In their last eight-teen innings, Florida's American League reps have looked less like league leaders and more like the yannigans of yesteryear whom the rest of the circuit regularly ransacked in the naughty nineties. The Bostons re-occupied the top floor of the eastern tower with a 5-1 victory at the Fens to-night.

The Franconamen were up to the task again without their jumbo jolter Ortiz, and have prevailed in the last dozen contests played in the Commonwealth. Ma Nature played Misty for the nines, but only the boys in white seemed privy to tricks that allowed for clear vision and dry rags. Chicken necks were hung up in column B by the BoSox, three more than the Sea-Rays' snowman. Boston men of four different faces socked two hits a-piece: The Nimble Native Ellsbury; the Hebrew Hammer Youkilis; and the black-and-white cookie crunch of Crisp and Drew. The hometown "rooters" reveled in this rainbow, which led to a melting pot of golden scores.

Beckett lanced for the locals, scattering seven slaps in six squares. No free bases were given, and five Fish flailed fruitlessly. The Sunbeams scored but once off the testy Texan on a stick-splitting snort to center. Del Carmen and Okajima agreed to do an inning of shut-down when their turn came, and proved not to be fibbers. Hansen locked up shop with a goose egg-shaped key.

The German-gestated Georgian Jackson jousted Josh for five frames, but couldn't stay the hitting of the Boston batters, his throws returned to the tune of six hits and four scores. His mates refused his pleas for help post-deportation, and soon his fifth loss sat lethargically in his lap.

The lack of a legal re-viewing device has been the cause of much wrangle, and was again to-night, when second-sacker Pedroia sliced one seemingly inside the Pesky Pole for a would-be dong. The officials cried "foul," and after a frazzled Francona fought for fairness, the verdict remained uncorrected. The incident did not prove fatal, and at eve's end, the skipper had surpassed rodential ex-Boston chief Zimmer on the all-time Bo-Sox victory sheet. "Tito" now claims 412, and is two shy of the total of Mgr. Williams of a decade ago.

The squads tussle for the first place flag again Thursday at 6 o'clock, sixty minutes early to accommodate the basket-ball championships in this city.