1977 American League Championship Series

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The 1977 American League Championship Series was a 5-game series played between October 5 and October 9, 1977, at Yankee Stadium (Games 1-2), and Royals Stadium (3-5). The Yankees took the series 3-2, and would later go on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1977 World Series to take the title. Kansas City was given home-field advantage as it rotated back to the Western Division; the Royals held a 102-60 record to the Yankees' 100-62 record.

Umpires: Jerry Neudecker, Russ Goetz, Jim McKean, Marty Springstead, Nick Bremigan, Bill Deegan

Television: NBC (Jim Simpson and Maury Wills announcing Game 1; Dick Enberg and Don Drysdale announcing Game 2; Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek announcing Games 3-5)

1 History
2 Overview
3 Game Summaries
4 External link

[edit] History

This was the second straight year, in which the Royals and the Yankees squared off in the ALCS. The year before in the 1976 ALCS, the Yankees took the series in 5 games on a Chris Chambliss home run in the ninth inning of Game 5.

This series, they would again win it in their last at bat.

[edit] Overview

Each game of the series was dominated by, mostly, hitting. However, the pitchers of each team held their own and it made for some exciting games.

The first game's matchup was Paul Splittorff (16-6) versus Don Gullett (14-4). Although the matchup seemed to not exactly be the classic Game 1 pitcher's duel, these two pitchers were the best of their profession for that season, although Gullett's was plagued with some shoulder injuries.

[edit] Game Summaries

[edit] Game 1

October 5: Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kansas City	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	7	9	0
New York	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	9	0
W: Paul Splittorff (1-0) L: Don Gullett (0-1)
HRs: KC – Hal McRae (1), John Mayberry (1), Al Cowens (1) NYY – Thurman Munson (1)

In Game 1, the Royals took it 7-2, after a very shaky start by Gullett, allowing 6 runs in the first three innings. Hal McRae had a homer and 2 runs batted in after Freddie Patek walked as the first batter of the game. In the 3rd, John Mayberry hit a 2-run-homer of his own off Dick Tidrow, who had come in to relieve Gullett. Although the Royals pitching settled down and pitched until the 8th inning before allowing another run, Splittorff and the Royals never looked back.

[edit] Game 2

October 6: Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kansas City	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	3	1
New York	0	0	0	0	2	3	0	1	-	6	10	0
W: Ron Guidry (1-0) L: Andy Hassler (0-1)
HRs: KC – none; NYY – Cliff Johnson (1)

Game 2 was a bit of a mirror image of Game 1, although the Yankees took it this time, and their runs came in the middle innings mostly. Cliff Johnson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in fifth. The Yankees would win it, 6-2, behind a complete game by Ron Guidry.

[edit] Game 3

October 7: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	4	1
Kansas City	0	1	1	0	1	2	0	1	-	6	12	1
W: Dennis Leonard (1-0) L: Mike Torrez (0-1)
HRs: NYY – none; KC – none

The Royals took Game 3, 6-2, behind a complete game by Dennis Leonard, almost copying what Yankees' pitcher Guidry had done the night before.

[edit] Game 4

October 8: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York	1	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	6	13	0
Kansas City	0	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	4	8	2
W: Sparky Lyle (1-0) L: Larry Gura (0-1)
HRs: NYY – none; KC – none

In Game 4, it was clear that neither team was going away, but the Yankees tacked on an insurance run in the top-of-the-9th inning, on a sacrifice fly by catcher Thurman Munson to drive in lead-off hitter, Mickey Rivers, and make it 6-4. The Yankees had forced a deciding game. Oddly, the Royals had two triples in the loss (Patek, George Brett).

[edit] Game 5

October 9: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	3	5	10	0
Kansas City	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	10	1
W: Sparky Lyle (2-0) L: Dennis Leonard (1-1)
HRs: NYY – none; KC – none

Both teams used everything they could throw at their opponent, with the Yankees starting Guidry, and using Mike Torrez and Sparky Lyle, while the Royals even used the Game 3's starter, Leonard.

The Royals broke first and held a 3-1 lead into the 8th inning, when it looked liked Royals day of salvation had finally come. But in the top-of-the-8th, the Yankees made it scary, scoring only once. The RBI went to pinch hitter, Reggie Jackson, on a single that scored Willie Randolph. Randolph was on third base after a Lou Piniella single sent him there.

The Royals had a chance to score in the bottom-of-the-8th. Some Yankee fans believe Lyle was the hero of this series, relieving Torrez, after he began to struggle, and striking out Cookie Rojas, who was playing in his final season.

But the Royals were still up 1, and sent Leonard out for the 9th. The Yankees ninth inning was as painful an inning as the Royals' franchise had ever faced. After a few hits, the game was tied, and there was 1st-and-3rd with no one out. Right-hander Mark Littell came into the game, and on no hits, the Yankees scored two more. A sacrifice fly by Randolph and an error by Brett made it 5-3 going to the bottom of the ninth. Fittingly, the Royals ended their season on a double play by Patek after second basemen Frank White singled.

Some said that the "twin killing" as the double play is referred to, could also refer to the Royals' going home before the World Series for the second straight year, after losing to the Yankees again.