Editor’s note: The 1970 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The semifinals of the 1970 Strat-O-Matic Tournament are set as the Minnesota Twins outlasted the California Angels 7-6 in the American League West Championship game at Metropolitan Stadium.
Minnesota will host the Houston Astros in the second semifinal affair, while the Philadelphia Phillies travel to the New York Yankees in the other matchup.
Things got off to a fast start as the Angels and the Twins both scored three times in the opening inning.
Roger Repoz homered off Minnesota starter Jim Kaat begin the rally by the Angels. After the Angels scored on an error, Tom Egan‘s RBI single made it 3-0.
In the bottom of the first against Angels starter Rudy May, Cesar Tover led off with a single and then stole second before scoring on a California error. Brant Alyea doubled to knock in a run before Rich Reese had a sacrifice fly to tie it at 3-3.
There was more action in the fourth as Jim Fregosi‘s two-run homer put the Angels in front, but the lead didn’t last very long. Tony Olivia had a sacrifice fly for the Twins, which was followed by a RBI double by Harmon Killebrew to make it 5-5.
Keeping up with the trend of both teams scoring in the same inning, Fregosi singled to give the Angels the lead in the top of the sixth, which turned out to be the final tally for the Angels.
In Minnesota’s half of the inning, Reese tripled to drive in two runs to give the Twins the lead for good.
Kaat (1-0) went the distance for the Twins as he surrendered 11 hits with only four earned runs, while walking two and fanning seven.
May (0-1) was tagged with the loss as he gave up seven runs on 10 hits with five walks and six strikeouts when he left the mound with two outs in the sixth. Eddie Fisher, who got the final out in the sixth, tossed a scoreless seventh with Ken Tatum pitching the eighth.
1970 Tournament Semifinals
(5) Philadelphia Phillies at (2) New York Yankees
(4) Houston Astros at (1) Minnesota Twins
1970 Tournament Division Championships
American League East
(2) New York Yankees 1, (1) Baltimore Orioles 0
National League East
(5) Philadelphia Phillies 7, (3) New York Mets 2
National League West
(4) Houston Astros 6, (2) Los Angeles Dodgers 5
American League West
(1) Minnesota Twins 7, (3) California Angels 6
1970 Tournament Second Round Divisional Results
American League East
(1) Baltimore Orioles 3, (4) Detroit Tigers 2
(2) New York Yankees 5, (6) Washington Senators 2
National League East
(5) Philadelphia Phillies 5, (1) Pittsburgh Pirates 3
(3) New York Mets 3, (2) Chicago Cubs 1
National League West
(4) Houston Astros 8, (1) Cincinnati Reds 4
(2) Los Angeles Dodgers 4, (6) San Diego Padres 3
American League West
(1) Minnesota Twins 2, (5) Milwaukee Brewers 0
(3) California Angels 9, (2) Oakland Athletics 4
1970 Tournament First Round Divisional Results
American League East
(1) Baltimore Orioles (108-54), bye
(4) Detroit Tigers 7, (5) Cleveland Indians 6
(6) Washington Senators 5, (3) Boston Red Sox 2
(2) New York Yankees (93-69), bye
National League East
(1) Pittsburgh Pirates (89-73), bye
(5) Philadelphia Phillies 1, (4) St. Louis Cardinals 0
(3) New York Mets 10, (6) Montreal Expos 4
(2) Chicago Cubs (84-78), bye
National League West
(1) Cincinnati Reds (102-60), Bye
(4) Houston Astros 1, (5) Atlanta Braves 0
(6) San Diego Padres 5, (3) San Francisco Giants 2
(2) Los Angeles Dodgers (87-77), bye
American League West
(1) Minnesota Twins (98-64), bye
(5) Milwaukee Brewers 3, (4) Kansas City Royals 2
(3) California Angels 4, (6) Chicago White Sox 1
(2) Oakland Athletics (89-73), bye