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.

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