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.
Losing by eight runs isn’t exactly how a team wants to end the season.
However, that’s what happened as the 1961 New York Yankees fell 12-4 to Walter Johnson and the 1924 Washington Senators.
Johnson went the distance allowing six hits with a walk and nine strikeouts.
On the other side, New York starter Whitey Ford (17-9) was ousted in the third inning without retiring a batter as the Senators were on their way to collecting 20 hits against six hurlers.
Five straight Senators reached base against Ford as Sam Rice got the scoring underway with a RBI single.
Goose Goslin smacked a RBI double, while Joe Judge drove in two more with a double and it was 4-0.
New York manager Ralph Houk called in Bud Daley from the bullpen and he fanned Ossie Bluege before Roger Peckinpaugh drilled a two-run homer and the Senators led by six.
Jim Coates took over on the mound for New York in the fourth and he surrendered a run-scoring double to Rice.
The Yankees showed some signs of life after Johnson retired the first 13 hitters he faced.
Elston Howard singled in the fifth to break-up the perfect game.
Yogi Berra followed with a single before Bill Skowron hammered his 25th homer of the season to cut New York’s deficit to 7-3.
With Tex Clevenger and then Rollie Sheldon on the mound for the Yankees in the seventh, the Senators would put the game away.
Sheldon entered the game with the bases loaded and got Earl McNeely to hit into a fielder’s choice with Peckinpaugh getting cut down at the plate.
Washington player-manager Bucky Harris coaxed a walk from Sheldon to bring home a run and Rice hit a sacrifice fly to make it 9-3.
After Goslin’s RBI single, Harris scored the final run of the frame on a passed ball.
The Senators added their last run in the eighth against Bill Stafford when Muddy Ruel had a sacrifice fly.
Howard capped the scoring off Johnson with a solo homer in the ninth for his 23rd long ball of the season.
Despite Washington taking the final three-game set from New York 2-1, the Yankees managed to end the season series with 12-10 edge over the Senators.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (96-58)
1961 New York Yankees (81-73)
1968 Detroit Tigers (26-18)
1948 Cleveland Indians (23-21)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (19-25)
2004 Boston Red Sox (17-27)
2005 Chicago White Sox (17-27)
1924 Washington Senators (17-27)
1972 Oakland A’s (12-32)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Mickey Mantle 63
Babe Ruth 61
Roger Maris 56
Lou Gehrig 38