Stange had hard luck with the 1967 pennant-winning Red Sox, going 8-10 despite a
2.77 ERA. He was slated to start the playoff game had Boston and Detroit ended the
season in a tie, but instead he relieved in the World Series. Working out of the
bullpen in 1968, he saved a staff-high 12 games. Stange's best season was 1963, when
he went 12-5 for Minnesota. With Cleveland on September 2, 1964, he struck out four
Senators in an inning. He later became a pitching coach for the Twins, A's, and Red
Sox.
(PB)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»September 15, 1962:
At Cleveland, 22-year-old Sudden Sam McDowell pitches six scoreless innings, striking out 7. He leaves after one out in the 7th after his hard throwing causes him to breaks two ribs. With two outs in the 9th, the Twins score three against Funk to win, 3–2. Lee Stange, in relief, gains his first ML win. McDowell, just recalled from Portland (PCL), where he compiled an 8–0 record, including a one-hitter and no-hitter in consecutive starts, will go 11–4 this year.
»August 26, 1966: With Baltimore trailing Boston 2–0 in the 9th inning, Vic Roznovsky and Boog Powell sting Lee Stange with back-to-back pinch-hit home runs to tie the game. This is just the 3rd time in baseball history that back-to-back pinch home runs have occurred, and the first time in the American League. Baltimore wins in the 12th, 3–2.
»September 27, 1968:
Facing Lee Stange at Fenway Park, Mantle flies out in his final plate appearance, before being replaced by Andy Kosko. Kosko's homer ties the score in the 8th and Pepitone's home run in the 9th gives New York a 4–3 win.