tie breaker game tie breaker game game extension major_league_baseball mlb regular season played rival new_york_yankees boston_red_sox determine winner american_league game played park boston massachusetts october tie breaker necessitated yankees finished season tied place identical records home team virtue coin toss playoff counted regular season game statistical purposes baseball statistics tie breaker counted regular season game teams events game added regular season statistics started yankees started yankees fell home run run batted single yankees took lead run home run yankees defeated getting win recorded save victory yankees clinched championship route winning world series yankees remain team won world series playing background yankees combined win past american_league lost world series yankees lost world series won world series yankees seen contenders yankees baltimore_orioles competed championship expected compete red tied second place games yankees young detroit_tigers appeared ready challenge signed won games world series yankees free agent offseason season acquired join starting rotation yankees acquired join winner bullpen offseason teams placed players squad represented yankees represented led games milwaukee brewers second place time yankees yankees experienced injuries fell fourth place division shake engineered owner moving catcher right field yankees fired manager replacing yankees trailed boston games mid july new_york finished season games winning percentage went time frame included game sweep boston early september yankees composite score series dubbed boston massacre sports press end games teams tied place yankees took lead days later lose final sunday season holding game lead seven games play new_york finished run boston perfect enabling tie yankees season end new_york lost cleveland_indians october video screen happy news thank waits game tomorrow game tie breaker game cleveland indians defeated mlb advent division system won games game regular season started days rest rest usual started game started record contributed struggles late season consecutive losses hit home run second inning drove single sixth inning yankees held hits innings seventh inning yankees singled pinch hitter hit fly ball cleared wall left field yankees lead removed game walking came rivers stole second drove double eighth inning home run score favor yankees cut new_york lead run eighth closer rbi singles yankees hold thanks heads defensive play right fielder ninth base hit line drive right field blinded late afternoon sun ball pretended field play normally pounding glove easily catch ball prevented advancing base followed deep fly outfield base instead scoring tying run batting men baseman foul territory game final new_york won game improved record took loss recorded 27th save line score box score broadcast game televised respective teams rights holders boston new_york_city picked contest national viewers providing alternate coverage game new_york boston narrated action abc booth radio offered national coverage game play play working analyst locally home markets wins new_york_city boston fed game teams respective radio networks broadcast booth worked television heard radio yankees booth alternated play play radio television backed radio aftermath straight year yankees went face american league championship series yankees won best series consecutive pennant new_york defeated los_angeles_dodgers world series win second consecutive championship 22nd overall loss seen manifestation curse long thought reason things bad happened described shocking blast home run park crowd light hitting fifth home run season sealed reputation yankee fans inspiring permanent nickname new_england later manager yankees fired series boston years later game american league championship series received similar treatment fans hit home run 11th inning clinched pennant yankees yankees later lose world series went games rice considered candidates valuable player mvp award strong seasons rice named mvp finishing second voting won young award lemon named year
1978 American League East tie-breaker game