1972 Chicago White Sox Replay

SERIES #42. THREE GAMES, WON ONE, LOST TWO. CHICAGO AT NEW YORK

Chicago lost a series to New York. Oakland won a series over Detroit. That, in a nutshell, is what happened over September 1st through the 3rd. Heading into these games, the White Sox had a half game advantage over the A’s. That has now flip-flopped, with Oakland in first by half a game.

Game one: The White Sox scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning, tying the game at 3 all, only to see Goose Gossage(6-2) choke in relief. The Goose gave up four straight singles in the bottom of the ninth, with Horace Clark’s single, the 4-3 game winner. Luis Alavardo singled twice and scored twice, in the loss.

Game two: Thurman Munson’s three run homer in the bottom of the third, was all Steve Kline needed, as he blanked Chicago, 3-0. Eddie Fischer(11-9) actually pitched pretty well, save for that one mistake and Terry Forster, in relief, was even better. Forster allowed no runs and one hit, in three innings of work. The White Sox left nine men on base.

Game three: Chicago won game three, 6-4, to avoid being swept. However, a shaky Cy Acosta had the Yankee fans hoisting their brooms, until Gossage rode in, this time, on the white horse. Stan Bahnsen started and got a big lift from, no doubt, team MVP, Dick Allen, who slammed his (37th and 38th) homeruns. He also had an rbi single, giving him four runs batted in on the day. It was Allen’s fifth multi homerun game this year. Bahnsen left with arm pain after five inning, handing the reins to Vincente Romo(4-4). He gave up a solo blast to Bobby Murcer, but the White Sox lead 4-2 at that point and would score twice more in the top of the sixth. Romo pitched three frames, then Acosta entered, hoping to close out the bottom of the ninth. He allowed a single to Felipe Alou, got Rusty Torres to line out, but issued back to back walks to Hal Lanier and Gene Michael. Pinch hitter, Ron Blomberg doubled, making it a 6-4 game. Gossage came in; his shaky appearance of Sept 1st, still looming. On his first pitch to Horace Clarke, with runners on second and third and one out, Clarke hit a rocket liner to Mike Andrews, who caught it for the second out, then noticed Michael had stumbled trying to return to second base. A quick tag and Chicago was out of danger.

On a road trip in which they went 5-4, the White Sox return to Comiskey Park to play the Minnesota Twins on Sept, 4th, 5th and 6th. The A’s have a twinbill with California on the 5th.

American League Western Division Standings(September 3, 1972)

Oakland/127/74/53/.583/—

Chicago/126/73/53/.579/.5

Minnesota/124/65/59/.524/7.5

Kansas City/125/63/62/.504/10

California/127/57/70/.449/17

Texas/128/52/76/.406/22.5