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.
Things got wild in the 15th inning as the 1948 Cleveland Indians outlasted the 1961 New York Yankees 7-6.
It was the 11th extra inning affair of the season for the Yankees as they are now 7-4.
With the score tied at 3-3 heading into the top of the final frame, the Indians put together a four-run rally to take the lead for good.
After Lou Boudreau and Ken Keltner had RBI singles off Yankees reliever Tex Clevenger, Larry Doby tripled to drive in the final two runs.
The Yankees did have an answer in the bottom of the 15th against Indians reliever Ed Klieman as Roger Maris blasted a three-run homer, which was his 38th of the season. New York managed to get the potential winning run at the plate, but Yogi Berra lined out to Eddie Robinson at first base to end it.
Cleveland jumped out to a quick 2-0 advantage with a pair of runs off New York starter Bill Stafford as Joe Gordon and Keltner had back-to-back RBI singles.
Bill Skowron hammered a solo homer for the Yankees off Cleveland starter Bob Feller in the second to cut New York’s deficit in half.
The score remained the same until the top of the sixth when Thurman Tucker smacked a single that made it 3-1.
In the seventh, Skowron drilled a two-run shot to tie it at 3-3. It was the 18th long ball of the season for the New York first baseman.
Stafford went 10 innings scattering 11 hits as the Indians produced three runs. He walked two and fanned seven. Luis Arroyo gave up two hits and he blanked the Indians for two frames.
Clevenger (4-4) suffered the loss as he worked three innings allowing four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
For the Indians, Feller left after eight innings as he gave up three runs on six hits with six strikeouts.
Russ Christopher, Steve Gromek and winning pitcher Bob Muncrief each threw two scoreless innings before Klieman went to the mound in the 15th.
Ralph Terry (5-8) is set to start for the Yankees in the third contest of the four-game series for the Yankees, while Gene Bearden gets the ball from Boudreau.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (58-41)
1961 New York Yankees (53-46)
1968 Detroit Tigers (14-8)
1948 Cleveland Indians (15-11)
2004 Boston Red Sox (15-17)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (13-17)
1924 Washington Senators (11-19)
2005 Chicago White Sox (8-14)
1972 Oakland A’s (11-25)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Mickey Mantle 40
Roger Maris 38
Babe Ruth 35
Lou Gehrig 27