Ultimate Subway Series-Yankees Play In Series

Yankees Play-In Series: Best 3 out of 5
8. 1978 Yankees VS. 9. 1956 Yankees

Game 1
Home: 1978 Yankees-Ron Guidry Away:1956 Yankee-Whitey Ford

In the opening game of this play-in series each team put forth an excellent pitching effort. The game went through 10 innings in a 1-1 tie. Whitey Ford pitched brilliantly, allowing only 5 base runners over 10 innings, while Guidry only allowed 5 hits over 8 innings. The game reached the top 11th inning, with Sparky Lyle pitching for the '78 Yanks. Lyle give up two quick hits to Bill Skowron and Hank Bauer, and had to face Billy Martin with no outs and runners on first and third. Martin hit a triple into the gap in right field, allowing Bauer and Skowron to score, and Marting was driven in later in the inning by an Elston Howard sacrifice. With a 4-1 lead, Tommy Byrne came into close it out securing the win for the 1956 Yankees
Game MVP:Whitey Ford, 10 innings pitched, 1 ER.
1956 Yankees win 4-1.

Game 2
Home: 1978 Yankees-Ed Figueroa Away:1956 Yankees-Don Larsen

Trying to not fall into a 2-0 hole, the 1978 Yankees game out swinging against Don Larsen and the '56 Yanks. The game started out the '56 Yankees way, after Mickey Mantle hit a 3-run shot in the first, but it soon turned into a slugfest for the 1978 Yankees thanks in part to errors by Gil McDougald and Andy Carey. In all the '78 Yanks scored 15 runs, leaving the '56 Yanks in the dust. Home runs by Willie Randolph and Roy White highlighted the effort and Ed Figueroa pitched a complete game as the '78 Yanks tied the series at 1 game apiece.
Game MVP:Willie Randolph, 3 RBIs and 1 Homer
1978 Yankees win 15-5

Game 3
Home:1956 Yankees-Tom Sturdivant Away:1978 Yankees-Catfish Hunter

Game 3 saw another offensive explosion, but this time on the side of the 1956 Yankees. Catfish Hunter was dealt with handily as the '56 Yankees scored 7 runs in the 5th thanks to a bases clearing double by Elston Howard with the bases loaded and some sloppy defense from catcher Thurmon Munson who had a passed ball and an error in the inning. After that the '78 Yankees could not scratch anything together, getting only two men on base after the 5th inning.
Game MVP: Mickey Mantle, 2 doubles and 3 RBIs
1956 Yankees win 10-3

Game 4
Home: 1956Yankees-Whitey Ford Away:1978 Yankees-Ron Guidry

Playing for their tournament lives, the 1978 Yankees threw out Ron Guidry to face the '56 Yankees ace Whitey Ford. Unlike the first game of this series, the '78 Yankees were able to get to Ford, with 9 hits over 6 innings. The scoring began in the 6th for the '78 Yankees, after singles from Lou Pinella and Thurmon Munson were followed by hits from Mickey Rivers and Bucky Dent scoring both runners. The '78 Yanks scored two more in the 7th thanks to a Graig Nettles double with 2 men on base. That turned out to be enough as Ron Guidry pitched a beautiful game, allowing just 2 runs in a complete game victory, as the series returns to 1978 for the deciding game of the series.
Game MVP:Ron Guidry, Complete Game, 2 runs allowed, 9 strikeouts
1978 Yankees win 5-2

Game 5
Home: 1978 Yankees-Ed Figueroa Away:1956 Yankees-Don Larsen

The 5th and final game of the series was also the most exciting of all 5 games. Ed Figueroa and Don Larsen paced each other through 6 innings, with the '56 Yankees holding a 1 run lead in a 4 to 3 game. Two-run homers by Gil McDouglad and Yogi Berra had given the '56 Yankees and lead and Andy Carey widened that lead the 3 runs with a 2 RBI double in the 7th. The game remained at 6-3 until the 8th inning until Tommy Byrne, in for relief of Don Larsen, walked 3 consecutive batters after surrendering a single to open the inning. Tom Morgan came in to the game to stop the bleeding, allowing only 2 more runs with the bases loaded and no one out, but at that point it was already too late and the '78 Yankees had tied the game at 6 going into the ninth inning. Don Gullett escaped the top half of the ninth thanks to a great defensive play at second base by Willie Randolph, which stopped a run from scoring. In the bottom of the ninth Roy White came to bat with the bases-loaded and 2 out, facing Rip Coleman, and he came through squeaking a single up the middle to drive in the deciding run of the series.
Game MVP:Roy White, series winning RBI
1978 Yankees win 7-6

1978 Yankees win series 3-2

-Mose