Sparky Lyle saved a game for the 35th time this season, setting an A. L. record and tying the major league mark, as the Yankees won the nightcap of a doubleheader, 8-3, after gaining a 5-4 victory in the opener with two unearned runs on five errors by the Indians in the 11th inning. Lyle also pitched in the lidlifter, but the Indians tied the score at 3-3 against him in the eighth with a run on a single by Jerry Moses, a sacrifice and double by Buddy Bell.

In the 11th, Thurman Munson singled, knocked the ball out of Frank Duffy's glove on a theft of second and advanced to third on the error. Duffy then committed two errors on one play, booting a grounder by Gene Michael as Munson scored and throwing wildly to first. After McDaniel, the winner in relief, struck out, Horace Clarke bounced in front of the plate. Moses threw past first base and Del Unser, recovering the ball in right field, pegged over Moses' head in an effort to nail Michael. The Indians rallied in their half but fell short with one run.

In the nightcap, Lyle relieved Rob Gardner with two men on base in the ninth inning and retired the next three straight batters, two of them on strikeouts. [The Sporting News]



New York Yankees 5, Cleveland Indians 4 (Game 1)
Game Played on Sunday, September 24, 1972 (Day game) at Cleveland Stadium
Yankees      0  0  0    0  3  0    0  0  0    0  2  -   5 10  1
Indians      0  0  1    1  0  0    0  1  0    0  1  -   4 14  5


Yankees              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Indians              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Clarke 2b             6   1   2   1     0   2   .248      Bell cf               5   1   2   1     1   0   .259
White lf              5   0   1   0     1   1   .269      Brohamer 2b           5   1   0   0     1   0   .241
Murcer cf             5   0   0   0     0   1   .286      Chambliss 1b          6   1   4   1     0   0   .284
Blomberg 1b           2   0   1   0     0   0   .270      Nettles 3b            4   0   2   0     2   0   .254
  Alou ph,1b          1   0   0   1     2   0   .283      McCraw lf             6   0   2   0     0   2   .247
Callison rf           2   0   0   0     0   0   .254      Unser rf              5   0   0   1     0   1   .237
  Swoboda ph          0   0   0   0     0   0   .250      Duffy ss              4   0   2   0     1   1   .227
  Torres ph,rf        3   0   1   0     0   0   .214      Moses c               5   1   2   0     0   0   .220
Allen 3b              3   1   1   0     0   1   .238      Lamb p                1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Lanier 3b           2   0   0   0     0   0   .216        Kilkenny p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .071
Munson c              5   2   3   0     0   0   .287        Farmer p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .143
Michael ss            5   1   0   0     0   3   .238        Leon ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .201
Stottlemyre p         3   0   1   1     0   0   .208        Riddleberger p      0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Lyle p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .200        Camilli ph          0   0   0   0     0   0   .150
  Spikes ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .172        Mingori p           1   0   0   0     0   0   .125
  McDaniel p          1   0   0   0     0   1   .167

Totals               44   5  10   3     3   9             Totals               43   4  14   3     5   4

Time of Game: 3:14
Left on Base: Yankees 9, Indians 13
DP: Yankees 2, Indians 1
Errors: Murcer, Unser, Duffy 3, Moses
Doubles: Allen (8), White (28), Duffy (16), Bell (19)
Stolen Bases: Munson (6)
Caught Stealing: Munson (7)
Sacrifice Hits: Lamb (1), Camilli (1)
GIDP: White (11), Moses (2)


Yankees                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Stottlemyre             6    10   2   1   5   1   0  32   3.26
Lyle                    2     2   1   1   0   2   0   7   1.84
McDaniel W(3-1)         3     2   1   1   0   1   0  11   2.51
Totals                 11    14   4   3   5   4   0  50

Indians                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Lamb                    4.1   7   3   3   0   4   0  19   3.01
Kilkenny                0.1   0   0   0   2   0   0   3   3.78
Farmer                  0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   4.42
Riddleberger            3     1   0   0   0   1   0  10   2.67
Mingori L(0-6)          3     2   2   0   1   4   0  14   4.04
Totals                 11    10   5   3   3   9   0  47

Wild Pitches: McDaniel (3)

Umpires: HP - Frank Umont, 1B - Jim Odom, 2B - Don Denkinger, 3B - Hank Soar


YANKEES 1ST: Clarke singled to right; White grounded into a
double play (shortstop to first) [Clarke out at second]; Murcer
flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 0, Indians 0.

INDIANS 1ST: Bell walked; Brohamer flied out to center;
Chambliss singled to right [Bell to third, Chambliss to second
(on throw to 3b)]; Nettles was walked intentionally; McCraw
struck out; Unser flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.
Yankees 0, Indians 0.

YANKEES 2ND: On a bunt Blomberg grounded out (pitcher to first);
Callison flied out to left; Allen struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Yankees 0, Indians 0.

INDIANS 2ND: Duffy doubled to left; On a bunt Moses singled to
third [Duffy to third]; Lamb out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to
first) [Moses to second]; Bell reached on a fielder's choice
[Duffy out at home (third to catcher), Moses to third]; Brohamer
lined to left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Yankees 0, Indians 0.

