At Tiger Stadium, the visiting Yankees defeat Detroit, 7-3, to take sole possession of first place for the first time this season. On July 19, the Bronx Bombers trailed the Red Sox by 14 games in the American East Division.
1978 – The Pirates break their five-game losing streak by beating the Phils, 5 – 1, to split the 2-game series with their cross-state rivals. The Phils are now four games ahead of Pittsburgh in the National League East.
1978 – The Red Sox throw 22-year-old Bobby Sprowl at the Yankees and the lefty lasts just two-thirds of an inning, walking three and allowing one hit. The Yankees take the lead and top the Red Sox, 7 – 4, behind Ed Figueroaand Rich Gossage. Boston collects just five hits, including Fred Lynn’s 21st homer. The Yankees outhit the Red Sox 67-21, and outscored them 42-9, in a four-game sweep that will become known in lore as the “Boston Massacre”. It leaves the teams in a tie for first place, and caps a remarkable Yankee march to the top from 4th place and 14 games out.
1978 – Ron Guidry (21-2) gives up two singles in the 1st inning and that’s it. New York sends 12 runners to the plate and scores seven runs in the 4th inning to win, 7 – 0, against Dennis Eckersley and cut the Boston lead to a single game. For Guidry, it is his 7th shutout of the year, and the first lefty shutout in Fenway Park since Ken Holtzman fired one on August 5, 1974.
New York continues its rampage of Boston by scoring two runs in the 1st inning and six more in the 2nd inning. Boston makes seven errors to ease the Yankees to a 13 – 2 romp. Reggie Jackson hits a 3-run homer and Lou Piniella adds a double, triple and homer to back Jim Beattie’s pitching. Dwight Evans and Carlton Fisk both make a pair of errors. New York is now two games back.
In a 5 – 3 win at Wrigley Field, Phillies RF Bake McBride handles 11 chances, tying the National League mark for right fielders. It was last matched by the Cubs’ Bill Nicholson, in 1945, in the same park.
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.
In a 9-4 victory over the Expos, Mets backstop John Stearns establishes a new mark for National League catchers with his 25th stolen base. Johnny Kling swiped 24 bases catching for the Cubs in 1902.
9/6/1978 (Game 2): In the top of the third inning in Anaheim, umpire Bill Deegan called time when a paper airplane landed on the field. Angels hurler Paul Hartzell delivered his pitch just after the arbiter’s call and John Lowenstein hit the ball over the right field fence for an apparent home run. However, due to Deegan’s time out call, Lowenstein lost his homer and later walked and scored in the inning.
The Twins’ Dan Ford costs his team a run during a 4 – 3 loss to the White Sox. On third base when a teammate singles, Ford backpedals homeward, signaling to José Morales to follow him home. Morales arrives there ahead of Ford, who is out for being passed on the bases.