Whitey Ford is on a roll for the 1961 New York Yankees.
Ford won his third straight game as he tossed a five-hitter in a 7-1 victory over the 1970 Baltimore Orioles.
In his 11th complete game of the season, the lefty fanned 11 Orioles, which was his second best effort of the year. He had a dozen strikeouts in a contest against the 1972 Oakland A’s.
Bill Skowron provided the big blows offensively with a pair of homers to knock in four runs. He now has 12 long balls this season with 38 RBI.
The Yankees got on the scoreboard early as they loaded the bases in the top of the first against Baltimore’s Jim Palmer.
Tony Kubek doubled and then Bobby Richardson had an infield single. Roger Maris walked, but Mickey Mantle was retired on a shallow fly by to Merv Rettenmund in left.
Baltimore’s defense broke down as Elston Howard hit a grounder that shortstop Mark Belanger turned into a two-base error that gave the Yankees a 2-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the first, Paul Blair hit a leadoff homer for what became Baltimore’s only run of the game.
The Yankees added to their margin in the second and third to lead 4-1. Mantle’s run-scoring single in the second produced his 90th RBI of the season. Skowron blasted a solo homer in the third.
Palmer’s day ended when Skowron drilled a three-run bomb with one out in the fifth to put New York in front by six.
Pete Richert and Dick Hall didn’t allow the Yankees a hit the rest of the way.
Richert fanned five as he recorded eight outs. Hall was perfect in the final two innings, but the Orioles couldn’t mount a comeback against Ford.
Bill Stafford (12-3) gets the ball for the Yankees in the finale of the four-game series, while Baltimore counters with Mike Cuellar.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (53-35)
1961 New York Yankees (49-39)
1968 Detroit Tigers (14-8)
1948 Cleveland Indians (13-9)
2004 Boston Red Sox (15-17)
1924 Washington Senators (11-19)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (6-14)
1972 Oakland A’s (11-25)
2005 Chicago White Sox (4-10)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Mickey Mantle 38
Roger Maris 34
Babe Ruth 34
Lou Gehrig 24