The 1978 American League East tie-breaker game was a one-game playoff between rivals New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on October 2, 1978. The Yankees and Red Sox finished the 1978 season tied for first place in the American League (AL) East division with identical 99–63 records, necessitating the additional one-game playoff. The Red Sox were the home team by virtue of a coin toss. The playoff was counted as a regular-season game for statistical purposes. In baseball statistics, the tie-breaker counted as the 163rd regular season game for both teams, with all events in the game added to regular season statistics.
Ron Guidry started for the Yankees, while Mike Torrez started for the Red Sox. The Yankees fell behind 2–0, with a home run by Carl Yastrzemski and a run batted in single by Jim Rice. The Yankees took the lead on a three run home run by Bucky Dent. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 5–4, with Guidry getting the win, while Goose Gossage recorded a save. With the victory, the Yankees clinched the AL East championship, en route to winning the 1978 World Series.
Read more about 1978 American League East Tie-breaker Game: Background, The Game, Line Score, Box Score, Aftermath, References
Famous quotes containing the words american, league, east and/or game:
“It is a thing which every sensible American should learn from every sensible Englishman, that glare and glitter, gimcracks and gewgaws, are not indispensable to domestic solacement.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“Stereotypes fall in the face of humanity. You toodle along, thinking that all gay men wear leather after dark and should never, ever be permitted around a Little League field. And then one day your best friend from college, the one your kids adore, comes out to you.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Exodus 14:21,22.
“Hollywood held this double lure for me, tremendous sums of money for work that required no more effort than a game of pinochle.”
—Ben Hecht (1893–1964)