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 may not be glamorous, but even a sacrifice fly can be important, especially when it is the deciding factor.
The 1961 New York Yankees were able to bounce back after surrendering a three-run advantage to post a 7-6 victory over the 1924 Washington Senators in 10 innings.
Overall, there were four errors in the affair with three of them really helping the other side.
With one out in the bottom of the 10th, New York pinch-hitter Bob Cerv reached on an miscue by Senators shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh. Tony Kubek doubled to move Cerv to third.
Clete Boyer ended the game with a deep sacrifice fly off Washington reliever Paul Zahniser that scored Cerv and gave the Yankees the walk-off victory.
Luis Arroyo (4-3) picked up the victory for the Yankees after being tagged with his sixth blown save of the season in the ninth.
Washington grabbed an early lead in the first when Earl McNeely led off with a triple against New York starter Rollie Sheldon. One out later, Sam Rice singled and it was 1-0.
Mickey Mantle answered in the bottom of the first as Senators starter John Martina walked Roger Maris with two outs. Mantle didn’t waste any time as he blasted a two-run shot that put New York on top 2-1. It was the 30th long ball of the season for Mantle, who has also knocked in 73 runs.
In the fourth, the Yankees widened their margin to 5-1. Elston Howard led off with a homer and later Bobby Richardson added a RBI single. Sheldon capped the rally as he drove in a run on a ground out.
The Senators came to life in the seventh as Peckinpaugh had a run-scoring single and a sacrifice fly by Muddy Ruel cut the Washington deficit to 5-3.
Boyer’s RBI single in the eighth made it 6-3 and set the stage for Washington’s comeback in the ninth.
A pair of New York errors helped Washington’s cause as the Senators took advantage of the situation.
Ossie Bluege made it to first on an error by Kubek to begin the ninth. Peckinpaugh singled and Sheldon was done.
Arroyo’s first batter was Ruel, who reached as Richardson couldn’t make a play on a grounder. Bluege scored and the Senators trailed by two.
Pinch-hitter Bennie Tate struck out before McNeely singled to make it 6-5. Washington player/manager Bucky Harris tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
Zahniser tossed a scoreless ninth to sending the game into an extra frame, which was followed by Arroyo’s perfect 10th giving the Yankees the chance to win it.
Bud Daley (5-6) is slated to start the second contest of the three-game series, while the Senators counter with Curly Ogden.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (46-27)
1961 New York Yankees (42-31)
1968 Detroit Tigers (7-3)
1948 Cleveland Indians (8-6)
2004 Boston Red Sox (15-17)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (5-9)
1924 Washington Senators (8-18)
1972 Oakland A’s (11-25)
2005 Chicago White Sox (4-10)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Mickey Mantle 30
Babe Ruth 29
Roger Maris 27
Lou Gehrig 21