1978 American League Championship Series
Encyclopedia
Game 1
Tuesday, October 3, 1978 at Royals StadiumKauffman 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...
Prior to the start of this game, both teams had to deal with bad news. 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...
, he of the incredible 25–3 Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
-winning season, would be unavailable to start until Game 4, if played, at least. Guidry pitched the AL East division tie-breaker
1978 American League East tie-breaker game
The 1978 American League East tie-breaker game was played between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on October 2, 1978....
game against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and was starting to have arm trouble. Also, second baseman 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...
would miss the entire postseason with a hamstring injury and be replaced by a platoon of Fred Stanley and Brian Doyle
Brian Doyle (baseball)
Brian Reed Doyle is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the New York Yankees and Oakland A's. He played primarily as a second baseman. His brother, Denny Doyle, was also a Major League baseball player...
. For the Royals, star 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...
was suffering from a bout of hemorrhoids.
Without Guidry, the Yankees went with young Jim Beattie
Jim Beattie
James Louis Beattie is a former Major League Baseball player and executive who pitched in the major leagues from –....
. Beattie pitched five shutout innings and Ken Clay
Ken Clay
Kenneth Earl Clay is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the major leagues from to for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners. Clay appeared at the Old-Timers' Day at Yankee Stadium...
went the rest of the way. The Royals would manage just two hits and one run off the two young pitchers.
Meanwhile, the Yankee bats knocked 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...
and Steve Mingori
Steve Mingori
Steven Bernard Mingori was an American left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals...
around for thirteen hits and four runs, Doyle chipping in an RBI single. 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...
put an exclamation point on the win with a three-run homer in the eighth off Al Hrabosky
Al Hrabosky
Alan Thomas "Al" Hrabosky is a former Major League Baseball player from - for the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves and is currently the color commentator on Cardinals regular season broadcasts on FSN Midwest...
.
Game 2
Wednesday, October 4, 1978 at Royals StadiumKauffman 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...
Royals' starter 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...
pitched six shutout innings and won with relief help from Marty Pattin
Marty Pattin
Martin William "Marty" Pattin is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched for the California Angels , Seattle Pilots , Milwaukee Brewers , Boston Red Sox , and the Kansas City Royals...
and Al Hrabosky
Al Hrabosky
Alan Thomas "Al" Hrabosky is a former Major League Baseball player from - for the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves and is currently the color commentator on Cardinals regular season broadcasts on FSN Midwest...
. The Royals' hitting stars were 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...
, Frank White, and Fred Patek with two RBIs each, Patek's on a home run.
Game 3
Friday, October 6, 1978 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkYankee starter Catfish Hunter
Catfish Hunter
James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter , was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1965-1979 for both the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees...
pitched a fine game, going six innings, except for one thing: three consecutive solo home runs by 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...
. Still, Hunter had a 4–3 lead after six thanks to a solo homer, RBI single, and 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....
by 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...
. Jackson also scored a run in the fourth when Fred Patek overthrew 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...
at home plate as Jackson was attempting to score on a hit by 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, however, got to Goose Gossage
Goose Gossage
Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...
in the top of the eighth. 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....
doubled to right and Porter singled him in to tie it. After a Clint Hurdle
Clint Hurdle
Clinton Merrick Hurdle is a former Major League Baseball outfielder whose 10-year career was spent with the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals. After retiring from playing baseball, Hurdle became a manager...
single, Porter scored the go-ahead run on a groundout by 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...
.
But, the Yanks would not be denied. After a one-out single by 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....
, 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...
replaced his starter, left-hander 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...
, with 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....
to face 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...
. Munson then greeted Bird with a 460-foot, game-winning, two-run blast into the Yankee bullpen in deep left-center field.
Gossage retired the Royals in the ninth and got the win.
The other irony of this game, besides Brett's three homers in a losing effort, was that 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...
was so productive against 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...
after former 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...
's claims that Jackson couldn't hit Splittorff during the 1977 American League Championship Series
1977 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 5, 1977 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe visiting Royals jumped on the sore-shouldered Don Gullett early and never looked back. Hal McRae hit a two-run homer in the first, Freddie Patek had a two-run double in the second, and John Mayberry a two-run blast in the...
the year prior.
Brett was the second player to hit three home runs in a League Championship Series game. Bob Robertson
Bob Robertson
Robert Eugene Robertson is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball. Robertson, who batted and threw right-handed, played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays...
was the first, doing so in Game 2 of the 1971 NLCS.
Game 4
Saturday, October 7, 1978 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkYankee manager Bob Lemon
Bob Lemon
Robert Granville Lemon was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976....
decided to use the sore-armed 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...
to close out the series at Yankee Stadium. Guidry turned in an effective performance, going eight innings and giving up one run on seven hits and striking out seven.
It didn't start out that way, though. 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...
led the game off with a triple off Guidry and 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...
immediately followed by driving in Brett with a single. But, the Royals would come up zeros the rest of the way. Meanwhile, 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...
tied it with a solo homer in the second inning, and 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....
hit the deciding solo homer in the sixth off 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...
.
Guidry left in the ninth after giving off a leadoff double to 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 Goose Gossage
Goose Gossage
Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...
set down the next three Royal batters to close out the win and the series.
Composite box
1978 ALCS (3–1): New York YankeesNew 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...