The Tigers came from behind to win the first game of a doubleheader, 4-3, but then lost the second game to the Yankees, 7-1. The Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the opener with the aid of a two-run homer by Jim Spencer. The Tigers nicked Tommy John for a tally in the fourth and then rallied to win in the fifth on run-scoring doubles by Tom Brookens and Ron LeFlore and a decisive single by Alan Trammell.

The Yankees captured the nightcap with a five-run outburst in the second inning. Willie Randolph and Juan Beniquez each hit two-run singles. Graig Nettles accounted for the Yankees' final pair with a double in the third and homer in the fifth. Jerry Morales homered for the Tigers' lone tally as three Yankee pitchers, Don Hood, Ron Davis and Jim Kaat, combined on a four-hitter. [The Sporting News]



Detroit Tigers 4, New York Yankees 3 (Game 1)
Game Played on Saturday, September 15, 1979 (Day game) at Yankee Stadium I
Tigers       0  0  0    1  3  0    0  0  0  -   4  8  1
Yankees      0  1  2    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   3  6  0


Tigers               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Yankees              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
LeFlore dh            3   2   2   1     1   0   .303      Murcer cf             3   0   0   0     2   0   .258
Trammell ss           4   0   1   1     0   0   .275      Gamble lf             2   1   1   0     1   0   .351
Morales rf            4   0   1   1     0   0   .215        Piniella ph,lf      2   0   0   0     0   0   .302
Wockenfuss 1b         4   0   0   0     0   0   .265      Spencer dh            2   1   1   2     0   1   .293
  Thompson 1b         0   0   0   0     0   0   .248        Scott ph,dh         2   0   1   0     0   0   .252
Parrish c             4   0   1   0     0   2   .272      Jackson rf            4   0   0   0     0   2   .294
Jones lf              3   0   1   0     1   0   .289      Chambliss 1b          4   1   2   0     0   0   .275
Stegman cf            4   1   0   0     0   0   .133      Nettles 3b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .247
Brookens 2b           4   1   2   1     0   0   .266      Doyle 2b              1   0   0   1     0   0   .182
  Whitaker 2b         0   0   0   0     0   0   .285        Randolph ph,2b      1   0   0   0     1   0   .272
Peters 3b             2   0   0   0     0   0   .333      Gulden c              2   0   0   0     0   0   .143
  Rodriguez 3b        1   0   0   0     0   0   .256        White ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .207
Morris p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Narron c            1   0   0   0     0   1   .144
  Underwood p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Dent ss               3   0   0   0     0   0   .233
  Lopez p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Randle ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .179
                                                          John p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   4   8   4     2   2             Totals               32   3   6   3     5   4

Time of Game: 2:21
Left on Base: Tigers 5, Yankees 8
DP: Tigers 1, Yankees 1
Errors: Brookens
Doubles: Brookens (5), LeFlore (22), Chambliss (24)
Home Runs: Spencer (18)
Sacrifice Hits: Peters (1), Doyle (1)
GIDP: Trammell (6), Gulden (3)


Tigers                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Morris W(14-7)          5     3   3   3   2   3   1  20   3.62
Underwood               3     3   0   0   1   0   0  13   4.64
Lopez SV(19)            1     0   0   0   2   1   0   5   2.28
Totals                  9     6   3   3   5   4   1  38

Yankees                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
John L(18-9)            9     8   4   4   2   2   0  36   3.01
Totals                  9     8   4   4   2   2   0  36

Umpires: HP - Mike Reilly, 1B - Dale Ford, 2B - Derryl Cousins, 3B - Terry Cooney


TIGERS 1ST: LeFlore grounded out (third to first); Trammell
grounded out (shortstop to first); Morales grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 1ST: Murcer flied out to left; Gamble singled to center;
Spencer struck out; Jackson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

TIGERS 2ND: Wockenfuss grounded out (third to first); Parrish
was called out on strikes; Jones grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 2ND: Chambliss doubled to center; Nettles flied out to
center [Chambliss to third]; Doyle reached on an error by
Brookens on a sacrifice bunt [Chambliss scored (RBI)]; Gulden
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Doyle out at second]; 1 R, 1 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees
1.

TIGERS 3RD: Stegman flied out to right; Brookens flied out to
center; Peters grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 1.

YANKEES 3RD: Dent flied out to left; Murcer grounded out
(shortstop to first); Gamble walked; Spencer homered [Gamble
scored]; Jackson was called out on strikes; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 4TH: LeFlore singled to left; Trammell grounded out
(third to first) [LeFlore to second]; Morales singled to center
[LeFlore scored]; Wockenfuss grounded out (third to first)
[Morales to second]; Parrish struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Tigers 1, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 4TH: Chambliss flied out to center; Nettles flied out to
center; Doyle grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Tigers 1, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 5TH: Jones singled to center; Stegman forced Jones
(second to shortstop); Brookens doubled to left [Stegman
scored]; Peters grounded out (first to pitcher) [Brookens to
third]; LeFlore doubled to third [Brookens scored]; Trammell
singled to left [LeFlore scored]; Morales grounded out (second
to first); 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 4, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 5TH: Gulden grounded out (first unassisted); Dent
grounded out (pitcher to first); Murcer walked; Gamble made an
out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 4, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 6TH: Wockenfuss grounded out (shortstop to first);
Parrish grounded out (third to first); Jones walked; Stegman
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 4,
Yankees 3.

YANKEES 6TH: UNDERWOOD REPLACED MORRIS (PITCHING); SCOTT BATTED
FOR SPENCER; Scott popped to first in foul territory; Jackson
flied out to right; Chambliss singled to shortstop; Nettles
singled to third [Chambliss to third]; RANDOLPH BATTED FOR
DOYLE; Randolph walked [Nettles to second]; WHITE BATTED FOR
GULDEN; White popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 2 H, 0
E, 3 LOB.  Tigers 4, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 7TH: RANDOLPH STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); NARRON
REPLACED WHITE (PLAYING C ); Brookens singled to left; Peters
out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Brookens to
second]; LeFlore walked; Trammell grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [LeFlore out at second]; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 4, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 7TH: RODRIGUEZ REPLACED PETERS (PLAYING 3B); Dent flied
out to left; Murcer flied out to center; PINIELLA BATTED FOR
GAMBLE; Piniella grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 4, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 8TH: PINIELLA STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Morales flied
out to center; Wockenfuss flied out to center; Parrish singled
to right; Jones forced Parrish (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Tigers 4, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 8TH: THOMPSON REPLACED WOCKENFUSS (PLAYING 1B); Scott
singled to left; Jackson flied out to right; Chambliss flied out
to left; Nettles grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Tigers 4, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 9TH: Stegman grounded out (second to first); Brookens
flied out to right; Rodriguez grounded out (shortstop to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 4, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 9TH: WHITAKER REPLACED BROOKENS (PLAYING 2B); LOPEZ
REPLACED UNDERWOOD (PITCHING); Randolph made an out to second;
Narron struck out; RANDLE BATTED FOR DENT; Randle walked; Murcer
walked [Randle to second]; Piniella popped to first in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Tigers 4, Yankees 3.