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.
Sometimes it just seems like a matter of time for the opponents of the 1927 New York Yankees.
Down 3-0 early in the contest, New York responded and went on to a 7-5 victory over the 1972 Oakland A’s in Yankee Stadium.
Earle Combs started a four-run rally in the bottom of the third with a single. Mark Koenig singled to move Combs to third. A sacrifice fly by Babe Ruth put the Yankees on the scoreboard.
After Lou Gehrig reached on an error by Oakland catcher Gene Tenace, Tony Lazzeri drilled his 11th homer of the season. The three-run blast gave the Yankees a 4-3 advantage, which they would hold the rest of the way.
The Yankees added another run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Pat Collins to make it 5-3.
George Hendrick had a solo shot for the A’s with two outs in the eighth to pull his team to within a run, but the Yankees answered in the bottom of the frame when Joe Dugan hit a two-run homer.
Dugan’s blast ended the day for Oakland starter Vida Blue. Darold Knowles came on to get the final two outs of the eighth.
Myles Thomas (6-4) picked up the win in his second start of the season. He also beat the A’s 6-3 in his other start earlier this year in Oakland.
Wilcy Moore earned his second save as he entered the affair in the top of the ninth after Joe Rudi led off with a single against Thomas.
Oakland jumped out to an early lead in the second inning with a run-scoring triple by Tenace and a RBI single by Hendrick.
In the third, Sal Bando singled to give the A’s a 3-0 lead before New York’s offense came to life.
The third contest of the six-game series will feature George Pipgras (4-4) on the mound for the Yankees, while Dave Hamilton gets the ball for the A’s.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (40-23)
1961 New York Yankees (36-26)
1968 Detroit Tigers (7-3)
1948 Cleveland Indians (8-6)
2004 Boston Red Sox (10-14)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (5-9)
1924 Washington Senators (7-15)
1972 Oakland A’s (8-19)
2005 Chicago White Sox (4-10)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Mickey Mantle 26
Babe Ruth 25
Roger Maris 23
Lou Gehrig 20