Evening star., 1951-08-27

Hex Over Dodgers Helping
Giants Cash in on Streak
By the Asseeiossd Press

~OSMM
By the Asseeioisd Press
The National League pennantl
race, overshadowed all season byI
the dog fight in the American, isl
beginning to come into its own
as the New York Giants gradually
whittle the once-imposing lead Of
the Brooklyn Dodgers. And to-
day, weather permitting, more
fireworks may be In order.
Brooklyn's 13h-game lead Of
two weeks ago has been reduced to
six following the 14-game winning
streak Of the Giants, and Flatbush
followers. for the first time, are
beginning to feel apprehensive.
Nor Is the presence in town Of
the Pittsburgh Pirates helping
matters.
Last-Place Bucs Tough.
The Pirates are In last place, ~
games out, but up to now they've
been giving Brooklyn more trouble
than any club in the league.
Counting yesterdays split Of q
double -header. twilight and night.
the Pirates have won 10 Of lS
games with BROOKLYN. No other
team holds an edge over the
Dodgers.
Meanwhile, the Giants, who
swept two games yesterday from
the Chicago Cubs, sd and 5-l,
play the Cubs In q double -header
this afternoon.
The Pirates have Mel Queen
and Bill Werle ready to pitch
against the Dodgers, who viii
counter with Erv Palica and Ralph
Branca. The Giants. needing one
more victory to match their 15-
game winning streak Of 1896, were
to send Larry Jansen and Ted
|Corwin against Bod Rush and Joe
Hatten.
Shock In BROOKLYN.
Brooklyn fans received a shock
in the first game yesterday when
the Pirates oyercame o % deficit
to win. IL to II. Pittsburgh beat
one Of the Dodger acres, Don New
|combe. when they exploded in the
seventh inning and scored eight
runs OF Newcombe and Clyde
King. What's more, they nearly
swept the double -header.
The Bucs were holding q go
lead with one out in the ninth
inning Of the second game when
Andy Pafko homered to tie the
score. Then, in the 10th. Jackie
Robinson broke 1t up with an
other home run.
Home runs also keynoted the
Giants double victory over the
Cubs. Yves Westrum hit two and
Don Mueller belted one in the
opener for all Of New York's runs.
In the nightcap. the Giants broke
10 III tie with three runs in the
fourth and scored q NTH time
when Rookie Willie Mays stole
home in the sixth.
In Brooklyn. Manager Chuck
Dresser was scotching rumors|
that his ball club Is pressing.
There are no filters on my club"
Dresser said. ''The spirit is flne.
and we're going to win the pen
nant."
80 Games Remaining.
Brooklyn has 80 games left to
play. the Giants 80. The con-
tenders have four left with each
other-two at the Polo Grounds
next Saturday and Sunday and
two at Ebbets Field September
8 and Q.
Were playing the same kind
of ball we've been playing all
along-winning three or four
games and losing a couple here
and there" Dresser explained.
TITS nothing to get excited about.
We've had some tough luck.
Robinson and Peewee Reese were
out for o while. When they came
back it was hard for them to get
started again. That's what hurt
us. And remember. we lost
(Preacher) Roe for 10 days. \
Hodges has been in q slump,
and Pafko is just beginning to hit.
SO add 1t all up and you can see
we were due to lose some games.
But it's not like the situation is
going to be permanent"
Race in Status Quo.
Meanwhile, the American League
race remained in status quo as
the Cleveland Indians retained
their one-game lead over the New
York Yankees by splitting a
doubleheader with the Boston Red
ESox. The Red Sox, trailing by
i've games, won the flrst game
SO. but the Indians took the Sec
tond, 2-1. The Yanks divided
with the Chicago White Sox, los
ing the opener. ga, and winning
the nightcap, as.
4 In other American League
games Washington swept a pair
from the st. Louis Browns, 9-3
and 9-l. and the Detroit Tigers