SERIES #45. FOUR GAMES, WON THREE, LOST ONE. CALIFORNIA VS CHICAGO
Your Chicago White Sox wrapped up their latest homestand by taking three out of four games against the California Angels. They took both ends of a September 8th doubleheader, winning by scores of 5-2 and 3-1. They were then shutout, 7-0 by Andy Messersmith, before winning one of the wildest games I’ve ever rolled, 9-8.
Meanwhile, the Oakland A’s won two out of three from last place Texas. That means the White Sox gained a half game in the standings and are now behind the A’s by 1.5 games. Here are the game recaps:
Game one:(first of two Sept 8.) Dave Lemonds(4-6) got Chicago off to a great start by pitching six and a third strong innings and leaving the game with a 3-0 lead. Back to back Angel errors led to two unearned runs in the bottom of the second, then Carlos May singled in Mike Andrews in the fifth. The White Sox extended their lead when Andrews doubled in Ed Herrmann and Pat Kelly, in the last of the sixth. Leroy Stanton scored California’s only runs, tripling and scoring in the seventh, then hitting a solo homerun in the top of the ninth. The final score was Chicago 5- California-2.
Game two:(second game, Sept 8). Starter and winning pitcher, Wilbur Wood(13-8) pitched six shutout innings, seven in all, in a 3-1 Chisox win. Dick Allen’s(39), two run homer in the bottom of the third was all Wood needed, however, Chicago tacked on a late run in the eighth inning. Goose Gossage pitched two innings of scoreless relief, escaping a bases loaded jam in the top of the ninth.
Game three: This one was the Andy Messersmith show. In a 7-0 victory, he prevented any runs from scoring, despite scattering seven hits and two walks. Messersmith was shaky at times(five times Chicago had a runner in scoring position) but good when he had to be(twice getting three straight outs after allowing at least one baserunner.)
Game four: Just when I think a Strat game can’t get any wilder, along comes one like this: Bob Oliver got the Angels off to a 2-0 lead, with a two run shot off Eddie Fisher, in the top of the first. Walt Williams doubled and scored in the Sox initial stanza, halving the score. In the top of the fifth, Fisher allowed back to back singles to Vada Pinson and Oliver. He fanned Ken McMullen, but then gave up an rbi hit to Jack Hiatt. Vincente Romo took over and immediately surrendered a second rbi single to Stanton. With the score 4-1 Angels, heading into the last of the seventh; Dave May, who was very strong to that point and with two out, suddenly gave up two singles and a walk. A wild pitch and two passed balls tied the score at 4 all. Angel reliever, Lloyd Allen was no help, as Williams and Andrews tagged him for singles, then Dick Allen walked. A Rick Reichardt double plated two more runs and an error by Sandy Alomar at shortstop, brought in the sixth run of the inning. You’d figure with a 7-4 lead heading into the eighth, Chicago would be feeling, in the words of Larry David, “pretty, pretty goooood.” The new White Sox pitcher would be Goose Gossage. Cy Acosta and Steve Kealy were unavailable, having pitched the game before. But when the old Goose took the mound, he found he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. He walked four batters in a row, also throwing a wild pitch, as California closed it to 7-5. The Sox had no choice but to go with lefty, Terry Forster(4-5) He struck out Vada Pinson, but Oliver struck again, drilling a two run double to once again tie the game, now at 7-7. In the bottom of the eighth, Ed Herrmann worked a walk off of Don Rose. Luis Alavardo flew out, bringing up the pitcher’s spot. Though Chicago had plenty of pinch hitters on the bench, they really only had Lemonds available for relief and they wanted to hold him back. This being the case, they let Forster bat for himself and he came through in a big way, with a double. With runners on second and third, Williams collected his third hit of the day, a two run single, amazingly putting Chicago back in front, 9-7. The drama was far from over. With Forster on the hill in the top of the ninth and two out, pinch hitter, Curt Motton belted a solo homerun and just like that, the Angels were one run down. Forster would then walk Alomar and Ken Berry singled, putting the go ahead run on base, but Terry got Pinson to fly to center, ending a thrilling, 9-8 White Sox win.
Chicago heads back out on the road, first with three games against the Royals at Kansas City. Oakland is at Minnesota.
American League Western Division Standings(September 10, 1972)
Oakland/134/79/55/.590/—
Chicago/135/78/57/.578/1.5
Kansas City/133/69/64/.515/9.5
Minnesota/133/69/64/.515/9.5
California/135/60/75/.444/19.5
Texas/135/53/82/.393/26.5
Stratastic Baseball Replays 
Leave a comment