The Boston Red Sox worked into a tie with the Yankees for the American League leadership yesterday by beating New York 4 to 1. Mel Parnell pitched his twenty-fifth victory, beating Allie Reynolds, and Ted Williams hit his forty-third home run of the season.

The tight pennant race will have to come out of its knot this afternoon when the two teams meet in New York at 2 p.m. at Yankee Stadium. Maury McDermott and Tommy Byrne are the probable pitchers.

Other A.L. scores:

Cleveland (Lemon) 7, Detroit (Houtteman) 1.

Philadelphia (Kellner) 8, Washington (Welteroth) 5.

Washington (Weik) 4, Philadelphia (Brissie) 0.

Chicago (Wight) 7, St. Louis (Fannin) 5.

St. Louis (Garver) 6, Chicago (Bruner) 2. National League   W  L  Pct.  GB  Left St. Louis  95  54  .638  -  5 Brooklyn  94  56  .627  1 1/2  4

A St. Louis victory and a Brooklyn defeat gave the Cardinals a commanding game-and-a-half National League lead yesterday. Harry Brecheen pitched and batted the Cards to a 6 to 1 victory over the Chicago Cubs, with Johnny Schmitz the losing pitcher. In Brooklyn, the Phillies tumbled the Dodgers, 5 to 3.

Neither the Cards nor the Dodgers play today.

Other N.L. scores:

New York (Koslo) 3, Boston (Bickford) 2.

New York (Jones) 5, Boston (Voiselle) 2.

Pittsburgh (Chesnes) 7, Cincinnati (Wehmeier) 3.