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.
Perhaps it shouldn’t have been this close.
The 1961 New York Yankees overcame a lack of clutch hitting early as they went on to win 4-2 over the 1970 Baltimore Orioles.
Although the Yankees led 2-0, they left five of their nine runners on base and hit into four double plays through the first six innings.
Thankfully for New York, starting pitcher Rollie Sheldon held the Orioles to a pair of singles through the six frames before his teammates put together a rally in the top of the seventh to widen their margin to 4-0.
New York loaded the bases in the first against Baltimore starter Jim Hardin and Mickey Mantle knocked in the run on a ground out. Hardin retired Elston Howard and Yogi Berra to end the threat.
Bill Skowron blasted a solo shot in the second, which was his 14th homer of the season.
In the seventh, Tony Kubek and Clete Boyer had back-to-back doubles to produce the first run before Roger Maris completed the rally with a RBI single.
While the Orioles began to figure out Sheldon in the bottom of the seventh, it proved to be too late. With the bases loaded, Boog Powell scored on a passed ball charged to Howard.
Baltimore pinch-hitter Terry Crowley led off the eighth with a double and Sheldon’s day was finished after he walked Frank Robinson and Powell.
Luis Arroyo was called in from the bullpen for the Yankees and he was greeted by a RBI single from Merv Rettenmund.
Arroyo retired Brooks Robinson to end the eighth and worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 10th save of the season.
Sheldon (4-7) got the win for New York as he gave up five hits and was charged with both runs with four walks and two strikeouts.
Hardin surrendered 14 hits by the time he left with two outs in the seventh. Pete Richert got four outs before Eddie Watt finished things off in the ninth.
The Yankees will have Bud Daley (5-8) getting the start on the mound in the second contest of the four-game series, while the Orioles counter with Tom Phoebus.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (52-34)
1961 New York Yankees (47-39)
1968 Detroit Tigers (14-8)
1948 Cleveland Indians (13-9)
2004 Boston Red Sox (15-17)
1924 Washington Senators (11-19)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (5-11)
1972 Oakland A’s (11-25)
2005 Chicago White Sox (4-10)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Mickey Mantle 36
Babe Ruth 33
Roger Maris 32
Lou Gehrig 24