1972 Chicago White Sox Replay

SERIES #23. THREE GAMES, LOST TWO OF THREE. MINNESOTA AT CHICAGO

Stan Bahnsen(7-3) pitched a gem against Minnesota on July 1st, but then the White Sox dropped both games of a July 2sd doubleheader.

Bahnsen picked up his second shutout of the year, beating the Twins 2-0, on four hits. He struck out four and walked one. Ed Herrmann(11) hit a homerun in the bottom of the fifth, then Bahnsen helped his own cause by tripling off Tom Norton in the last of the eighth. Pat Kelly’s rbi single scored Bahnsen with Chicago’s second run.

The White Sox started Dave Lemonds for game one of the twinbill and things didn’t go well. Lemonds fell behind early, 3-0, then Minnesota got three more off Cy Acosta(3-2), including a two run homerun by Twins starter, Jim Katt. Cesar Tovar and Rod Carew added three hits each in a 7-3 Minnesota win.

Game two was one of the strangest games I’ve played all year. If I said Wilbur Wood(6-4) worked eight innings, allowing just one run on six hits, you’d think he’d have a pretty good chance for a win, wouldn’t you?

However, a lack of run support was critical, as Minnesota pitcher, Dick Woodson earned a 1-0 shutout win, also giving up six hits. Woodson struck out 12, at one point, tying Nolan Ryan’s consecutive strikeout mark of 5, set earlier this season.

Woodson is lousy at holding baserunners on and Chicago ran wild on him. Carlos May had 3 stolen bases, Pat Kelly 2, but it went for naught. The White Sox had runners in scoring position five times, twice on third base and could not plate a single run. In the bottom of the second, they had runners on first and third with no outs. Two strikeouts and a popout later, the inning was over. The aforementioned May and Kelly had two hits apiece, to lead Chicago.

Oakland lost on July 1st, but won on the 2sd, stretching their lead a bit. Chicago is idle on July 3rd, then continue their homestand against the Baltimore Orioles over the Independence Day Holiday.

American League West Standings(July 2, 1972)

Oakland/68/43/25/.632/—

Chicago/69/42/27/.609/1.5

Minnesota/67/37/30/.552/5.5

Kansas City/67/35/32/.522/7.5

Texas/68/30/38/.441/13

California/70/29/41/.414/15