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.
The 1968 Detroit Tigers hit three homers on the way to a decisive 9-2 victory over the 1961 New York Yankees.
With the win, the Tigers evened the four-game set at 2-2, while now holding a 10-5 advantage in the season series with seven games left to play.
Detroit scored four times in the second against New York starter Ralph Terry with some help from the Yankees.
Willie Horton reached on an error by Yankees catcher Elston Howard to lead off the inning and Norm Cash followed with a two-run blast to put the Tigers in front.
In an encore performance of sorts, New York third baseman Clete Boyer misplayed a grounder by Jim Northrup, which led to another two-run homer this time by Bill Freehan and it was 4-0.
In the third, Horton singled and then it was Northrup’s turn to join the long ball party as he drilled a two-run homer.
The Yankees showed some life offensively in the bottom of the seventh. Howard ended up at first when Tigers third baseman Don Wert couldn’t make the play on a grounder. Yogi Berra smashed a two-run homer to cut New York’s deficit to 6-2.
It didn’t take long for the Tigers to put the game away in the top of the eighth against New York reliever Tex Clevenger.
Horton walked and then went to third on a double by Cash. Northrup’s sacrifice fly to right was deep enough to allow Horton to ramble home. Dick McAuliffe drove in the final two runs with a double.
Lolich limited the Yankees to five hits with a walk and 13 strikeouts raising his mark to 3-0 against the Yankees this season in four starts. He also fanned Mickey Mantle and Boyer three times apiece.
Terry (5-9) was tagged with the loss after going seven innings and allowing six runs on six hits with three strikeouts.
Clevenger gave up three runs on three hits and two walks in his only inning for the Yankees, while Jim Coates finished up with a scoreless ninth.
Next up for New York is a visit from the 2005 Chicago White Sox to Yankee Stadium for a two-game series.
Rollie Sheldon (5-8) starts the opener for New York as the White Sox counter with Jose Contreras.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (61-44)
1961 New York Yankees (55-50)
1948 Cleveland Indians (18-12)
1968 Detroit Tigers (18-12)
2004 Boston Red Sox (15-17)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (13-17)
1924 Washington Senators (11-19)
2005 Chicago White Sox (8-14)
1972 Oakland A’s (11-25)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Mickey Mantle 43
Roger Maris 40
Babe Ruth 38
Lou Gehrig 27