Editor’s note: The 27 * 61 Yankees Replay games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will not be used for any games. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur.
Lou Gehrig had four hits and scored the winning run in the top of the 10th inning as the 1927 New York Yankees defeated the 1972 Oakland A’s 5-4 to finish off a three-game sweep.
Gehrig started the rally in the 10th with a single off Bob Locker, who had just taken over on the mound for A’s starter Dave Hamilton.
After Locker walked Bob Meusel, he coaxed New York’s Tony Lazzeri to ground into a double play. Gehrig moved to third on the play, which allowed him to easily score on a single by Joe Dugan.
The A’s grabbed an early lead against New York starter George Pipgras, who would allow four runs in eight innings on six hits with six strikeouts.
With two out in the second, Pipgras walked Reggie Jackson and then made a mistake to Sal Bando as he smashed a two-run homer that put the A’s ahead 2-0.
Oakland added an unearned run in the third. Bert Campaneris led off with a single and swiped second. Two outs later with the A’s shortstop now at third, Johnny Grabowski‘s error on a ball in front of the plate off the bat of Bando allowed Campaneris to race home making it 3-0.
In the sixth, the Yankees finally got on the scoreboard when Babe Ruth and Gehrig drilled solo homers off Hamilton as the A’s advantage was cut to 3-2. Gehrig’s blast was his sixth homer of the season, while Ruth has two.
A homer by Gene Tenace in the sixth gave Oakland a 4-2 lead.
New York was able to tie the affair at 4-4 in the seventh as Earle Combs hit a two-run homer to set the stage for the extra frame.
Myles Thomas blanked the A’s in the ninth to get the win for the Yankees. Dutch Ruether worked a perfect 10th to pick up a save.
Next up for the Yankees is a trip to Washington D.C. Waite Hoyt gets the start for New York, while Walter Johnson is slated to go for the Senators.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1961 New York Yankees (6-3)
1927 New York Yankees (6-4)
1972 Oakland A’s (4-7)
2004 Boston Red Sox (3-5)
1924 Washington Senators (0-0)
1948 Cleveland Indians (0-0)
1968 Detroit Tigers (0-0)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (0-0)
2005 Chicago White Sox (0-0)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Lou Gehrig 6
Roger Maris 4
Mickey Mantle 2
Babe Ruth 2