Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-18
Morrero Tries to Check
White Sox' BoffIinq Rise
BY the AsSoeioied Press

BY the Assoeicted Press
With only one regular hitting
over 800, and with a pitching
staff composed largely of cast
offs. the White Sox are just a
half-game out of first place in
the American League. They've
won nine Of their last II games,
many of them with late-inning
rallies.
Rival clubs are wondering how
long this can go on. In 1851,
the Chicago club had the league
agog for the first three months.
only to fall of to almost nothing.
Last year, although the White
Sox never did reach first place,
they climbed to second in July
and eventually finished third.
One Regular Over 800.
This year Manager Paul Rich
ards said he thought the White
Sox could win the pennant-if
he got strong pitching and bet
ter hitting.
So far none of his ifs have
been holding up. It's as though
the team is balancing itself in
mid-air. Only Catcher Sherman
Lollar and his substitute, Red
Wilson, are over the 300 mark.
Lollar is hitting .348, and this Is
a pleasant surprise to Richards,
who for a time thought of de-
noting him from the f1rst-String
catching job.
Billy Pierce, with q ST. mark,
and Harry Dorish, relief ace,
have been carrying the pitching
staff. DoriSh has been in Is
games and owns a 80 record.
The White Sox have won nine
of the games in which he has
appeared.
Chicago would have gone on
top on Saul Rogovin's 7-3 vic
tory over Washington yesterday
if the leading Yankees had not
come from behind to beat the
Browns, SIS, in 10 innings.
HOuk Starts Rally.
Rookie Don Larsen was lust
two strikes away from victory
against the Yankees when he
ran into trouble IN the person
of Ralph Houk. thirdstring
catcher of the Bombers.
The Browns were ahead, Al,
there were two out in the ninth
and Larsen had one strike on
Houk. But the ex-Ranger major
singled, and so did Billy Martin.
Irv Noren drove them both home
with a triple. That sent the
game into extra innings. The
Browns scored once in their half
of the 10th on a couple of singles
and sacrifice.
But the Yanks came right
back to win the ball game for
Bob Kuzava. Gene Woodling
single. Phil Rizzuto doubled,
Pinch-hitter Eddie Lopat was
passed purposely. Martin sin
gled home Woodling and Riz-
zuto and that was the game:
The game ran 3 hours 80
minutes and the two teams used
a total of Al players. a major
league record. The second con-
test of the scheduled double
header was postponed because
Of darkness.
Wynn and Garcia Beat AS.
Early Wynn and Mike Garcia
hurled the third-place Indians
to a double triumph over Phila-
delphia, 7-3 and 81. The Tribe
needed the two victories. too. as
it had lost five in a row.
Wynn allowed only six hits in
the first game and Jim Hogan
helped out with a three-run
homer. The second was a little
tougher. Mike Garcia and the
AS Alex Kellner engaged in a
tight duel for nine innings. In
the 10th, Kellner blew to the
stratosphere and the Indians
scored eight runs.
The scheduled double header
between Detroit and the Red Sox
was washed out.
In the National League, the
Cincinnati Redlegs must have
used up all their hitting power
in the first game of their double
header against the Dodgers. They
won the opener. 1875, on home
runs by Jim Greengrass. Gus
Bell, Ted KluSzewski and Will
lard Marshall.
But in the nightcap. Carl
Esrkine held them to one hit
bunt down the third base line
by Bell-as the Dodgers regis
tered a 100 Shutout. Erskine's
pitching snapped the Dodgers
out of four-game losing streak.
Brooklyn moved into third
place by virtue of the split and
the Giants 9-6 triumph over the
Cardinals. Tookie Gilbert, who
had produced but one hit in IS
times at bat this season, was
(See pASERAIJ. A1oN