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.
Bert Blyleven tossed a two-hitter as the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 3-0 in the first round of the 1972 Strat-o-Matic Tournament.
With the win, the Twins move into the second round with a trip to meet the Chicago White Sox.
Blyleven (1-0) allowed a single in the first inning by Toby Harrah and a double by Dave Nelson in the eighth. He walked five and fanned seven.
The Rangers only had two opportunities against the right-hander with one in the first and the other in the seventh.
In the first after Harrah’s hit, Blyleven walked Larry Biittner and Ted Ford to load the bases. Fortunately for the Twins, Blyleven struck out Jeff Burroughs to end the inning.
Walking two batters in the seventh also caused an issue, but Blyleven induced Vic Harris to hit into an inning-ending double play to finish that threat.
Texas starter Dick Bosman (0-1) blanked the Twins until the bottom of the fourth.
Cesar Tovar led off with a single and swipped second before Bosman was able to retire Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew without any damage.
However, Bosman walked Bobby Darwin and Steve Braun followed with a RBI single to give the Twins a 1-0 advantage.
Carew’s run-scoring double in the fifth added to Minnesota’s lead, while Darwin homered in the sixth giving the Twins their final tally.
Bosman worked seven frames giving up six hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Pete Broberg tossed a scoreless eighth with two strikeouts.
Next up on the mound in the second round for the Twins will be Dick Woodson as the White Sox will start Wilbur Wood.
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
(3) Minnesota Twins at (2) Chicago White Sox
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
(3) Minnesota Twins 3, (6) Texas Rangers 0
(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