Evening star., 1951-07-23
Fifth Place Next Goal
After Chicago Sweep;
Only One Game Out
By Burton Hawkins

process. the washington club has
moved within one game Of the
lfifth-place Tigers, whom they
meet in a three-game series START
ing here tomorrow night.
The Mats applied large crush
er to. Chicago's pennant asoira-
tions yesterday by capturing a
double -header, TO and Ills, be-
fore a crowd of 24,223 in Comis-
key Park. Bucky Harris crew thus
completed their. Western journey
with a highly creditable 9-5 rec
ord, as compared with the S-5
mark compiled by the Yankees
and the 7-6- record of the Red
ISox in the West. They also carry
Ia four game winning streak into
the Detroit series.
II q finger may be pointed at a
particular moment when the Mats
launched their comeback, it prob
ably dates back to July 4, when
they shared that double header
from the Yankees In New York.
From that date on, they have
rolled at a 667 pace, winning IA
Iof 81 games.
Four Big Hitters.
It has required a concerted surge
by the Mats hitters, and the lead
ers have been Eddie Yost,. Sam
Mele, Gil Coan and Mickey Ver-
non. On their happiest journey
since they won nine straight games
/ in 1948. Yost batted .378, Mele
.371, Coan 1855. and Vernon .345.
Neither Yost, who walked six
times, nor Coan contributed a hit
to the two triumphs yesterday, but
they have been prominent figures
in the clubs squirt. Coan's failure
to hit yesterday was costly to, him
personally. for. he. lost the league
batting lead by slumping to .331
while Chicago's ,Orestes Minoso
scared to .344 with five hits in
seven attempts.
YoSt has been a pest to the
league pitchers. He has walked
80 times this season and some
indication OF how annoying he
can be was given Chicago's cha
grined fans in the second game
yesterday. Eddie fouled off seven
pitches in one turn at bat. then
on his next appearance fouled off
IA. Pitchers are less fresh when
Yost gets through working on
them.
Michaels Comes to Life.
The general batting improve
ment has become contagious. Cass
Michaels, deep in a slump when
1.-THE trip started as he went hitleSS
III straight times. batted .444
against the White Sox. And Mike
Guerra, whose hitting this season
has been virtually non-existent,
delivered a three-run homer in the
first game yesterday to give the
Mats 6-6 tie in the sixth inning.
The White Sox had Splattered
Chico Marrero for eight hits, in
lcluding a couple of tainted but
timely ones. in constructing a
6-2 lead in the first three innings.
The Mats suddenly erupted for four
runs off Saul Rogovin in the sixth,
with doubles by Vernon and Mele
producing run before Pete Run
nels walked and Guerra crashed
his first homer of the year into
the left field seats.
Vernon walked with two out in
the ninth and Mele got him home
with a double off Billy Pierce, the
loser. Sandy Consuegra, who held
the White Sox scoreless after re-
placing Marrero in the third in
ming, disposed of three successive
pinch hitters in the ninth to win
his sixth decision.
Mele's two doubles and a single
led the 12-hit attack in the
opener, while Mickey Grasso got
three of the Mats l3 hits in the
second game.
Seven Runs in Inning.
The Mats sealed the second
game in the second inning with
a seven-run outburst against Ken
Holcombe and Harry Dorish
Michaels and Grasso started the
uprising with singles and the
Mats owned a run when Fred
Sanford and Yost walked. Coan
popped out. but Noren doubled
after Vernon was purposely
passed, and so did Mele and Run
nels.
The Mats other runs were gifts
lof the White Sox, who made six
Ierrors in the second game as they
Iskidded 2h games off the pace
Iby losing 10 of their last IA games.
lit was a complete aboutface for
1.-THE Mats, who had lost 10 in a
Irow to the White Sox.
| Sanford. slammed for IL hits in
an unimpressive effort, hung
|around long enough to get his
second victory, with Joe Haynes
finishing up for him.
The field was treacherous after
an all-night rain and players on
both teams spent a large part Of
the afternoon picking themselves
Iout of the mud after falling. The
Mats got police escort for the
three-mile journey to the railroad
station and it was an exciting ride
Through thick traffic.
Noren and Mele continue to
battle for the teams runs-batted-
lin lead, with Irv holding a 63-62
edge. When Nelson Fox was
picked off second base by. Mike
Guerra in the first game. Paul
Richards, White Sox manager, fell
loft the bench.
Fox was spiked on the left foot
by Grassos in a play at second
base in the nightcap, but may be
able to play tomorrow night
against the Red Sox.
1Ott and Foxx Entering