Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter is also being used for all games.
The New York Yankees were able to hang on to post a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros in the second round of the 1977 Tournament.
New York lefty Ron Guidry earned the win, but he needed some help from Sparky Lyle.
With one out in the top of the ninth and the Yankees up by a run, Guidry walked Art Howe.
Yankees manager Billy Martin called to the bullpen and selected Lyle, who surrendered a single to Terry Puhl that moved Howe to third.
After Lyle induced Enos Cabell to pop out, Cesar Cedeno drilled a liner to third that Graig Nettles snagged to end the contest.
The Yankees will now face the winner of the (22) New York Mets at (6) Baltimore Orioles game in the finale of the Reggie Jackson Bracket.
Houston starter Ken Forsch went four innings and allowed all of the runs the Yankees scored. Astros reliever Gene Pentz held the Yankees scoreless the rest of the way.
In the third, Mickey Rivers knocked in the first run of the affair with a single.
One frame later, Nettles smacked a two-run homer and Bucky Dent added a RBI single to put the Yankees on top 4-0.
Guidry gave up five hits, but Bob Watson presented major problems for the New York ace.
Watson blasted a two-run homer in the fifth and hit a solo shot in the eighth.
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 4, (8) Texas Rangers 2
$ (16) San Francisco Giants 6, (1) Kansas City Royals 3
$ (9) Chicago White Sox 2, (25) Atlanta Braves 1 (10 innings)
(16) San Francisco Giants at (9) Chicago White Sox, final
Tom Lasorda Bracket
% (5) Boston Red Sox (97-64), bye
% (21) Milwaukee Brewers 8, (12) St. Louis Cardinals 4
% (13) Chicago Cubs 2, (20) San Diego Padres 1
% (4) Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64), bye
$ (5) Boston Red Sox 13, (21) Milwaukee Brewers 4
$ (13) Chicago Cubs 6, (4) Los Angeles Dodgers 5
(13) Chicago Cubs at (5) Boston Red Sox, final
Reggie Jackson Bracket
% (3) New York Yankees (100-62), bye
% (14) Houston Astros 7, (19) Cleveland Indians 5
% (22) New York Mets 3, (11) Minnesota Twins 0
% (6) Baltimore Orioles (97-64), bye
$ (3) New York Yankees 4, (14) Houston Astros 3
$ (22) New York Mets at (6) Baltimore Orioles
Mike Schmidt Bracket
% (7) Pittsburgh Pirates 4, (26) Toronto Blue Jays 1
% (10) Cincinnati Reds 6, (23) Seattle Mariners 3
% (15) Montreal Expos 4, (18) California Angels 2
% (2) Philadelphia Phillies (101-61), bye
$ (10) Cincinnati Reds at (7) Pittsburgh Pirates
$ (15) Montreal Expos at (2) Philadelphia Phillies
% First Round
$ Second Round (Bracket Semifinals)