1972 Chicago White Sox Replay

SERIES #43. THREE GAMES, WON TWO, LOST ONE. MINNESOTA AT CHICAGO.

The Chicago White Sox split a doubleheader with Minnesota, than tied a Stratball record for runs scored in a 9 inning game, in a 17-0 rout, in game three. The two clubs alternated 5-1 wins in the twinbill, with Wilbur Wood(12-8) and the Sox winning the first game and the Twins nabbing game two against Dave Lemonds(3-6)

Luis Alvarado was the batting star in the first contest, with two doubles and three runs batted in. In the second ballgame, Rick Reichardt’s(7th) homerun was the lone offensive bright spot. Dick Allen broke a somewhat dubious Stratball record, when he struck out in his first at bat of game two. That whiff was #121, breaking the previous mark held by ’83Pittsburgh’s Jason Thompson, who had 120 strikeouts in a season.

Chicago tied the ’49 St. Louis Cardinals and the ’60 Cincinnati Reds for the most runs by one team in a nine inning game, with 17. Minnesota burned threw six pitchers, with Dave Goltz starting and leaving after just one inning, down, 5-0. To give an idea how bad things went for the Twins, Dave LaRoche gave up two walks and a single, loading the bases, then walked in two more runs, as part of a nine run, third inning. Mike Andrews(10), Ed Spiezio(2) and Ed Herrmann(15) all hit homeruns. Herrmann knocked in four runs; Spiezio and Andrews, three each. Pat Kelly, Dick Allen and Carlos May all scored three runs each. In addition to the offensive blowout, Tom Bradley(15-6) pitched his best game of the year, and becomes the first White Sox hurler to break the fifteen win barrier. The three hit shutout was Bradley’s fourth of the season. He fanned 10 and walked only one batter.

The Oakland A’s split a doubleheader with California, which means the A’s and White Sox are deadlocked in a tie for first place. The next series will be very important, as Oakland will come into Comiskey for a two game battle among the top teams in the division.

American League Western Division Standings(September 5, 1972)

Chicago/129/75/54/.581/—

Oakland/129/75/54/.581/—

Minnesota/127/66/61/.520/8

Kansas City/127/65/62/.512/9

California/129/58/71/.450/17

Texas/130/52/78/.400/23.5