Evening star., 1950-09-09
By the Associated Press

To-Day was another big day in
the American League pennant
race, with the three leading
teams Detroit, New York and
Boston - hoping to pick up
ground at the expense of teams
much farther down the ladder.
While the Yanks were battling
the Mats in Washington. the
Tigers faced the White Sox in
Chicago in single games, the Red
Sox were hosts to the Athletics
in double-header.
Last night Detroit moved a half
game ahead of the Yankees, beat
ing the White Sox. 80. The
Yanks and the Red Sox were idle.
Vic Wertz singled home Don
Holloway with the Tigers winning
run in the ninth inning to give
the veteran Dizzy Trout his 18th
victory. Lefty Bob Cain was the
loser.
Browns Jolt Indians.
The lowly Browns just about
knocked the Indians out of con-
tention by taking a twi-night
doubleheader, 5-4 and 60. The
defeats dumped the fourth-place
Indians 5l2 games behind
st. Louis spotted Cleveland a
40 lead in the opener, but fought
back and tied the score in the
eighth when Sherm Lollar
homered. Ken Wood singled
George Stirnweiss home from
second with the winning run in
the ninth.
Don johnson. former Yankee,
blanked the Indians on seven hits
in the finale in outpitching 20
game winner Bob Lemon. Home
runs by Wood and Ray Coleman.
an error by Lemon and a wild
pitch by Dick Weik figured prom
inently in the Browns scoring.
Meanwhile, Eddie Sawyer and
his Philadelphia Whiz Kids are
hoping for smoother sailing after
their disastrous series with the
Dodgers.
The youthful pennant seekers
have had quite a scare the last
few days, but thanks to a couple
of old hands, Russ Meyer and Ed
Watkins, the Phils once again en-
Joy commanding 512-game lead
in the National League race.
Meyer and Watkins Shine.
! Meyer and Watkins teamed up
to end five-game losing streak
and give the Phils a 4-3 victory
over the runner-up Dodgers last
night in the finale of the four
game series. after the Dodgers had
won the first three games.
The Dodgers, defending cham
pions and supposedly out of the
running, entered the Quaker City
Thursday 712 games behind.
Brooklyn promptly took a twi-
night double-header and followed
up with night game triumph to
shrink the difference to Az games.
Brooklyn beat three of the Phils'
youthful mound stars, Bubba
Church. Curt Simmons and Robin
Roberts in squeakers. One more
Brooklyn victory and the Dodgers
would have been very much back
in the pennant fight.
Sawyer entrusted the important
fourth game assignment to the
temperamental Meyer. The 90
year-old right-hander, who hadn't
pitched a complete game since
July 5. came through brilliantly
to restore the Phils to a healthy
lead.
Snider Clouts Homer.
Meyer restricted the Dodgers to
six hits and led all the way. His
worst moment came in the eighth
when Duke Snider smacked a two
run homer to cut the Phils' lead
to one run. But Meyer retired the
last four batters in succession.
The victory was Meyers eighth
compared to IL losses and his
third over Brooklyn.
4 Waitkus, the 30-year- r-old first
baseman, slammed out two singles
and double, drove in two runs
and sparkled afleld.
The Phils tailed what proved
to be the winning run in the
sixth on Mike Goliat's single,
Meyers sacrifice and Watkins
double
Philadelphia entertained the
third-place Braves today with Pfc.
Curt Simmons scheduled to pitch
his last game of the year. The
17-game winner leaves for active
Army duty tomorrow.
The Braves, seven games be-
hind, turned back the fourth
place Giants, 4-3, en- three-run
homer by Tommy Holmes in the
seventh inning. Warren SPAIN
went the distance to gain his 18th
victory. Jim Hearn was the loser.