Strat-O-Matic is a baseball simulation that began as a cards and dice game in the early 1960s before entering the computer age.
These featured games on Shoestring Catches are part of season replays or tournaments played with cards and dice.
Today’s game matches the 1981 Houston Astros at the 1981 Baltimore Orioles.
JOSE CRUZ LONG BALL GIVES ASTROS VICTORY
Nolan Ryan threw seven no-hitters and a dozen one-hitters in real life.
BALTIMORE – A pair of dominating pitching performances may have been a highlight of the game, but one swing determined the outcome as the Houston Astros defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-0.
Houston’s Jose Cruz trumped the one-hit performance by teammate Nolan Ryan, while Baltimore’s Dennis Martinez would only make one mistake.
The action occurred in the top of the first as Martinez walked Terry Puhl to begin the game. After inducing Tony Scott to ground out, Cesar Cedeno coaxed a walk from Martinez to set the stage for Cruz.
Cruz blasted a three-run homer for what turned out to be the only offense of the day for the Astros. By the end of the contest, Martinez had struck out five and walked seven as he managed to hold the Astros hitless the rest of the way.
Ryan was perfect through six innings before giving up his lone hit on the day to Al Bumbry, who led off the seventh with a single. Ryan finished with five strikeouts and three walks.