The Ultimate Yankee Series: Game Four

I’m running a simulation of a “what if” type of a World Series between the 1927 Yankees and the 1998 Yankees. I’ll be using the Strat-O-Matic baseball game. Learn more about Strat at http://www.strat-o-matic.com/ .

Will this project “prove” who the better team was? Unlikely. Hopefully it will provide an interesting read while we await the heating up of the Hot Stove!

For the sake of this project, I’ll consider the 1998 team as the home team in games one, two, six and seven. The DH will be used when the ‘98s are home team.

GAME FOUR (1927 Yankees lead the Series, two games to one) Lineups: 1998 (Visitor) Chuck Knoblauch 2B, Derek Jeter SS, Paul O’Neill RF, Bernie Williams CF, Tino Martinez 1B, Scott Brosius 3B, Tim Raines LF, Joe Girardi C; Andy Pettite P https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1998.shtml

1927 (Home) Earle Combs CF, Mark Koenig SS, Babe Ruth RF, Lou Gehrig 1B, Bob Meusel LF, Tony Lazzeri 2B, Joe Dugan 3B, John Grabowski C, Dutch Ruether P https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1927.shtml

Starting Pitchers: Andy Pettite (16-11, 4.24) seeks to even the series for the‘98s against Dutch Ruether (13-6, 3.38).

Summary: Again, the ‘98s got onto the board in the first inning, as the first five batters reached base, including a home run by Bernie Williams. The ‘98s had a 4-0 lead before the ‘27s could even bat!

The ‘27s halved the lead in the second, as Pettite walked the bases loaded, and Mike Gazella singled in two runs pinch hitting for Ruether. George Pipgras came on out of the bullpen for the ‘27s.

After Pipgras retired the ‘98s in order in the third, the ‘27s took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the frame on a three-run homer by Joe Dugan. Dugan’s blast was precipitated by a two-out throwing error by Joe Girardi on a Bob Musel dribbler in front of the plate, and Tony Lazzeri single.

Pipgras settled in nicely, allowing only two hits over five innings in relief. The ‘27s added additional runs with an RBI single by Lazzeri in the fifth, and a run scoring double by Meusel in the seventh.

In the eighth, Miller Huggins called on his bullpen ace Wilcy Moore, who set the ‘98s down scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings, and preserved the win.

1927 Yankees 7, 1998 Yankees 4. The ‘27s now lead the series three games to one.

What went right: After the ‘98s drove Ruether from the game early, Pipgras and Moore hurled seven scoreless innings in relief…the bottom of the ‘27s lineup showed up, as all of their runs were driven in by the 5-9 batters…Williams continued his hot hitting and leads all hitters with a .429 batting average, two home runs and five RBI.

What went wrong: Pettite lost all command in the second inning, walking four batters in the frame…Girardi’s two-out error in the fifth opened the door for Dugan’s heroics…Ruether was sent to the earliest showers (two innings) of any starter in the Series.

Player of the game: Pipgras stopped the bleeding early, and held the ‘98s scoreless while his teammates came back and took the lead.

Final Thought: The ‘98s have allowed six unearned runs in their three losses. They have been outscored by – six runs in those games!

What’s next: Can the ‘98s lock up the series? In a rematch of Game One, Waite Hoyt (1-0, 1.00) and David Wells (0-1, 1.13) square off.