Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter is also being used for all games.
In a contest filled with home runs, Boston’s Jim Rice had the decisive blast.
Rice took Chicago Cubs closer Bruce Sutter deep over the Green Monster in the bottom of the 10th as the Red Sox posted a 7-5 victory at Fenway Park.
With Boston’s victory, the first semifinal game of the 1977 Tournament is set as the Red Sox will entertain the Chicago White Sox.
Sutter entered the contest in relief of Cubs starter Ray Burris with one out in the eighth. He fanned two to work out of a jam and then retired the next four hitters.
Carl Yastrzemski walked with one out and then Rice connected off Sutter for the walk-off homer.
Action in the first
The was plenty of excitement in the first inning as the teams combined for eight runs.
The Cubs scored three times against Boston starter Luis Tiant, who would last eight innings and give up all Chicago five runs.
Bobby Murcer launched a three-run homer around the Pesky Pole in right to put the Cubs on top 3-0.
Boston was able to answer in the bottom of the first frame.
Rice had a RBI single to make it 3-1 as he drove in the only run of the contest that didn’t come via a long ball.
After Carlton Fisk singled to load the bases against Burris, George Scott smashed a grand slam and the Red Sox led 5-3.
The score remained the same until the top of the fifth when Jerry Morales tied the affair at 5-5 with a two-run homer off Tiant.
Bill Campbell pitched the final two innings for the Red Sox to get the victory.
1977 Tournament Results and Schedule
Semifinal Round
(9) Chicago White Sox at (5) Boston Red Sox
(6) Baltimore Orioles at (3) New York Yankees winner vs. (15) Montreal Expos at (7) Pittsburgh Pirates winner
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)
(9) Chicago White Sox 6, (16) San Francisco Giants 4, 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
(5) Boston Red Sox 7, (13) Chicago Cubs 5, 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
$ (6) Baltimore Orioles 5, (22) New York Mets 3
(6) Baltimore Orioles at (3) New York Yankees, final
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
$ (7) Pittsburgh Pirates 6, (10) Cincinnati Reds 3
$ (15) Montreal Expos 5, (2) Philadelphia Phillies 2
(15) Montreal Expos at (7) Pittsburgh Pirates, final
% First Round
$ Second Round (Bracket Semifinals)