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.
It didn’t take long to figure out that the 1927 New York Yankees were going to beat the 1970 Baltimore Orioles.
New York scored all of their runs in the first five innings as the Yankees beat the Orioles 13-5.
After Mark Koenig hit into a double play, Baltimore starter Tom Phoebus quickly got in big trouble.
Phoebus gave up back-to-back singles to Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig before Tony Lazzeri smashed a homer to give the Yankees a 3-0 advantage. It was Lazerri’s 21st long ball of the season.
The second inning wasn’t as bad for Phoebus as he just allowed a sacrifice fly by Earle Combs that put the Yankees up by four.
Baltimore showed some signs of life in the bottom of the second with three runs off New York starter George Pipgras.
Davey Johnson drove home the first tally with a sacrifice fly, while Elrod Hendricks added a RBI single. Paul Blair capped the rally with a run-scoring triple to make it 4-3.
However, that really turned out to be the last excitement for the socially distanced fans in Memorial Stadium as the Yankees scored seven runs in the third and never looked back.
Ruth doubled to begin the onslaught that had 10 batters come to the plate. Gehrig singled and Lazerri walked.
After Bob Meusel doubled home a pair of runs, Phoebus was sent to the showers.
While Dick Hall managed to get two outs, he was unable to finish the inning for the Orioles.
Hall walked Pipgras to load the bases before Combs hammered a grand slam for his 10th homer of the season as the Yankees led 10-3. A stunned Hall then allowed Mark Koenig to hit a solo shot for his fifth homer before Pete Richert fanned Ruth to end the inning.
Joe Dugan joined the hit parade for the Yankees in the fourth with a run-scoring single.
Ruth hit his team-high 46th homer of the season to produce the final tally for the Yankees, which was his 108th RBI.
From that point, Richert retired the last 14 batters as he finished the game for the Orioles with 10 strikeouts.
The Orioles added a run in the fifth and another in the sixth. Merv Rettenmund had a run-scoring single, while Hendricks had a RBI double.
Pipgras (12-7) went the distance for the Yankees surrendering 10 hits with six strikeouts.
In the second contest of the three-game series, Waite Hoyt (16-5) gets the start for the Yankees as Baltimore manager Earl Weaver sends Jim Palmer to the mound.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (74-49)
1961 New York Yankees (63-59)
1968 Detroit Tigers (22-14)
1948 Cleveland Indians (21-15)
2004 Boston Red Sox (15-17)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (13-18)
1924 Washington Senators (14-24)
2005 Chicago White Sox (11-22)
1972 Oakland A’s (11-27)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Roger Maris 48
Mickey Mantle 46
Babe Ruth 46
Lou Gehrig 32