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.
A clutch homer by Steve Yeager has set up the championship game of the 1972 Tournament.
Yeager’s solo shot in the eighth inning gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a 3-2 semifinal victory over the Minnesota Twins.
With the win, the Dodgers will have Claude Osteen (1-0) on the mound as they head to Pittsburgh to play for the title as the Pirates counter with Steve Blass (1-0).
The Twins grabbed an early lead in the second off Los Angeles starter Don Sutton.
Danny Thompson tripled to drive in a run and then he scored on a sacrifice fly by Glenn Borgmann.
Yeager was responsible for igniting the Dodgers offense against Minnesota starter Bert Blyleven in the third. He tripled and then came home on a passed ball by Borgmann.
Frank Robinson had a solo homer in the fourth for the Dodgers to tie it at 2-2.
The Twins loaded the bases against Sutton in the top of the seventh, but pinch-hitter Jim Holt grounded into a double play and the threat was over.
Blyleven would toss six innings for the Twins before getting lifted for the pinch-hitter. He gave up two runs on two hits with four strikeouts.
Dave LaRoche (0-1) took over for Blyleven. After a scoreless seventh, he gave up the game-winning long ball to Yeager in the eighth.
Sutton (2-0) left the mound with one out in the ninth after giving up a double to Steve Brye. Sutton allowed seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Charlie Hough retired Thompson and pinch-hitter Tony Oliva on ground outs to earn the save for the Dodgers.
1972 Tournament Schedule
Championship Game
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers at (1) Pittsburgh Pirates
Semifinal Results
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates 2, (1) Detroit Tigers 0
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers 3, (3) Minnesota Twins 2
Third Round Results
NL East Bracket
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates 7, (2) Chicago Cubs 3
AL East Bracket
(1) Detroit Tigers 2, (2) Boston Red Sox 0
AL West Bracket
(3) Minnesota Twins 5, (1) Oakland A’s 2
NL West Bracket
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers 3, (4) Atlanta Braves 1
Second Round Results
NL East Bracket
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates 2, (4) St. Louis Cardinals 1
(2) Chicago Cubs 9, (6) Philadelphia Phillies 1
AL East Bracket
(1) Detroit Tigers 2, (5) Cleveland Indians 0
(2) Boston Red Sox 7, (3) Baltimore Orioles 2
AL West Bracket
(1) Oakland A’s 4, (5) California Angels 1
(3) Minnesota Twins 2, (2) Chicago White Sox 1
NL West Bracket
(4) Atlanta Braves 4, (1) Cincinnati Reds 2
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers 6, (2) Houston Astros 5
First Round Results
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
(4) Atlanta Braves 4, (5) San Francisco Giants 1
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers 4, (6) San Diego Padres 2
(2) Houston Astros, bye