Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter is also being used for all games.
After blowing a three-run advantage, the Chicago White Sox bounced back to win the game in the squad’s opener of the 1977 Tournament.
The White Sox defeated the Oakland A’s 8-6 at Comiskey Park to move on to play the winner of the Atlanta Braves at Texas Rangers contest as the highest remaining seed.
A home run by Richie Zisk in the bottom of the seventh off Oakland’s Dave Giusti put the White Sox on top for good.
Chicago added a run in the eighth against Giusti as Alan Bannister grounded into a fielder’s choice.
Dave Hamilton picked up the win for the White Sox allowing a run on five hits in four innings of relief.
Quick Start for A’s
A RBI single by Wayne Gross in the top of the first against White Sox starter Francisco Barrios gave Oakland an 1-0 lead.
Jim Spencer answered for Chicago in a big way in the third with a three-run homer off Oakland starter Vida Blue.
In the fourth, Brian Downing gave the White Sox a 4-1 lead with a run-scoring single.
Both teams added runs in the fifth. A RBI single by Mike Jorgensen started Oakland on the comeback trail in the fifth, while Oscar Gamble homered for Chicago in the bottom of the frame.
Barrios would get sent to the showers in the sixth without retiring a hitter as the A’s scored four times to take a 6-5 lead.
Rodney Scott began the rally with a single and then swiping second. Bill North‘s doubled to drive in Scott before he scored on a single by Mitchell Page.
White Sox manager Bob Lemon then called to the bullpen to bring in Dave Hamilton, who surrendered RBI singles Dick Allen and Jorgensen as the A’s grabbed the lead.
Giusti went to the mound for the A’s in the bottom of the sixth and Downing greeted him with a solo blast the tied the contest.
Overall, there were 31 hits in the game with the A’s collecting 16. The White Sox had 15 with four homers.
Page and Allen led the A’s with four hits apiece, while Downing and Jorge Orta both had three hits for the White Sox.
1977 Tournament Results and Schedule
George Brett Bracket
(1) Kansas City Royals (102-60), bye
(16) San Francisco Giants 4, (17) Detroit Tigers 3
(9) Chicago White Sox 8, (24) Oakland Athletics 6
(25) Atlanta Braves (61-101) at (8) Texas Rangers (94-68)
Tom Lasorda Bracket
(5) Boston Red Sox (97-64), bye
(21) Milwaukee Brewers (67-95) at (12) St. Louis Cardinals (83-79)
(20) San Diego Padres (69-73) at (13) Chicago Cubs (81-81)
(4) Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64), bye
Reggie Jackson Bracket
(3) New York Yankees (100-62), bye
(19) Cleveland Indians (71-90) at (14) Houston Astros (81-81)
(22) New York Mets (64-98) at (11) Minnesota Twins (84-77)
(6) Baltimore Orioles (97-64), bye
Mike Schmidt Bracket
(26) Toronto Blue Jays (54-107) at (7) Pittsburgh Pirates (96-66)
(23) Seattle Mariners (64-98) at (10) Cincinnati Reds (88-74)
(18) California Angels (74-88) at (15) Montreal Expos (75-87)
(2) Philadelphia Phillies (101-61), bye