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 offense of the 1961 New York Yankees exploded in an 18-3 victory in the opener of a two-game series against the 1972 Oakland A’s.
Mickey Mantle blasted three homers as the Yankees hit seven total long balls in the affair. Elston Howard hit a pair, while Johnny Blanchard and Clete Boyer had one apiece.
The onslaught began in the top of the first Bobby Richardson led off the game with a single against A’s pitcher Vida Blue. One out later, Roger Maris singled.
Mantle drilled a three-run homer and Howard followed with a solo shot and the Yankees led 4-0.
The second inning became an encore performance as Richardson singled. This time, it was Tony Kubek who singled before Maris was retired on a deep fly ball to right.
Mantle and Howard repeated their first inning effort by hitting back-to-back homers. Mantle’s produced three runs and ended the day for Blue. Howard greeted Dave Hamilton with his drive over the fence.
New York added four more runs in the third frame. Maris knocked in his 92nd run of the season with a single before Mantle capped the rally with his third three-run homer of the contest and it was 12-0.
Mantle now has 52 homers on the season with 122 RBI.
Oakland showed some signs of coming to life against New York starter Rollie Sheldon in the bottom of the third.
Reggie Jackson had a RBI single that eventually would be followed by run-scoring singles by Gene Tenace and George Hendrick.
The A’s pitchers continued to struggle as the Yankees scored five times in the fifth inning against Bob Locker.
Richardson, Kubeck and Maris all singled to begin in outburst. Locker fanned Mantle, but Howard had a single to bring home two runs. After Berra made an out, Blanchard hit a three-run bomb and New York led 17-3.
Boyer hit a solo homer in the ninth off Darold Knowles to finish the scoring for the contest.
Daley (9-8) went the distance on the mound for the Yankees allowing nine hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
Bud Daley (7-14) will start the series finale for the Yankees, while Hamilton with a day of rest and despite his brief relief appearance in the opener will start for the A’s.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (78-49)
1961 New York Yankees (66-61)
1968 Detroit Tigers (22-14)
1948 Cleveland Indians (21-15)
2004 Boston Red Sox (15-19)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (15-21)
1924 Washington Senators (14-24)
2005 Chicago White Sox (11-22)
1972 Oakland A’s (11-29)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Mickey Mantle 52
Roger Maris 50
Babe Ruth 47
Lou Gehrig 33