The Ultimate Yankee Series: Game One

For those who may have missed my previous post, 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 game. Learn more about Strat at http://www.strat-o-matic.com/ .

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 ONE Lineups: 1927 (Visitor) Earle Combs CF, Mark Koenig SS, Babe Ruth LF, Lou Gehrig 1B, Bob Meusel LF, Tony Lazzeri 2B, Joe Dugan 3B, Pat Collins C, Cedric Durst DH https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1927.shtml

1998 (Home) Chuck Knoblauch 2B, Derek Jeter SS, Paul O’Neill RF, Bernie Williams CF, Darryl Strawberry DH, Tino Martinez 1B, Scott Brosius 3B, Jorge Posada C, Tim Raines LF https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1998.shtml

Starting Pitchers: HOF right-hander Waite Hoyt (22-7, 2.63) goes for the ’27 Yanks against southpaw David Wells (18-4, 3.49) of the ’98 squad.

Summary: The ‘27s got on the scoreboard right away due to the ‘98s generosity, as Ruth reached second on a Scott Brosius throwing error with two outs. Lou Gehrig made them pay for the miscue as he singled in the Babe.

Torre’s boys tied the game in the bottom of the second on a Tino Martinez homer. The ‘27s took the lead in the fourth after Bob Meusel reached on another ’98 error, this one by Wells. Tony Lazzeri singled in Meusel and the ‘27s had a 2-1 lead.

In the fifth, Babe ripped a homer and it was now 3-1, ‘27s.

That was all of the scoring for the night. The ‘98s put two runners on with nobody out in the seventh, and Bernie Williams led off with a double in the ninth, but Hoyt skillfully got out of both jams.

1927 Yankees 3, 1998 Yankees 1. The 1927 Yankees lead 1-0 on the best-of-seven series.

What went right: The Babe was the only hitter with two hits, including his homer…Hoyt scattered five hits in his complete game win….Wells hurled a gallant eight innings, allowing only one earned run.

What went wrong: ‘98s fielding problems led to first two ‘27s runs….’98s top of lineup had two hits in fifteen at bats.

Final Thought: With all of the firepower on both teams, the opener of the series turned out to be a pitcher’s duel!

What’s next: “El Duque”, Orlando Hernandez (12-4, 3.13) tries to even the series against Urban Shocker (18-6, 2.84).