Evening star., 1949-07-23
Redbirds Eye Lead
After Triumph in
Series Opener
By Jack Hand
Associated Press Sports Writer

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Shades of 1946. It looks to be
another Brooklyn-St. Louis Photo
finish in the National League.
Separated by only IN games
with 10 full weeks to 60. the one
two clubs appear ready for an
other long scramble to the wire.
Boston still is in the race and the
Phillies and New York Giants have
an outside chance, but 1t figures to
be either the Dodgers or Cards at
this stage.
George (Re6 Munger clipped a
full game of the Brooks slim lead
last night with 81 victory in the
opener of the years first "croos-
hui" series in the National. The
Cards could leave town in first
place if they could sweep the set
ending Monday afternoon.
Munger could mean the differ
ence between these two closely
matched clubs. His flve-hitter that
snapped Preacher Roe's seven
game win streak was his third
straight over Brooklyn.
For years Manager Eddie Dyer
and the Cards have waited pa
tiently for Munger to become a
20-game winner. The 16 he
chalked up in 1947 is his high. The
magic 20 probably is beyond his
reach this year but his success
against the Dodgers is even more
important. Red has won eight,
including three "big" games over
the Dodgers. Maybe he finally has
arrived" In past years his career
record against Brooklyn was a
sad 2-5.
Cards Defense Tells.
Brilliant defensive play by
Chuck Diering and Enos Slaugh-
ter helped Red ease past the
league leaders last night. Slaugh-
ter ended the game with a leaping
catch of Gil Hodges drive against
the left-field wall with one on
base.
The Braves moved within six
games of the Dodgers by downing
Pittsburgh. So, but their victory
may have been costly. Vern Bick-
ford was carried off the field with
an injured left instep after being
struck by Clyde McCullough's line
drive in the seventh. As Bickford
is the defending champs top win
ner, with IL, his absence for any
extended period would be a vital
blow to their chances of repeating.
Eddie Stanky was blanked after
hitting in 10 consecutive games.
Robin Roberts saved a win for
Russ Meyer by tanning Cincinnati
with the bases loaded and none
out in the eighth inning for a 2-l
Phil triumph. Roberts couldn't
hold Meyers shutout but escaped
with the decision by allowing only
one run on a force play.
Webb Suffers First Defeat.
Hank Sauer's 10Th homer with
a man on helped Chicago down
the New York Giants, 6-5. as
Johnny Schmitz survived II Giant
hits to go the route. Sam Webb.
who relieved Monte Kennedy in
The fifth. dished up the home run
ball to Sauer in the seventh to
suffer his first loss.
Tommy Byrne tanned Detroit
with Ave hits, 80, protecting the
New York Yankees 5h-game
lead over Cleveland in the Ameri-
can League. Byrne's fourth sue
cess against the Tigers this sea-
son was the Yanks' sixth win IN
10 starts on the current Western
trip.
Vern Stephens hit his oath
homer and Ted Williams blasted
No. % in Boston's AZ verdict over
the st. Louis Browns. Mel Par
nell gave up eight hits to six off
Ned Carver in registering his 18th
win. Dom Di Maggie extended his
consecutive game hitting streak to
II with a single.
Chicago routed the Philadelphia
AS. 1910, scoring eight runs In
the first inning. Connie Mack let
Carl Scheib take beating. Scheib
pitched the complete game. giving
up 10 hits and eight walks while
the AS were blanked by Randy
Gumpert. 1t was Gumpert's l4th
route-goirg job. The Mackmen
have lost 13 of their last Is starts,
8 of the IL in the West.