Four-run outbursts proved decisive as the Yankees won the day game, 5-1, and the Red Sox came back to win the night game, 7-4. With the score tied, 1-1, in the afternoon contest, Celerino Sanchez doubled in the eighth inning and John Ellis singled to send the Yankees ahead. Ron Swoboda then walked and Bobby Murcer, batting for Hal Lanier, smashed a three-run homer to clinch the decision.

It was the turn of the Red Sox in the night game. After Ellis homered with two men on base in the third inning to put the Yankees in front, 3-2, the Red Sox erupted for four runs in their half. Tommy Harper walked, stole second and counted on a single by Danny Cater to tie the score. A single by Reggie Smith, a wild pitch and pass to Rico Petrocelli loaded the bases. Ben Oglivie knocked in two runs with a double to break the deadlock and another run followed on an error by Sanchez. [The Sporting News]

New York Yankees 5, Boston Red Sox 1 (Game 1)

Game Played on Wednesday, August 2, 1972 (Day game) at Fenway Park

Yankees      1  0  0    0  0  0    0  4  0  -   5 12  3
Red Sox      0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  3  1


Yankees              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Red Sox              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Clarke 2b             4   1   0   0     1   0   .251      Harper cf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .281
Munson c              5   0   1   0     0   1   .283      Griffin 2b            3   0   0   0     1   0   .263
White lf              4   0   2   0     1   0   .277      Yastrzemski lf        3   0   0   0     1   0   .255
Alou rf               5   0   1   0     0   1   .265      Smith rf              4   0   1   0     0   0   .263
Sanchez 3b            5   1   2   0     0   2   .262      Fisk c                4   0   1   0     0   0   .307
Ellis 1b              4   1   3   1     0   1   .300      Petrocelli 3b         3   1   1   1     1   0   .237
Swoboda cf            3   1   0   0     1   1   .209      Cater 1b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .242
Lanier ss             2   0   1   0     1   0   .188      Kennedy ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .263
  Murcer ph           1   1   1   3     0   0   .286      Curtis p              3   0   0   0     0   1   .118
  Kenney ss           0   0   0   0     0   0   .181        Newhauser p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Kline p               3   0   1   0     0   0   .102

Totals               36   5  12   4     4   6             Totals               31   1   3   1     3   2

Time of Game: 2:16   Attendance: 16,491
Left on Base: Yankees 9, Red Sox 7
DP: Yankees 1, Red Sox 2
Errors: Munson, Lanier, Kline, Fisk
Doubles: Sanchez (5), Fisk (21)
Home Runs: Murcer (17), Petrocelli (9)
Stolen Bases: White (14), Harper (13)
Sacrifice Hits: Kline (6)
GIDP: Alou (5), Smith (5)
Hit by Pitch: Cater (2,by Kline)


Yankees                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Kline W(11-4)           9     3   1   1   3   2   1  35   1.88
Totals                  9     3   1   1   3   2   1  35

Red Sox                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Curtis L(6-5)           7.2  10   4   4   3   5   0  34   4.12
Newhauser               1.1   2   1   1   1   1   1   7   2.70
Totals                  9    12   5   5   4   6   1  41

Hit by Pitch: Kline (6)

Umpires: HP - Jerry Neudecker, 1B - Bill Kunkel, 2B - Red Flaherty, 3B - Bill Haller


YANKEES 1ST: Clarke walked; On a bunt Munson singled to third
[Clarke to second]; White singled to center [Clarke to third,
Munson to second]; Alou grounded into a double play (shortstop
to first) [Clarke scored, Munson to third, White out at second];
Sanchez was called out on strikes; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Yankees 1, Red Sox 0.

RED SOX 1ST: Harper grounded out (third to first); Griffin
walked; Yastrzemski forced Griffin (pitcher to shortstop); Smith
singled to right [Yastrzemski to second]; Fisk made an out to
second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 0.

YANKEES 2ND: Ellis struck out; Swoboda struck out; Lanier
singled to center; Kline grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 0.

RED SOX 2ND: Petrocelli homered; Cater lined to right; Kennedy
grounded out (third to first); Curtis lined to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

YANKEES 3RD: Clarke grounded out (shortstop to first); Munson
made an out to second; White singled to left; Alou popped to
third in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red
Sox 1.

RED SOX 3RD: Harper struck out; Griffin reached on an error by
Kline; Yastrzemski walked [Griffin to second]; Smith grounded
into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Yastrzemski
out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

YANKEES 4TH: Sanchez singled to center; Ellis singled to left
[Sanchez to third]; Swoboda forced Ellis (first to shortstop);
Lanier made an out to second; Kline grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

RED SOX 4TH: Fisk flied out to center; Petrocelli flied out to
center; Cater was hit by a pitch; Kennedy flied to left; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

YANKEES 5TH: Clarke flied out to center; Munson flied to right
in foul territory; White grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

RED SOX 5TH: Curtis struck out; Harper reached on an error by
Lanier; Griffin flied out to right; Harper stole second [Harper
to third (error by Munson)]; Yastrzemski grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

YANKEES 6TH: Alou singled to shortstop; Sanchez struck out;
Ellis singled to shortstop [Alou to second]; Swoboda lined into
a double play (third to second) [Alou out at second]; 0 R, 2 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

RED SOX 6TH: Smith grounded out (second to first); Fisk doubled
to center; Petrocelli was walked intentionally; Cater flied out
to right; Kennedy flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

YANKEES 7TH: Lanier walked; Kline out on a sacrifice bunt (first
unassisted) [Lanier to second]; Clarke grounded out (third to
first); Munson was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

RED SOX 7TH: On a bunt Curtis grounded out (third to first);
Harper flied out to center; Griffin grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 1, Red Sox 1.

YANKEES 8TH: White flied out to left; Alou popped to shortstop;
Sanchez doubled to left; Ellis singled to center [Sanchez
scored]; Swoboda walked [Ellis to second]; NEWHAUSER REPLACED
CURTIS (PITCHING); MURCER BATTED FOR LANIER; Murcer homered
[Ellis scored, Swoboda scored]; Kline singled to center; Clarke
flied out to left; 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 5, Red Sox 1.

RED SOX 8TH: KENNEY REPLACED MURCER (PLAYING SS); Yastrzemski
grounded out (second to first); Smith grounded out (first
unassisted); Fisk flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Yankees 5, Red Sox 1.

YANKEES 9TH: Munson grounded out (third to first); White walked;
White stole second [White to third (error by Fisk)]; Alou struck
out; Sanchez lined to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees
5, Red Sox 1.

RED SOX 9TH: Petrocelli grounded out (third to first); Cater
grounded out (third to first); Kennedy flied to center; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 5, Red Sox 1.

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