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Thursday, April 22, 2021

The Greatest World Series Ever: 1951 Yankees vs. 1998 Yankees, Game 5

We are once again at the original Yankee Stadium for a crucial Game 5 in the Greatest World Series Ever. (According to the Law of Sports Jargon, the phrase "Game 5" must always be preceded by the world "crucial," as if any other game in a best-of-7 series isn't.)

We're all tied up at 2 games each, and we're back to the Game 1 starters today: Vic Raschi, who has been unbeatable in this tournament so far, against David Cone.

We're ready for the first pitch. Click below to see the details of the game:

Bottom of the 2nd: After a 1-2-3 first inning, Gil McDougald sends a 1-1 pitch from David Cone into left for a single. Gene Woodling pops out to short, bringing up Mickey Mantle. Mantle gets ahold of a 2-1 fastball and crushes it, sending it deep into the upper deck in right field and putting the 1951 Yankees out in front early. Score: 1951 2, 1998 0.

Bottom of the 6th: Hank Bauer hits a 1-out single to get things started. After Yogi Berra flies out, McDougald bounces one up the middle for his second hit of the game. Woodling works a walk to load the bases for Mantle. With the count 3-2, Mantle fouls off a pair of pitches before Cone misses low to force in a run. Coney gets Bobby Brown to hit a comebacker to end the inning and avoid more damage. Score: 1951 3, 1998 0.

Top of the 7th: Chuck Knoblauch leads off by lining a shot down the left-field line for a double off Vic Raschi. After Chad Curtis looks at strike 3, Shane Spencer grounds out to second base, moving Knoblauch to third. Derek Jeter gets the '98 Yankees on the board with a single to left. A Scott Brosius grounder forces Jeter at second to end the inning. Score: 1951 3, 1998 1.

Bottom of the 8th: Cone, still in the game, hits McDougald with a pitch to put him at first. A groundout by Woodling and a deep fly by Mantle move him to third, and Brown singles to center for an insurance run. Score: 1951 4, 1998 1.

Top of the 9th: Raschi is still in there, looking strong. Knoblauch hits a routine grounder to short, and Curtis strikes out for the third time in the game to put the '51 Yanks on the verge of the win. Spencer lines a double to the gap in right-center, though, to keep the '98 team alive and bring up Jeter. The captain hits a hard liner, but it's right at McDougald at third base for the final out. Raschi throws a complete game, scattering 8 hits and striking out 11. He's 8-0 in the tournament. 

FINAL SCORE: 1951 Yankees 4, 1998 Yankees 1

The 1998 Yankees have gone 7 games in their first three series in the tournament. Can they force another Game 7? We'll see tomorrow.

Game 6 pitching matchup: Andy Pettitte vs. Allie Reynolds.

The boxscore:



5 comments:

JM said...

You know we're dealing with vintage teams when both starters go the distance. That actually was possible in a time long ago and far away.

I'm rooting for '51. The fact that they're currently winning the series and can wrap it up with the next game says, I must admit, that the software Bern is using must be pretty amazing. Although I was stinging from the loss of the '27 team, this is getting verrry interesting.

When's the next game? Posted tomorrow?

Great idea, Bern, thanks for the work you're putting in to deliver on it.

HoraceClarke66 said...

So, DiMaggio back to the bench, despite his key, pinch-hit double.

Jeter bats fourth, delivers a key home run...and is back to batting first.

Why, this computer could set strategy for the Yankees today! (Hmm, maybe it IS setting strategy for the Yankees today!)

el duque said...

The computer must have been the original inspiration for Billy's "out-of-the-hat" lineup.

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