SERIES #35. FOUR GAMES, SPLIT SERIES. CHICAGO AT OAKLAND.
Upon completing a tense, action packed four game series with their arch rivals, the Oakland A’s; the Chicago White Sox find themselves in a tie for first place, leading Oakland by a hundredth of a percentage point.
The White Sox lost the first two games in gut wrenching fashion(more on that later), by scores of 5-4 and 4-3(10 innings), however, they dug down and found a revitalized squad, which won games three and four rather easily. Game three was a 7-4 win and Chicago poured it on in game four, with an 8-2 victory.
Game one: Ken Holtzman took on Wilbur Wood in this one. The lead changed back and forth several times until Tony Muser hit a pinch hit single in the top of the ninth. Bob Locker got two quick outs, but Dick Allen singled Muser in, giving Chicago a 4-3 lead. It was up to Vincente Romo(3-4) to get three outs in the bottom of the ninth. Things didn’t go as planned. Tim Cullen greeted Romo with a double to the gap. A one base error by Carlos May off the bat of pinch hitter, Mike Hegan, advanced the runner to third base, then Bert Campaneris hit a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 4. Bill Voss hit a grounder which forced Hegan, Voss safe on the fielder’s choice. The White Sox decided to stay with Romo. Joe Rudi and Mike Epstein hit back to back singles and Chicago lost a game they could have won, 5-4. Mike Andrews homered in this game, his (9th).
Game two: This game was even worse. Tom Bradley started and it’s clear he’s not the pitcher he was early in the year. Though he pitched a full seven innings, Bradley fell behind early again, this time trailing 3-0, with Epstein and Joe Rudi belting solo homeruns in the bottom of the third. Cullen had knocked in Epstein the inning prior. The White Sox picked up a run in the top of the sixth, then Allen(28) quieted the crown with a two run clout in the top of the eighth. That tied the ball game at 3 apiece. It would be up to Terry Forster(2-5) to keep the A’s at bay. Unfortunately, Oakland would load the bases in the bottom of the tenth, with Voss trotting home on, of all things, a passed ball which got by catcher, Ed Herrmann, for a 4-3 A’s win.
Game three: Though it would be easy to hang their heads, the Pale Hose did the opposite, exploding for five runs in the top of the fourth, as they went on to win this game, 7-4. Dick Allen(29) is heating back up, smashing another long homerun and also scoring three runs. Carlos May helped the cause with two doubles and a single. Eddie Fisher(9-7) picked up the win. Cy Acosta was terrible in relief of Fisher, allowing two runs on two hits, without recording an out; however his replacement, Steve Kealey, pitched three scoreless innings, giving up just two hits.
Game four: Chicago came out of the gate like a house afire. Allen(30) hit a two run homer off Vida Blue in the first and the White Sox also got an unearned run that inning(one of three errors on the day for Oakland). It was Allen’s third consecutive game with a homerun. Chicago added two more in the third, then light hitting, Rich Alvarado really put the nail in the coffin by belting a three run homer off reliever, Joe Horlen, in the top of the ninth. Stan Bahnsen(12-4), who has supplanted Bradley as the team’s best pitcher, worked six innings for the 8-2 win. Vincente Romo redeemed himself for his early poor work in the series by allowing no runs, on one hit, while fanning three, over the final three innings.
Due to a schedule quirk, Chicago will be off tomorrow(August 14), as they fly home to host Milwaukee for two games. Then they head to Baltimore to play the Orioles on August 17th. After that the team returns to Comiskey Park, where they’ll face the Boston Red Sox, in a four game series.
American League Schedule(August 13, 1972)
Chicago/108/62/46/.574/—
Oakland/110/63/47/.573/—
Minnesota/106/59/47/.557/2
Kansas City/107/55/52/.514/6.5
California/109/47/62/.431/15.5
Texas/109/46/63/.422/16.5
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