The pitching merry-go-round continues as we lose Benge for the season on the same day Derringer returns. We also pick up Hank Johnson off waivers and he comes in as a reliever in place of Milt Gaston. We finally get McCall back in mid-month but I decide to ease him in slowly with a stint as stopper.
When we host the Phils toward the end of the month, we are two back of them. After we win three of four, we are tied. Our final two games of the month are a DH in Philly, with us trailing again by a game and them just having received news that pitcher Johnny Allen has been lost for the season. We split them and that’s how we finish the sectional. We go 22-9 for July and have ding-dong battle on our hands against the defending champs.
The bats heat right up. Dihigo has one of the best months of his career, slashing 382/476/706 with 8 HR and 28 RBI to deservedly win the monthly award, the first he has ever won. Foxx isn't far behind and almost all others have excellent months.
The pitching, though not quite as dominant, cannot be accused of not pulling its weight. Foster continues to rebound, while Derringer has really hit his straps. Trent, however, struggles a bit and Hildebrand will definitely be heading back to the BP fairly soon.
This looks set to be an unbelievable stretch run. The Phillies, as I said, are such a good side and we'll need to be at our best to match them. In the AL, the Tigers, Yanks and Red Sox appear ready to take it down to the wire, with little separating three fantastic squads.
Here are the Top 20s by WAR for hitters and pitchers to this point:
More milestones, as Jimmy Dykes reaches 2000 hits, while Dick Lundy and Rev Cannady each get to 1500. Al Simmons pops his 250th HR, Chuck Klein his 200th. On the topic of Chuck, he is handily leading all three TC categories as we enter August.
Awards, news, leaders.
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