Editor’s note: The 1980 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any games involving American League teams. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
One big inning changed everything for the 1983 Chicago White Sox in a 4-2 victory over the 1989 Oakland A’s in the opening round of the 1980s Diamond Gems Tournament.
The White Sox scored all of their runs in the seventh as LaMarr Hoyt went the distance on the mound for the win. He allowed seven hits and fanned eight.
Trailing 2-0 against Oakland starter Dave Stewart, the White Sox had left the bases loaded in the sixth before breaking through one frame later.
Vance Law began the rally with a single before Scott Fletcher walked. Julio Cruz singled to bring home Law with Fletcher moving to third.
Rudy Law beat out the relay throw as the A’s tried to turn a double play and Fletcher raced to the plate to tie the affair.
Carlton Fisk had an infield single that was followed by RBI single by Harold Baines and the White Sox led 3-2.
Jim Corsi took over the pitching duties for Stewart and he fanned Greg Luzinski, but A’s catcher Terry Steinbach dropped the third strike and was forced to through the runner out at first. Fisk and Baines both advanced on the play.
Corsi then misplayed a grounder off the bat of Greg Walker as Fisk scored the last run of the inning.
Oakland got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning as Mark McGwire led off with a single before Dave Henderson bashed a two-run homer to put the A’s on top.
Rickey Henderson singled for the second time in the contest in the fifth, which turned out to be the final hit for the A’s as Hoyt walked two batters the rest of the way.
Stewart gave up three earned runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts before leaving with one out in the seventh. Corsi worked the rest of the contest and had three strikeouts.
First Round Schedule and Results
(16) 1986 Houston Astros 5, (1) 1986 New York Mets 3
(9) 1985 St. Louis Cardinals 4, (8) 1987 Minnesota Twins 2
(4) 1983 Baltimore Orioles 2, (13) 1985 Toronto Blue Jays 1
(12) 1981 New York Yankees 5, (5) 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers 3 (11)
(15) 1984 Chicago Cubs 7, (2) 1984 Detroit Tigers 2
(10) 1986 Boston Red Sox 5, (7) 1985 Kansas City Royals 1
(14) 1983 Chicago White Sox 4, (3) 1989 Oakland A’s 2
(11) 1982 Milwaukee Brewers at (6) 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers