1977 American League Championship Series

Game 1

Wednesday, October 5, 1977 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
The visiting Royals jumped on the sore-shouldered Don Gullett early and never looked back. Hal McRae

Hal McRae

Harold Abraham McRae is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals . Utilized as a designated hitter for most of his career, McRae batted and threw right-handed...

hit a two-run homer in the first, Freddie Patek

Freddie Patek

Frederick Joseph Patek is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. At 5'5" tall , he was the shortest player of his time.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...

had a two-run double in the second, and John Mayberry

John Mayberry

John Claiborn Mayberry is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees from 1968 to 1982.-High school and minor leagues:...

a two-run blast in the third. Thurman Munson

Thurman Munson

Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...

provided the Yankee runs in the third with a two-run homer of his own, but that was the only blemish on a pitching gem by Paul Splittorff

Paul Splittorff

Paul William Splittorff Jr. was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who spent his entire career with the Kansas City Royals. Listed at 6' 3", Splittorff batted and threw left handed.-Early years:Splittorff was born in Evansville, Indiana...

. Splittorff went eight strong innings and Doug Bird

Doug Bird

James Douglas Bird was a Major League Baseball pitcher from to . Bird was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 3rd round of the 1969 amateur draft's secondary phase....

closed it in the ninth. Al Cowens

Al Cowens

Alfred Edward Cowens, Jr. was a right fielder in Major League Baseball. From through , Cowens played for the Kansas City Royals , California Angels , Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners . He batted and threw right-handed.A native of Los Angeles, California, Cowens was a product of the Kansas...

added a solo homer for the Royals.

Game 2

Thursday, October 6, 1977 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
The Royals had hopes of putting the Yankees down 2–0 going back to KC, and for a while that appeared possible. Beating new-found Yankees' ace Ron Guidry

Ron Guidry

Ronald Ames Guidry , nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...

would be a tough task. The Royals scraped a run in the third when Freddie Patek

Freddie Patek

Frederick Joseph Patek is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. At 5'5" tall , he was the shortest player of his time.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...

drove in Darrell Porter

Darrell Porter

Darrell Ray Porter was a former American professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. He was known for his excellent defensive skills and power hitting...

with a sacrifice fly

Sacrifice fly

In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....

.

Royals' starter Andy Hassler

Andy Hassler

Andrew Earl Hassler was a Major League pitcher for the California Angels , Kansas City Royals , Boston Red Sox , New York Mets , Pittsburgh Pirates and St...

had a shutout going for four innings, but Cliff Johnson broke the drought with a solo homer in the fifth. The Yankees took a 2–1 lead in the same inning when Willie Randolph

Willie Randolph

Willie Larry Randolph is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and manager, most recently the third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles...

singled, Hassler balked him to second, and Bucky Dent

Bucky Dent

Russell Earl "Bucky" Dent , is a former American Major League Baseball player and manager. He earned two World Series rings as the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees in and , and was voted the World Series MVP in 1978...

drove him home with a single.

Hard base-running helped the Royals tie it in the sixth. Patek led off with a double and Hal McRae

Hal McRae

walked. The next batter, George Brett

George Brett (baseball)

George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...

, grounded to Graig Nettles

Graig Nettles

Graig Nettles , nicknamed "Puff", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos .Nettles was one of the best...

, who threw to Randolph at second to force McRae. McRae, however, barreled into Randolph with a body-block, breaking up the double play

Double play

In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....

attempt and enabling Patek to score the tying run.

McRae's aggressive ploy seemed to ignite the Yankees in their half of the sixth. Johnson doubled in a run and an error by Brett on a Randolph grounder allowed two more runs to score to make it 5–2. Randolph also had an RBI single in the eighth.

Meanwhile, Guidry stymied the Royals, pitching a complete game and allowing the Royals only three hits and the two runs.

Game 3

Friday, October 7, 1977 at Royals Stadium

Kauffman Stadium

Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...

in Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...

Back at Kauffman Stadium, Dennis Leonard

Dennis Leonard

Dennis Patrick Leonard was one of the Kansas City Royals' most dominating pitchers of the late '70s and early '80s, but a promising career cut short due to injuries. In 1975, his first full year he managed to bust out with a 15-7 record...

pitched a four-hit complete game to give the Royals a 2–1 series lead. Leonard was buoyed by two RBIs each from Al Cowens

Al Cowens

and Amos Otis

Amos Otis

Amos Joseph Otis is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets , Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed....

(on a pinch-hit double in the sixth) and RBIs from Freddie Patek

Freddie Patek

Frederick Joseph Patek is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. At 5'5" tall , he was the shortest player of his time.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...

and John Mayberry

John Mayberry

Game 4

Saturday, October 8, 1977 at Royals Stadium

Kauffman Stadium

in Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri

This game was a barn-burner early on, with the Yankees precariously clinging to the upper hand. New York jumped out to an early 4–0 lead after innings on RBIs by Thurman Munson

Thurman Munson

Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...

, Bucky Dent

Bucky Dent

, Mickey Rivers

Mickey Rivers

John Milton "Mickey" Rivers is a former Major League Baseball player from 1970-1984 for the California Angels, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers...

, and Lou Piniella

Lou Piniella

Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...

. The Royals clawed back in the home half of the third when Freddie Patek

Freddie Patek

Frederick Joseph Patek is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. At 5'5" tall , he was the shortest player of his time.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...

, having a fine series for himself, tripled and scored on a short fly ball hit by Frank White, barely beating Reggie Jackson

Reggie Jackson

Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...

's throw to the plate. George Brett

George Brett (baseball)

tripled in a run in the same inning.

After Graig Nettles

Graig Nettles

singled in a run in the fourth to make it 5–2, the Royals got two more in their half. With two outs, Patek doubled in a run, chasing Yankee starter Ed Figueroa

Ed Figueroa

Eduardo Figueroa Padilla , is a former Major League Baseball player. He holds the distinction of being the only pitcher from Puerto Rico to win twenty games in a season.-USMC:...

. White doubled in Patek and Hal McRae

Hal McRae

drew a walk off reliever Dick Tidrow

Dick Tidrow

Richard William Tidrow was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and New York Mets from 1972 to 1984. He was primarily known as a setup man, or pitcher before the closer; however, on occasion he would also start games...

. At this point, Yankee manager Billy Martin

Billy Martin

Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...

made a gutsy move, bringing in his ace closer and AL Cy Young Award winner, Sparky Lyle

Sparky Lyle

Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball . He was a closer from 1969 to 1977, first for the Boston Red Sox and then the New York Yankees. A three-time All-Star, he won the American League Cy Young Award in 1977...

. Lyle was rarely used this early in a game, but Martin figured he was fresh, having only pitched one inning the whole series and, in Martin's own words, "I wanted my best pitcher out there."

But, the move paid off. Lyle shut the Royals down for the remaining innings, allowing only two hits and no runners past second base. The Yankees added insurance in the ninth on a Munson sacrifice fly.

Game 5

Sunday, October 9, 1977 at Royals Stadium

Kauffman Stadium

in Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri

In order for the Yankees to advance to their second straight World Series, they would have to win again at the Royals' home park. To do that, they would have to beat their Game 1 nemesis, Paul Splittorff

Paul Splittorff

. Given that, Yankee manager Billy Martin

Billy Martin

Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...

decided to sit out Reggie Jackson

Reggie Jackson

on the grounds that he was 1-for-15 so far in the series and, in his own words, "can't hit Splittorff." Lou Piniella

Lou Piniella

started in right field and batted fourth.

Early on, it was evident Ron Guidry

Ron Guidry

Ronald Ames Guidry , nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...

didn't have his best stuff. The Royals struck for a pair in the first when Hal McRae

Hal McRae

singled, George Brett

George Brett (baseball)

tripled him in, and Al Cowens

Al Cowens

drove in Brett with a groundout. The Yankees crept back in the third on a Thurman Munson

Thurman Munson

Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...

RBI single, but the Royals matched that in the third on a double by McRae and RBI single by Cowens with one out. At this point, Martin pulled Guidry in favor of Mike Torrez

Mike Torrez

Michael Augustine Torrez is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Career:Torrez had an 18-year career from 1967 to 1984. He played for the St...

