victory. The loss was
charged to Warren SPAIN.
The two scheduled games in
the American League resulted in
Detroit losing its undisputed pos
session of second place, and
Cleveland moving past Chicago
into sixth place.
Red Sox Nose Out Tigers.
The Tigers were nosed out
1919. by the Boston Red Sox, who
overcame a So deficit with fur
ries Of three runs in the seventh
and five In the eighth. At that
the Tigers almost caught them
with three in their half Of the
eighth and one In the ninth.
Only q heroic relief job by
Ellis Kinder saved the game for
Boston. He relieved winner Tex
Hughson in the ninth with the
Tigers one run behind, men on
second and third and nobody out.
Kinder walked Johnny Groth
purposely to load the bases. and
retired the next three batters
without allowing a further score.
Vern Stephens 14th home run
of the season. tying him with
teammate Ted Williams for the
league lead. was the big blow for
the winners. It came with two on
| in the seventh. George Vico also
hit three-run homer. his coming
| in the eighth for the Tigers. The
loss dropped the Tigers into a Sec
ond-place tie with idle Washing
ton.
Indians Big Sth Tells.
The Indians. with Manager Lou
Boudreau playing third base for
the first time since his minor
league days, exploded for nine
runs In the eighth inning to come
from behind and defeat the Phila-
delphia Athletics, LIS. A home
run by Joe Gordon. four singles
and five bases on balls comprised
the big inning.
Mike Garcia. who pitched shut
out ball after replacing starter
Steve Gromek In the fifth. was
credited with his fourth victory.
Joe Coleman was the loser. Rookie
Ray Boone, who replaced Bou-
dreau at shortstop. helped the AS
to i've runs In the fourth with a
couple Of errors. He more than
latoned for his fielding lapses. how
ever, as he collected three hits.
All other clubs were not sched-
uled.