1978 American League East Tie-breaker Game - The Game

The Game

The tie-breaker game was the first in the AL since 1948, when the Cleveland Indians defeated the Red Sox, and the first in MLB since the advent of the division system in 1969. Guidry, who won 24 games in the 162-game regular season, started on three days of rest, less rest than usual. Torrez started the game for the Red Sox. He started for the Red Sox on Opening Day and had a 16–12 record, but contributed to the Red Sox struggles late in the season with six consecutive losses.

Carl Yastrzemski hit a home run in the second inning, and Jim Rice drove in Rick Burleson with a single in the sixth inning. Meanwhile, the Yankees had been held to two hits through six innings. With one out in the seventh inning, Chris Chambliss and Roy White of the Yankees both singled off of Torrez, and pinch hitter Jim Spencer flied out. Dent then hit a fly ball that cleared the Green Monster wall in left field to give the Yankees a 3–2 lead.

Torrez was removed from the game after walking Mickey Rivers. Reliever Bob Stanley came in, and after Rivers stole second Thurman Munson drove him in with a double. In the eighth inning, a home run by Reggie Jackson made the score 5–2 in favor of the Yankees. The Red Sox cut New York's lead to just one run in the bottom of the eighth against closer Goose Gossage on RBI singles by Fred Lynn and Yastrzemski. But the Yankees would hold off the Red Sox, thanks in part to a heads-up defensive play by right fielder Lou Piniella with one out in the bottom of the ninth. With Burleson on first base, Jerry Remy hit a line drive to Piniella in right field, but Piniella was blinded by the late afternoon sun and could not see the ball. However, he pretended to field the play normally, pounding his glove as though he would easily catch the ball. This prevented Burleson from advancing to third base. When Jim Rice followed with a deep fly to the outfield, Burleson could only move up to third base instead of scoring the tying run.

Batting with two out and two men on, Yastrzemski popped out to third baseman Graig Nettles in foul territory for the game's final out, and New York won the game, 5–4. Guidry improved his record to 25–3, while Torrez took the loss. Gossage recorded his 27th save.