4th time a charm, 4 KOD playoff appearances, 4 ALCS appearances, 1st WS

Game 1 – Yankee Stadium

Ralph Terry vs Dave Boswell

Minnesota jumped out to an early 2-0 behind a solo HR by Mickey Vernon in the 1^st and a Bobby Allison triple in the 4^th driving in Tony Olivia. Dave Boswell would pitch 7 scoreless innings before giving way to Al Worthington.  Worthington proved ineffective yielding 3 runs in 0.2 innings. Ralph Terry would leave the game after 8 with the Yankees up 3-2 looking to take 1-0 lead in the series. Goose Gossage would come in to try and close out the game. The first batter, Harmon Killebrew would fly out. Tony Olivia would then double and pinch hitter Kirby Puckett would single and bring home Olivia to tie the game. In the 10^th, Sparkly Lyle would give up a walk to Carew and a single to Vernon. MVP Candidate Harmon Killebrew would get a 3 run HR off Lyle to put Minnesota up 6-3. Rick Aguilera who came into the game in the 9^th, would give up a single to Roger Maris and then get the next three batters to put Minnesota up 1-0. Minnesota 6, New York 3 (10 innings).

Game 2 – Yankee Stadium

Vic Raschi vs. Jim Perry

The Yankees would strike 1^st on a single by Thurman Munson who  would then steal 2^nd. Rickey Henderson would hit a single to bring him. The Twins would tie the game in the 6^th. The Yankees would add 2 runs in the 7^th only to see the Twins tie it in the top of the 8^th. Dave Righetti would come into the game for the final two outs in the 8^th.Perry would yield 3 runs in the bottom of the 8^th including a 2 run blast by “Mr. October”, Reggie Jackson to put the Yankees back on top 6-3. Goose Gossage shut down the Twins in the 9^th for the save. Righetti would get the win to even the series 1-1. New York 6, Minnesota 3.

Game 3 – Met Stadium

Camilo Pascual vs. Ron Guidry

New York would get a run in each of the 1^st three innings including solo shots by Graig Nettles and Mickey Mantle. Minnesota would add one each in the 5^th and 6^th to close the score to 3-2.Don Mattingly would add a solo shot in the 8^th to give the Yanks a 4-2 lead.  With 2 outs in the bottom of the 9^th, Righetti would walk PH Tom Brunansky. Cesar Tovar would come in to run for Brunansky. Kirby Puckett would get a 2 out HR to tie the game and send it to extra innings. NY would take the lead in the top of the 10^th but Minnesota would again tie the game in the bottom of the inning. In the 11^th, Kirby Puckett would hit a walk off HR to put Minnesota up 2-1 in the series. Minnesota 6, New York 5 (11 innings).

Game 4 – Met Stadium

Jim Kaat vs. Allie Reynolds

Minnesota would get to Allie Reynolds early and often 8 runs in the 1^st four innings and knocking Reynolds out of the game. Reliever Fritz Peterson did not fare much better yielding 4 runs in 3 innings. Jim Kaat would pitch 8.2 innings and giving up 3 runs before giving way to Frank Viola who would yield an additional run before the final out. Minnesota would get 16 hits while the Yankees committed 3 errors in a game that would see 7 HR’s including shots Bill Skowron, Mickey Mantle & Yogi Berra for the Yanks and Kirby Puckett, Tony Olivia, Harmon Killebrew & Gary Gaetti for Minnesota.

Minnesota 12, New York 4.

Game 5- Met Stadium

Dave Boswell vs. Mel Stottlemyre

Minnesota, not wanting to go back to NY put game 1 winner Dave Boswell on the mound. Rod Carew would single in the 1^st and a HR by Harmon Killebrew  would put Minnesota up 2-0 after 1. The Yankees would come right back with Joe DiMaggio leading off with a double and moving to 3^rd on a single by Nettles and a sac. Hit by Thurman Munson to pull NY within 1. Minnesota would load the bases in the 4^th. A sac. Hit and a sac. Fly would put the Twins up 4-1. New York would come right back with two outs on a 3 run HR by DiMaggio to tie the game. Minnesota would add a solo HR by Kirby Puckett in the bottom of the inning and a 2 run HR by Tony Olivia in the bottom of the 7^th. DiMaggio would add a solo shot in the 8^th but Al Worthington would come in to get 5 of the 6 batters he faced for the save. Minnesota 7, New York 5.

Congratulations to Michael Hopcroft and the New York Yankees on an excellent season.

--submitted by Marvin Sik--