Editor’s note: The 27 * 61 Yankees Replay games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will not be used for any games. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur.
Bill Stafford was on his way to a shutout for the 1961 New York Yankees, but the 1968 Detroit Tigers had a different plan.
Down by six runs with one out in the top of the ninth, the Tigers scored seven times on the way to a come-from-behind 7-6 victory in Yankee Stadium.
After Mickey Stanley was retired, Al Kaline singled and Willie Horton homered and it was 6-2.
Stafford faced three more hitters and all of them reached base as Norm Cash singled, Jim Northrup walked and Bill Freehan added a RBI double to cut Detroit’s deficit to 6-3.
Luis Arroyo (5-7) was called from the bullpen and he surrendered three straight hits as the Tigers took the lead.
Don Wert singled before pinch-hitter Gates Brown drove in another run with a single and the Tigers trailed by two.
Dick McAuliffe doubled to knock in two runs and the Tigers had come all the way back.
Daryl Patterson earned the victory for Detroit as he tossed a perfect eighth with two strikeouts. Don McMahon picked up a save as he worked a scoreless ninth to shutdown the stunned Yankees.
Stafford was charged with five runs on seven hits with six strikeouts.
Detroit starter Earl Wilson left the contest in the fifth inning without recording an out. He gave up six runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
Building the Lead
New York scored a run in the first on back-to-back doubles by Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.
Tony Kubek gave the Yankees a 2-0 advantage in the second with a RBI single.
In the fifth, New York added another run on an error by Stanley at short before Mantle ended the day for Wilson with a two-run double.
Pat Dobson took over on the mound and retired the next two hitters, but Bill Skowron singled to drive in the final tally as the Yankees led by six.
Dobson went three frames allowing just one hit with a walk.
Ralph Terry (10-11) looks to even his season record as he starts for the Yankees in the third matchup in the four-game series as the Tigers counter with Mickey Lolich.
27 * 61 Replay Standings
1927 New York Yankees (91-57)
1961 New York Yankees (78-70)
1968 Detroit Tigers (25-15)
1948 Cleveland Indians (23-21)
1970 Baltimore Orioles (19-25)
2004 Boston Red Sox (17-27)
2005 Chicago White Sox (17-27)
1924 Washington Senators (14-24)
1972 Oakland A’s (12-30)
27 * 61 Home Run Totals
Mickey Mantle 62
Babe Ruth 58
Roger Maris 54
Lou Gehrig 36