1978 – With 55,091 looking on, the Yankees snap a 2 – 2 tie with a 9th-inning triple by Willie Randolph and a sacrifice fly by Thurman Munson to beat the Red Sox, 3 – 2. New York now leads by 3 1/2 games. The Yanks first score on a Reggie Jackson two-run blast in the 5th. Both starters, Catfish Hunter and Mike Torrez, go the distance.
1978 – The Yankees, four games behind the Red Sox in the American League East, arrive in Boston for a crucial 4-game series. The Yanks begin the “Boston Massacre” with a 15 – 3 route as Willie Randolph drives in five of the runs. The Yanks collect 21 hits off four Sox pitchers, including three hits apiece by Randolph, Thurman Munson and Roy White. Mike Torrez, with one inning of work, takes the loss. Ken Clay, in relief of Catfish Hunter, is the winner.
1965 – At Candlestick Park, Tony Cloninger throws a four-hitter to give the Braves an 8 – 2 win over the Giants. In Southern California, the Dodgers win, 4 – 3, over the Cards to reduce the Giants’ lead to one game.
Willie McCovey hits two home runs and Willie Mays another as the Giants whip the Braves’ Bob Buhl, 4 – 1, to move into first place.
After a 12-17 record in July, the Yankees are in a four-team race. Tiger Frank Lary beats New York, 4 – 2, in the first game, and New York then earns a critical, 3 – 2, 10-inning win on a Mickey Mantle homer off Babe Birrer. The Yanks finish the day in a virtual tie with Chicago, a half-game ahead of Cleveland, and 11 and a half games ahead of Boston.
Trying for his 23rd win, Preacher Roe loses just his 3rd game, 4 – 3, to Chet Nichols and the Braves. The Dodgers now lead New York by half a game. Future Hall of Fame basketball player Bill Sharman becomes the only man in history to be thrown out of a major league baseball game without ever having played in one. With the score tied at 3 – 3 in the 8th inning, umpire Frank Dascoli clears the entire Brooklyn bench after a home plate call by him results in a violent protest. Sharman, up from St. Paul (American Association) at the end of the season, is one of the players thrown out. Dascoli’s safe call at home on Bob Addis’s score results in the winning run.
1951 – The Giants stay one game behind the Dodgers as Jim Hearn tops the Phillies, 10 – 1, and the Dodgers crush the Braves, 15 – 5. Roy Campanella drives home three runs in the 1st inning and Don Newcombe coasts to his 19th win. With a 13 – 3 lead in the 8th inning, Jackie Robinson steals home against rookie P Lew Burdette, infuriating the Braves.
At Yankee Stadium, Joe DiMaggio’s long triple off Bob Feller scores two runs in the 5th and Allie Reynolds holds on for a 5 – 1 New York win. The Yanks take over first place for good by a margin of .003 points over Cleveland.
Rookie Whitey Ford tosses a six-hitter to give the Yankees the rubber game in Detroit, 8 – 1, and move them back into first place. Joe DiMaggio hits his 30th homer and the Yanks score seven runs in the 9th as Ford drives to his seventh win without a loss. The Red Sox will follow the Yankees into Detroit and sweep three from the Tigers.
In Detroit, Vic Raschi posts his 20th win of the season to give New York a hard-fought 7 – 5 win. Raschi walks in two runs in the opening inning as Detroit tallies four runs, but New York comes back as Joe DiMaggio cracks his 29th home run and Johnny Mize follows a walk to Hank Bauer with his 10th homer. New York takes over first place by a half game.