1972 Chicago White Sox Replay

SERIES #26. THREE GAMES, WON TWO OF THREE. CHICAGO AT CLEVELAND

While the Orioles were handling the Oakland A’s, the Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, two out of three, to move back into an uncontested lead in the American League West.

The White Sox dropped a close, 4-3 decision in game one, but bounced back to take the next two games. Tommy McCraw’s pinch hit triple in the eighth scored two runs against losing pitcher Cy Acosta(4-3), as Cleveland took the opener.

Game two saw Wilbur Wood(7-5) toss one of the best games by a White Sox pitcher this year. He whitewashed Cleveland, 5-0, earning his first shutout. Holding them to just three hits, he also fanned seven and did not walk a single batter. At one point, Wood retired 17 in a row. Wood got four runs early, when Rick Reichardt(3) clubbed the team’s second grand slam homerun in the top of the first inning. Dick Allen(25) added a solo blast in the top of the sixth.

The last game saw Chicago pull off an unbelievable comeback, scoring twice in the top of the ninth, to win 2-1. Tom Bradley(12-5) and Milt Wilcox both worked deep into the game. Both teams had chances, but neither could cash in and score. Finally, that string was broken when Ray Fosse took Bradley deep in the bottom of the eighth. With a 1-0 lead and an inning to go, it didn’t look good for Chicago.

However, leading off that inning was Pat Kelly, the only guy who had given Wilcox any trouble all day. He had doubled twice, yet was stranded both times. He led off the ninth with a triple, then one batter later, scored on Dick Allen’s basehit, to tie the game at one all. Wilcox retired Reichardt for the second out, but Carlos May reached on an Eddie Leon error. Ed Spiezio then doubled in Allen with the go ahead run. Goose Gossage pitched a one, two, three bottom of the ninth for the save.

Chicago is off on July 13th, then heads to Baltimore to play four games against the Orioles, beginning with a doubleheader on July 14.

American League West Standings

Chicago/79/48/31/.608

Oakland/78/47/31/.603/.5

Minnesota/77/42/35/.545/5

Kansas City/79/43/36/.544/5

Texas/80/36/44/.450/12.5

California/80/33/47/.413/15.5