Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-17
Giants Declared
Superior 70 81
Miracle Team
Reds Put Dodgers
On Ropes; Yankees
ProIong Their Agony
BY the Associated Press

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feat the Dodgers with the never
to-be forgotten finish.
The voluble little manager,
gushing with good will and in. a
bless EN- attitude, lauded his
Giants as the 'gamest team that
ever walked out on a field" fol-
lowing what probably was their
happiest day of the season.
Combining brilliant pitching,
a tight defense and timely hit
ting. the Giants twice whipped
the Braves by Ga scores yester-
day to sweep the three-game
series and stretch their first
place lead over Brooklyn to AZ
games. A 9-3 defeat inflicted on
the Dodgers by Cincinnati helped
the Giants pick up a game and
a half.
Gamest Club of All.
did you ever see such q club
as this one?" Leo doomed in a
voice loud enough to drown out
the clubhouse din. This is the
gamest club I ever managed.
And one of the best. Certainly
better than the 81 Giants. It
has more pitching, a deeper
bench and an improved Willie
Mays.
Maybe my 1871 Dodgers were
better. But I'm not even sure
of that. Anyway, these guys of
mine are great. Simply great.
All of them"
Durocher had good reason to
be proud of his team. Once
again when the chips were down
they came through like cham
pions. The more precarious
their position, the harder they
have played. Four times during
the last four weeks, the Giants
lead shrunk to three games or
less and each time they came
through with resounding victo-
ries.
AS a result of yesterdays ac-
tivities. the Giants can count
their pennant chances on the
fingers of one hand. The magic
number is now five. Any COM
bination of five Giant victories
and/or Dodger defeats would
clinch the flag for New York.
Braves Finished.
The game but unlucky Braves,
now 71a lengths off the pace,
are virtually eliminated. The
combination there is three. In
justice to the Braves, they
played the entire New York series
without the services of smuggling
Joe Adcock, their injured first
baseman. In addition, Eddie
Matthews was handicapped by a
lame left leg, Bobby Thomson
yesterdays twin bill be-
cause of his ailing ankle and
Henry Aaron was out with a
busted leg.
Only one other major league
game was played. In that one,
the Yankees prolonged their
agony, defeating the Tigers, AZ,
to keep their faint pennant
hopes alive. They still trail the
pace-setting Indians by eight
games with only nine to 60.
Cleveland also has nine games
left.
Avoids Brash Claims.
Despite the Giants big bulge,
Durocher refused to make any
brash pennant statements.
I'VE play one game at a time"
ne said. We've got to win again
today" tThe Giants play phila-
delphia tonight). "But those two
were good ones. My guys played
ike champions. You can't give
them enough credit. Gomez !. !
Irisson1 Wilhelm Mays
Irwin ;. i. Dark 3. Will
liams /. all of them. Every
body took part. I'm proud of
al of them"
Ruben Gomez and Monte Irwin
were the f1rst-game stars. Gomez,
the Puerto Rican righthander,
turned in an eight-hitter for his
18th triumph and fourth in a
row. Irwin drove in four runs
with a double, single and sacri-
fee fly as the Giants knocked out
Warren SPAIN for the first time
this season. He has started six
times against them.
Grissom and Wilhelm COM
oined to hold the Braves to
seven hits in the nightcap. Girls
som, making his first start since
May !, gave up all the hits before
ne was removed after Mathews
37th homer had tied the score
at pa with one out. in the
sixth inning. Wilhelm gained
credit for the victory. his 18th.
holding the Braves runless and
hitless in 32s innings. He now
has pitched 925 consecutive hit
less innings.
Mays slammed his 10th homer
and two singles to boost his
batting average to .343, which
tied him with Duke Snider for