IN THE NEWS: Rangers manager Billy Hunter is fired following a 9–4 victory over the Mariners. Seattle's Kevin Pasley homers in what will be his last ML at bat. Pasley's only career home run comes off Fergie Jenkins.
With the Yankees a game ahead and one to play, Cleveland's Rick Waits stops New York on five hits to win 9–2. Meanwhile, Boston takes their finale, their 8th in a row, on Luis Tiant's 5–0 shutout of the Blue Jays. Boston has two unearned runs in the 5th, a two-run homer by Rick Burleson in the 7th, and Jim Rice's 46th homer in the 8th for their scoring. Both teams end the season with identical 99–63 records, with a one-game playoff to determine the divisional champ.
With an 8–3 lead over the Braves, Reds manager Sparky Anderson pulls Pete Rose in the 8th inning. Atlanta scores five runs in the 9th to tie and the Reds finally win in 14 innings, 10–8. Rose thus ends the season with 198 hits, and Sparky's move deprives him of reaching his annual 200 hit total. Johnny Bench has a grand slam and the Braves hand out an National League record 16 walks in the game. Reds pitchers strike out 19.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees and Red Sox, tied for first at the end of the regular season, play a dramatic one-game playoff at Fenway for the American League East title. New York prevails 5–4 behind Bucky Dent's 3-run home run off Mike Torrez and Guidry's 25th win against just three losses. Guidry's .893 percentage is a major-league record for a 20-game winner. Goose Gossage saves the game, getting Yaz to pop out with two on and two out in the 9th. Manager Bob Lemon, who took over for Billy Martin, becomes the 1st manager to win a title after starting the season with another club.
IN THE NEWS: Reggie Jackson, "Mr. October," hits a 3-run home run, a single, and a double, to lead the Yankees to a 7–1 win over the Royals in the opening game of the American League Championship Series.
IN THE NEWS: Steve Garvey smashes two home runs and a triple to pace the Dodgers to a 9–5 win over the Phillies in the opener of the NLCS. Davey Lopes and Steve Yeager also homer at the Vet.
Kansas City notches 16 hits off three Yankee pitchers to even the American League series with a 10–4 win. Freddie Patek's surprise homer in the 6th with a man on seals the victory.
IN THE NEWS: Despite three home runs by George Brett, off Catfish Hunter, the Yankees pull out a 6–5 win in the 3rd game of the LCS. Thurman Munson's 2-run homer in the 8th gives the Yanks a 2-1 series lead. Reggie Jackson hits a 2nd inning homer to match a George Brett blast.
The Phillies stay alive with a 9–4 win in the National League game, led by the pitching and hitting (HR, single, four RBI) of Steve Carlton.
IN THE NEWS: The Dodgers win the NLCS 4–3 as Bill Russell's 10th-inning 2-out single scores Ron Cey. Dusty Baker collects four hits for Los Angeles. A walk to Cey and a routine liner that Garry Maddox muffs in CF sets up Russell's game-winner.
Veteran Roy White leads the Yanks to victory, snapping a 1–1 tie with a home run in the 6th inning. New York gains its 3rd straight championship series over Kansas City. Graig Nettles' homer accounts for the other run, as Ron Guidry shuts down the Royals.
IN THE NEWS: The Dodgers go two games up with a 4–3 win in game 2. Ron Cey drives in all the Dodger runs and Reggie Jackson does the same for the Yankees. Bob Welch saves Burt Hooton's win in dramatic fashion by striking out Jackson in the 9th inning.
IN THE NEWS: Graig Nettles's spectacular defense at 3B highlights the Yankees' first World Series win 5–1. Ron Guidry goes nine innings and gets the victory.
IN THE NEWS: The Yanks win their 4th straight game 7–2 to clinch their 2nd consecutive World Series over the Dodgers as Doyle and Series MVP Dent have three hits apiece.
IN THE NEWS: The Padres Gaylord Perry becomes the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in each league. Perry copped the National League honors with a 21-6 record and a 2.72 ERA. his is the 13th straight season that Perry has won 15 or more games.