Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Three-man pitching rotations will be used for starting pitchers. Injuries are in-game only during this single elimination event.
Nolan Ryan was effectively wild as the California Angels posted a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the opening round of the 1972 Strat-o-Matic Tournament.
With the win, the Angels are set to visit the Oakland A’s for a second round affair.
Ryan (1-0) allowed three hits in eight innings walking six and fanning eight as the Royals stranded 10 base runners.
Richie Scheinblum doubled in the first inning for the Royals, while Lou Piniella singled in the sixth and then in the eighth.
Kansas City starter Dick Drago (0-1) left two runners on in the ninth when he was pulled in the scoreless game.
Drago walked Ken McMullen and gave up a single to Leroy Stanton prompting Royals manager Bob Lemon to call Al Fitzmorris from the bullpen.
Fitzmorris walked Leo Cardenas to load the bases, but he got Jeff Torborg to hit a grounder to short and Freddie Patek fired home to cut down McMullen at the plate.
Although Fitzmorris retired pinch-hitter Jim Spencer on a fly ball, it was deep enough in centerfield that Amos Otis couldn’t throw out Stanton who tagged up to score the only run of the game.
In the bottom of the ninth, Lloyd Allen replaced Ryan and got the first two batters out before pinch-hitter Jim Wohlford reached on an error by Cardenas.
California manager Del Rice brought in lefty Steve Barber to face the Paul Schaal. Schaal’s fly ball to right ended the game as Barber picked up the save.
Rice will give the ball to Clyde Wright when the Angels meet the A’s, who are sending Catfish Hunter to the mound.
1972 Tournament Schedule
Second Round Pairings
NL East Bracket
(4) St. Louis Cardinals at (1) Pittsburgh Pirates
(6) Philadelphia Phillies at (2) Chicago Cubs
AL East Bracket
(5) Cleveland Indians at (1) Detroit Tigers
(3) Baltimore Orioles at (2) Boston Red Sox
AL West Bracket
(5) California Angels at (1) Oakland A’s
First Round Results and Pairings
NL East Bracket
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates, bye
(4) St. Louis Cardinals 5, (5) Montreal Expos 3
(6) Philadelphia Phillies 3, (3) New York Mets 0
(2) Chicago Cubs, bye
AL East Bracket
(1) Detroit Tigers, Bye
(5) Cleveland Indians 7, (4) New York Yankees 0
(3) Baltimore Orioles 4, (6) Milwaukee Brewers 0
(2) Boston Red Sox, bye
AL West Bracket
(1) Oakland A’s, Bye
(5) California Angels 1, (4) Kansas City Royals 0
(6) Texas Rangers at (3) Minnesota Twins
(2) Chicago White Sox, bye
NL West Bracket
(1) Cincinnati Reds, Bye
(5) San Francisco Giants at (4) Atlanta Braves
(6) San Diego Padres at (3) Los Angeles Dodgers
(2) Houston Astros, bye