Evening star., 1950-07-22
Yankees Tighten Race
AS Mize Continues
On SIuggiing Spree
by the Assoeioied Press

1ne Dig CaG Is on Lne prOWl
again.
Johnny Mize. who terrorized
National League pitching for so
many years, is blasting away as of
old for the Yankees in their
American League pennant bid.
Big Jawn, who a short while
ago was on the brink of drawing
his release, has hit a fantastic .867
for his last four games. He be-
gan to purr against st. Louis
Tuesday and has banged out 13
hits in IS trips-including five
home runS-Since.
Mize's amazing performance has
raised his batting average 119
points from 1853 to BIT.
Mize assembled the heights of his
comeback last night as he belted
out two homers, a pair of singles
and drove in five runs to lead the
Yanks to smashing 14-5 victory
over the pace-setting Tigers in
the opener Of a vital three-game
series at the Yankee Stadium.
The overwhelming triumph, wit
messed by 62,823 fans, cut the
Tigers lead over the Yanks to ~
games. The Yanks can assume
the lead by winning today and to-
morrow.
Di Mag in Hitting Mood.
Mize, who took over the fourth
Slot in the batting order when Joe
Di Maggie became i'll, was kept in
that position against the Tigers.
Di Maggie dropped to fifth. The
move paid off as Di Maggie
clubbed three singles and a dou-
BILE. 1t marked the second time
since Di Maggie took over the
cleanup spot from Lou Gehrig in
1899 that he has batted other
than fourth for the Yanks.
The Yanks jumped off to a
lead they never relinquished. The
Bombers cracked Lefty Ted Gray
for two runs in the first inning,
added two more in the second and
drove him out with three in the
third to take a TO lead.
Vic Raschi, Yankee starter,
blanked the Bengals on two hits
going into the fifth. The Tigers
suddenly came to life and scored
four runs to knock Raschi out.
But the Yanks, with big Mize
showing the way, came right back
and scored four in their half of
the fifth to put the game out of
reach. MiZe banged Paul CAL
vert for a three-run homer and
followed with a two-run smash
in the seventh. Tom Ferrick and
Joe Page finished for the Yanks,
with Ferrick receiving credit for
the victory.
Race in National Tightens.
The pennant race in the Ma
tional League also frightened as
the Phils tied the Cardinals for
the lead.
The Phils. behind the eight-hit
pitching of Rookie Bubba Church,
beat the Pirates. Al. Eddie Wait
kus scored three of the victors'
runs and Dick Sisler drove home
two. Ralph Kiner accounted for
Pittsburgh's run with his 28th
homer in the eighth inning.
st. Louis dropped a Sd, 11-in-
ming decision to the Giants. An
error by Eddie Miller allowed Al
win Dark to score from third with
the winning run. Stan Musial
sent the game into overtime with
two-run homer in the seventh.
his 18th, off Sal Maglie, who went
the distance for the Giants.
Cloyd Boyer went all the way for
the Cards.
The third-place Braves re-
mained a game off the pace by
dropping a 4-3. 13-inning game
to the Cubs. Bill Serena singled
home Andy Pafko from second
with the payof run, spelling
Johnny Sain's bid for his 18th
victory.
Brooklyn's fourth-place Dodg-
ers moved to within two games
OF the co-leaders by trouncing the
Reds. IL. Veteran Preacher Roe
tanned the Redlegs on eight hits
to pick up his 18th victory.
Boston's powerful Red Sox
pounded the Browns into the
dust. IA, and the Athletics edged
the White SnX. If in 10 INNINGS