1972 Chicago White Sox Replay

SERIES #32. TWO GAMES, WON BOTH. CALIFORNIA VS CHICAGO.

The White Sox won both games of a short series with the California Angels. They took the first game, 6-2 and the second was an 11 inning comeback thriller, one of their best games this year. That game saw Dick Allen break out of a slump, with a hero’s night.

In game one, Chicago staked Wilbur Wood(8-7) to a 2-0 lead, when two singles, two walks and a wild pitch from Clyde Wright, led to a pair of White Sox runs in the bottom of the first inning. Wright, a good hitting pitcher, redeemed himself for his miscue with a solo homer off Wood in the top of the third. The Angels also got an unearned run in the same inning, courtesy of a Mike Andrews bobble. Rick Reichardt(6) hit a solo shot in the fifth, to put Chicago up 3-2, then Andrews made up for his earlier gaffe with a three run blast in the sixth, his(8th) of the season.

Tom Bradley took the hill for Chicago in game two, against Andy Messersmith. For the second straight game he’s pitched, Bradley got off to a terrible start. Vada Pinson singled to open the game, then quickly stole second base. Bradley got two quick outs, but then Bob Oliver singled in Pinson and Ken McMullen homered, to put California up, 3-0. They would add two more in the second, sending Bradley to another early exit. Cy Acosta allowed the sixth Angel run in the top of the fifth. The White Sox began to chip away in the home sixth, getting two runs after Pat Kelly doubled and Dick Allen knocked him in with a single. Later in the inning, Carlos May drove in another run. Messersmith ran out of gas in the eighth, putting two on, with no out. Mel Queen came on in relief and couldn’t find home plate, issuing a walk to load the bases, then another, forcing in a run. He surrendered an rbi single to Andrews and with two out, walked Rich Alvarado, to force in the third run of the inning. With the score now 6-5 and the game in the bottom of the ninth, Carlos May reached on a two base error by Pinson in left field. Allen plated May with the tying run, to make it 6-6 in regulation. Unfortunately, Chicago couldn’t get another run in that inning. The game went into the bottom of the eleventh, when, with one on and two out, Allen blasted his(26th) homerun, winning it walkoff fashion for Chicago, 8-6. Goose Gossage(4-1) earned the win, pitching three innings of scoreless relief.

Oakland beat Kansas City once, and were rained out the next day. Chicago next hosts the Texas Rangers.

American League West Standings(August 3, 1972)

Oakland/99/60/39/.606/—

Chicago/98/56/42/.571/3.5

Minnesota/95/52/43/.547/6

Kansas City/97/50/47/.515/9

Texas/99/42/57/.425/18

California/99/41/58/.414/19