YANKEES 3RD: Munson singled to right; Munson stole second;
Michael struck out; Stottlemyre grounded out (shortstop to
first) [Munson to third]; Clarke grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 0, Indians 0.

INDIANS 3RD: Chambliss singled to second; Nettles singled to
center [Chambliss to second]; On a bunt McCraw singled to third
[Chambliss to third, Nettles to second]; Unser grounded out
(second to first) [Chambliss scored, Nettles to third, McCraw to
second]; Duffy was walked intentionally; Moses grounded into a
double play (catcher to first) [Nettles out at home]; 1 R, 3 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Yankees 0, Indians 1.

YANKEES 4TH: White lined to right; Murcer struck out; Blomberg
singled to center; Callison grounded out (second to first); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 0, Indians 1.

INDIANS 4TH: Lamb grounded out (pitcher to first); Bell lined to
second; Brohamer walked; Chambliss singled to center [Brohamer
scored (error by Murcer) (unearned) (no RBI), Chambliss to
second]; Nettles was walked intentionally; McCraw flied out to
left; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Yankees 0, Indians 2.

YANKEES 5TH: Allen doubled; Munson singled to right [Allen to
third]; Michael struck out; On a bunt Stottlemyre singled to
catcher [Allen scored, Munson to second]; Clarke singled to
second [Munson scored, Stottlemyre to second]; KILKENNY REPLACED
LAMB (PITCHING); White walked [Stottlemyre to third, Clarke to
second]; Murcer forced Stottlemyre (first to catcher) [Clarke to
third, White to second]; ALOU BATTED FOR BLOMBERG; Alou walked
[Clarke scored, White to third, Murcer to second]; SWOBODA
BATTED FOR CALLISON; FARMER REPLACED KILKENNY (PITCHING); TORRES
BATTED FOR SWOBODA; Torres grounded out (second to first); 3 R,
4 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 2.

INDIANS 5TH: ALOU STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); TORRES STAYED IN
GAME (PLAYING RF); Unser grounded out (first unassisted); Duffy
singled to left; Moses popped to first in foul territory; LEON
BATTED FOR FARMER; Leon forced Duffy (shortstop to second); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 2.

YANKEES 6TH: RIDDLEBERGER REPLACED LEON (PITCHING); Allen lined
to shortstop; Munson flied to center; Michael lined to
shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 2.

INDIANS 6TH: Bell grounded out (third to first); Brohamer flied
out to center; Chambliss flied to right in foul territory; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 2.

YANKEES 7TH: Stottlemyre grounded out (third to first); Clarke
struck out; White lined to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Yankees 3, Indians 2.

INDIANS 7TH: LANIER REPLACED ALLEN (PLAYING 3B); Nettles singled
to center; McCraw singled to center [Nettles to third]; LYLE
REPLACED STOTTLEMYRE (PITCHING); On a bunt Unser struck out;
Duffy struck out while Nettles was picked off third (catcher to
third); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 2.

YANKEES 8TH: Murcer grounded out (second to first); Alou flied
out to right; Torres singled to second; Lanier popped to
shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 2.

INDIANS 8TH: Moses singled to left; CAMILLI BATTED FOR
RIDDLEBERGER; Camilli out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second)
[Moses to second]; Bell doubled to left [Moses scored]; Brohamer
grounded out (second to first) [Bell to third]; Chambliss
grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees
3, Indians 3.

YANKEES 9TH: MINGORI REPLACED CAMILLI (PITCHING); Munson popped
to first in foul territory; Michael struck out; SPIKES BATTED
FOR LYLE; Spikes grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 3.

INDIANS 9TH: MCDANIEL REPLACED SPIKES (PITCHING); Nettles flied
out to left; McCraw struck out; Unser grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 3.

YANKEES 10TH: Clarke struck out; White doubled to left; Murcer
popped to second; Alou was walked intentionally; Torres lined to
shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 3.

INDIANS 10TH: Duffy grounded out (shortstop to first); Moses
flied to right; Mingori grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Yankees 3, Indians 3.

YANKEES 11TH: Lanier lined to right; Munson singled to center;
Munson was caught stealing second but was safe at third (error
by Duffy; assist by Moses); Thurman Munson knocked the ball
out of Frank Duffy's glove; Michael reached on an error by
Duffy [Munson scored (unearned) (no RBI), Michael to second
(error by Duffy)]; McDaniel struck out; Clarke reached on an
error by Moses [Michael scored (unearned) (no RBI), Clarke to
second (error by Unser)]; White struck out; 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 5
E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 5, Indians 3.

INDIANS 11TH: Bell singled to center; McDaniel threw a wild
pitch [Bell to second]; Brohamer grounded out (first unassisted)
[Bell to third]; Chambliss singled to center [Bell scored];
Nettles forced Chambliss (first to shortstop); McCraw made an
out to shortstop; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 5, Indians 4.