Evening star., 1949-08-26
Belts First A. |. Homer
Ito Crush CLEVELAND;
Cards Gain Ground
By Joe Reiehler
A,soeiutsd Prsss Sports Writer

AS4oCioteo FTeAS SpOtn V'hV
Only time and the American
League pitchers will determine
whether the New York Yankees
bought themselves a pennant
when they gambled on Johnny
Mize.
Judging by Big Jawn's showing
last night. however, he is easily
worth the reported $4,000 the
Yankees paid the neighboring New
York Giants last Monday for his
services.
Mize, at SO, may not be as nim-
BILE as of old around f1rse base.
but he proved he could still pow
der the ball when he crashed his
first American League homer to
help the Yankees defeat the
Cleveland Indians. 6-3.
He hit 315 homers in the Ma
tional. If the Big Cat can come
through with the big wallop in
several more games, he could well
win the flag for Casey Stengels
crew.
Playing his second game with
the Yankees, Mize clouded Bob
Feller's first pitch over the right
field fence to score Tommy Hen
rich ahead of him in the second
inning. That put the Yankees
ahead, 20. John paid off again
in the eighth when he singled OF
Gene Bearden and scored one Of
the two runs on a one-bagger by
Gerry Coleman. A crowd of 63,-
522 watched the Indians lose their
third straight at home.
Page Hot in Relief Role.
Ed Lopat, an old-time Indian
nemesis, registered his 18th tri-
umph for the Yankees. although
he needed help from Fireman Joe
Page in the eighth. The ace
Yankee reliever famed the side
in the ninth, including dangerous
Joe Gordon with the bases loaded
for the final out.
The triumph, which ended .
three-game losing streak, in
creased the Yankees f1rst-place
margin over the Boston Red Sox
to three games. The Bosox were
beaten, 8-3, by the While Sox in
Chicago. The third-place Tribe
is now six games off the pace.
The st. Louis Cardinals picked
up half lap on the Brooklyn
Dodgers, whipping the Giants. So.
to increase their first-place mar
gin in the National League to a
game and a half. The Dodgers
were held to a split in their dou-
ble-header with the cellar-dwell-
ing Chicago Cubs. Johnny Schmitz
handcuffed the Brooks with q
four-hit, 40 triumph. The Dodg-
ers came back to win the sec
ond game, 81.
Cincinnati snapped Boston's
five-game winning streak, 4-3, in
l0-inning struggle. Philadel-
phia and Pittsburgh divided q
double-header. The Phils won
the night portion of the twin bill.
40, after the Pirates had won
the afternoon half, 5-1.
The Philadelphia Athletics re-
tained their slim hold on, fourth
lplace in the American League by
Idowning the st. Louis Browns, 9-5.
as Detroit defeated Washington.
81.
Young Billy Pierce, whose last
triumph came five weeks ago, set
down the Red Sox with five hits
as the White Sox jumped on Maui
rice McDermott and Walter Mas
terson for eight runs in the first
four innings. Rookie Johnny
OStrowski and Floyd Baker drove
in three runs each for the win
ners. Vern Stephens hit his 32d
and 33d homers for the Red Sox.
MuSial Slams Home Run.
Pete Suder and Joe Astroth
drove in three runs apiece to help
Lefty Alex Kellner register his
18th victory for the AS. The AS
scored all their runs in two in
nings. the fourth and sixth.
Stan Musial and Enos Slaugh.
ter, the Cards hitting twins,
batted in four runs between them
to help Red Munger gain his 18th
(See BASEBALL. Page A-1sJ