. Torrez would pitch shutout ball over the next innings.

The Yankees began to claw back in the eighth. Right-hander Doug Bird

Doug Bird

James Douglas Bird was a Major League Baseball pitcher from to . Bird was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 3rd round of the 1969 amateur draft's secondary phase....

relieved Splittorff after Willie Randolph

Willie Randolph

Willie Larry Randolph is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and manager, most recently the third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles...

led off the inning with a single. With one out, Piniella singled Randolph to third. With the "unhittable" Splittorff out of the game, Martin decided to send Jackson to the plate to hit for Cliff Johnson. Jackson put aside all frustrations over not starting the game and came through with a pinch-hit RBI single to cut the Royal lead to 3–2.

The Royals mounted a threat in their half of the eighth. Torrez walked both Amos Otis

Amos Otis

Amos Joseph Otis is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets , Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed....

and Pete LaCock

Pete LaCock

Ralph Pierre "Pete" LaCock, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball first baseman/outfielder.In 1975, he hit the only grand slam of his career, on the final pitch ever thrown by St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson.-Career:LaCock was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the 1970...

with two outs, but relief ace Sparky Lyle

Sparky Lyle

came in and struck out Cookie Rojas

Cookie Rojas

Octavio Victor Rojas Rivas , better known as Cookie Rojas, is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and outfielder who played for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and Kansas City Royals. After retiring as a player he went on to both coach and manage in the...

, the Royals' DH playing in what would be his last major-league game.

With apparently very little confidence in regular closer Mark Littell

Mark Littell

Mark Alan Littell , is a professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1973-1982 for the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals. Littell had a lifetime ERA of 3.32 and saved 56 games from 1976 to 1981...

, who struggled in 1977, Royals manager Whitey Herzog

Whitey Herzog

Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog is a former Major League Baseball manager. Born in New Athens, Illinois, he made his debut as a player in 1956 with the Washington Senators. After his playing career ended in 1963, Herzog went on to perform a variety of roles in Major League Baseball, including...

sent Game 3 stopper Dennis Leonard

Dennis Leonard

out to preserve the lead in the ninth. Leonard, unaccustomed to short relief, yielded a bloop single to Paul Blair

Paul Blair (baseball)

Paul L. D. Blair is a former outfielder who spent seventeen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles , New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds...

and walked Roy White

Roy White

Roy Hilton White is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as an outfielder for the New York Yankees between 1965 and 1979....

with no outs. Herzog, going with percentages, replaced Leonard with another normal starter, left-hander Larry Gura

Larry Gura

Lawrence Cyril Gura is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from to . He went to Arizona State University and spent 16 years in the Major Leagues. He played for the Chicago Cubs of the National League, and the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals , both of the American League...

. The strategy backfired as Gura gave up a game-tying RBI single to Mickey Rivers

Mickey Rivers

John Milton "Mickey" Rivers is a former Major League Baseball player from 1970-1984 for the California Angels, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers...

, with White reaching third. Herzog then brought in Littell, who retired Willie Randolph

Willie Randolph

Willie Larry Randolph is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and manager, most recently the third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles...

on a deep drive to center as White tagged and scored the go-ahead run. Munson was retired, but Piniella hit a grounder to third that Brett threw away at first, scoring Rivers with the final run.

Lyle then retired the Royals in the ninth, the final outs coming when Freddie Patek

Freddie Patek

Frederick Joseph Patek is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. At 5'5" tall , he was the shortest player of his time.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...

hit into a double play. As the Yankees celebrated, Patek sat in the dugout, dejected, for several minutes. (Coincidentally, it was Patek's 33rd birthday that day.) Tony Kubek

Tony Kubek

Anthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek is a retired American professional baseball player and television broadcaster....

, commentating for NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

, summed up: "The Yankees know how to win."

Composite box

1977 ALCS (3–2): New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

over Kansas City Royals

Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

External links

Baseball-Reference.com's 1977 ALCS page

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