1977 – Ron Willis dies in Memphis, TN at age 34 in an auto accident. A midseason purchase from St. Louis, the righthander sees action in three games with the Astros in 1969. He is returned to the Cardinals at the end of the season.
1977 – Jose Cruz and Cesar Cedeno both sock a pair of homers, blasting Cincinnati, 7-2. Bob Watson belts another for good measure. Cedeno has four hits, including a triple. J.R. Richards whiffs eleven Reds for his 15th win.
1977 – Art Howe’s first-inning grand slam keys a six-run first inning on Houston’s way to a 15-3 laugher in Atlanta. Rob Sperring and J.R. Richard also launch bombs before the Astros wait through a rain delay with a 15-0 lead. Sperring gets four hits. Dan Larsontosses four innings of relief for the “save”.
Billy Martin installs Reggie Jackson as the Yankees’ regular clean-up hitter. The Yanks beat the A’s, 6 – 3, as Ron Guidry outpitches Vida Blue. Graig Nettles belts his 26th homer of the season. New York will win 40 of its final 53 games on the way to a World Series title, with Jackson contributing 13 home runs and 49 RBIs.
1977 – Jose Cruz blasts an 11th-inning bomb off Rich “Goose” Gossage to sink the Pirates, 4-3. Mark Lemongello goes the distance for the victory in spite of 14 Pittsburgh hits, four walks and four Houston errors, escaping bases-loaded jams in the ninth and tenth innings.
1977 – Mark Lemongello snaps a personal losing skid with a 3-1 victory over the Reds. Bob Watson and Enos Cabell swat solo homers for the winning margin. Joe Niekro hurls three innings in relief for the save.
1977 – After being called out on strikes by umpire Paul Pryor, Jose Cruz belts the game-winning homer in the 14th inning to give Houston a 2-1 triumph in Los Angeles. Cruz argues he has only two strikes on him and Pryor admits his mistake. Jose promptly sends the next pitch from Mike Garman into the right field stands.
On June 5, 1977, the Dodgers honor former manager Walt Alston by retiring his uniform No. 24 during “Old Timers’ Day” ceremonies at Dodger Stadium. Alston, who had retired after the 1976 season, had managed the Dodgers for 23 consecutive seasons – all on one-year contracts.
1977 – Bob Watson drills a three-run blast in the top of the ninth to tie the Reds at 3-3, then Art Howe scorches a two-run double in the eleventh for a 6-4 victory. Watson has four hits on the night.
1977 – Art Howe slams a Charlie Hough knuckler for his second homer of the day to upend the Dodgers, 7-6. Julio Gonzalez contributes four hits. Joaquin Andujar gets the win in relief.
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