The Key West Citizen

Cleveland Indians Have Hatchet Men

Cleveland's Indians have a real Murderer's Row-six hatchet men who keep swinging until they get the other guy's scalp.

If one slugger doesn't get the job done, the next guy might. If he doesn't, the other clubbers are lined up for their whacks.

All of which gives manager Al Lopez the guaranteed payoff of a savings bond. With Al Smith, Bobby Avila, Larry Doby, Al Rosen, Ralph Kiner and Vic Wertz swinging for him, he's shooting for a second straight American League pennant with loaded dice.

Cleveland's hatchet men have knocked in 29 of the Tribe's 36 runs this season, with the big four of the wrecking crew-Doby. Rosen, Kiner and Wertz-driving in 19.

What they can do to the opposition was evident on opening day. Chicago's Virgil Trucks bore down to fan Kiner with the bags loaded in the first, only to find Wertz next at the plate. Wertz singled home two runs and the tribe was off to a 5-1 victory

Last night at Kansas City, Ewell Blackwell got the treatment. He came on in the ninth for the A's. who had clubbed five homers themselves for an 8-0 lead after four frames. When Blackwell arrived, Cleveland had swung back to a mere 9-8 deficit.

A walk and a hit batsman put Blackwell in the hole. But he struck out Smith and got Avila to pop up. Then he had Doby to face.

Blackwell got as far as a 3-2 count and the next pitch was swatted 375 feet over the right field fence.

That was it. Cleveland had it 11-8, moving to within half a game of the American League leader, Boston, which was idle.

There were only two games played in the league. The other, also a nighter. saw the New York's Whitey Ford set down Baltimore on three singles 6-0 as the Orioles. still winless. lost their sixth.

The National had a full slate. Brooklyn stayed unbeaten with a five-run sixth that beat the Philadelphia phillies 5-2 for the Dodgers' seventh victory: and Cincinnati got rid of Vic Raschi quick to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4.

Both were night games.

In an afternoon pair. the New York giants whipped Pittsburgh 12-3 and Milwaukee slipped past the Chicago Cubs 2-1.