1967 American League Pennant Race

June 30, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 4 (38-33), White Sox 1 (42-28)

Johnny Podres improved to 2-0 on the season with a strong outing over the first place Chicago White Sox.  He gave up a single run on eight hits with two strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings of work.  Mike Marshall closed out the game and he picked up his second save of the season.

Tommy John took the loss for the White Sox.  He gave up four runs on four hits and four walks in four innings.  Three relievers combined to shut the Tigers out in the final four frames but the White Sox couldn’t get the bats going to mount a come back. 

Norm Cash drove in two runs for the Tigers and all four runs were scored by different players.  For the White Sox, Tommie Agee singled home Don Buford in the eighth inning to account for the only White Sox run.

June 29, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Indians 5, Tigers 3  (37-33)

The Tigers dropped their fifth straight series and blew a late two run lead to the Cleveland Indians.  Up 3-1, the Indians scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to bust the game open.

Denny McLain was cruising along until that eighth inning.  He ended up being knocked around for four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings of work.

Mickey Stanley hit homerun number three off of Luis Tiant in the seventh inning.  Dick McAuliffe went yard with homerun number thirteen.  Stantley finished the game with three hits and two RBIs.

June 28, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 7 (37-32), Indians 4 

The Tigers snapped a four game losing streak with a nice team effort by the offense.  All eight hits and all seven runs came from different Tigers.  Don Wert, Willie Horton and Norm Cash all drove in two runs.

Joe Sparma improved to 8-1.  He gave up three runs on six hits and five walks with six strikeouts in six innings of work.  Dave Wickersham threw the final three frames and gave up a run to pick up his fifth save of the season.

June 27, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Indians 8, Tigers 1  (36-32)

The Tigers continued a horrendous second half of June with their fourth straight loss, this time at the hands of the Cleveland Indians.  The Tigers reached base nine times but the only run came on Norm Cash’s RBI single in the second inning.

Earl Wilson continued to get roughed up and he dropped to 8-7 on the season.  He gave up four runs on four hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings.

The most damaging blow though was what happened in the Tigers dugout.  Al Kaline struck out in the sixth inning and hurt his hand while ramming his bat into the concrete bat rack.  The injury would turn out to be a broken finger which would cause Kaline to miss month of the season.

June 25, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Yankees 3, Tigers 2  (36-31)

The Tigers dropped their fourth straight series and their third game in a row at the hands of the Yankees.  The Tigers took an early lead when Dick McAuliffe led off the game with a solo homerun but Mickey Lolich was tagged for two runs in the fourth that gave the Yankees the lead for good.

Lolich dropped to 5-10 and he gave up two runs on four hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings of work.  The pen did a nice job of holding the Yankees in check but the Tigers never got the bats going to get back into the game.

Other then McAuliffe’s homerun, the only other Tiger ran came in the ninth inning.  Al Kaline walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

June 24, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Yankees 4, Tigers 3  (36-30)

The Tigers blew a three run lead and the Yankees got some timely hitting in the Tigers second straight loss.  Mickey Mantle’s ninth inning walk off homerun completed the comeback for the Yankees.  It was Mantle’s 14th homerun of the season.

Johnny Podres got the start and while he was given a three run lead, he gave up the three runs that put the Yankees back in the game.  Fred Gladding served up the homerun to Mantle.

Al Kaline singled and drove in a run for the Tigers while Don Wert doubled twice and scored a run.

June 23, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Yankees 3, Tigers 1  (36-29)

The Tigers three game winning streak came to an end as they were held in check by Al Downing.  The only run the Tigers managed off Downing came in the sixth inning when Al Kaline singled home Dick Tracewski.

Denny McLain dropped to 8-8 after a rough outing.  He gave up the three runs on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings of work.

June 22, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 5 (36-28), Twins 2 (32-32)

The Tigers won their third straight as they continued to try to get back on track in the American League.  Joe Sparma threw a nice game and he improved to 7-1 on the season.  He gave up two runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts in nine innings of work.

Jim Kaat took the loss for the Twins.  He dropped to 4-8 and he gave up five runs on three hits and three walks in less then three innings.  Al Kaline took him deep twice and Kaline drove in three runs.  Norm Cash also went yard and he drove in two runs.

Jim Kaat helped out his own cause when he doubled home a run in the third inning.  It wasn’t enough though as the only other run came on Zoilo Varsalles sac. fly in the seventh inning.

June 21, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 5 (35-28), Twins 5 (32-31)

The Tigers and Twins played to 5-5 tie before the game was called after nine innings on account of rain with one out in the top of the ninth.  The Tigers scored two runs in the seventh inning on Dick McAuliffe’s two run homerun to force the tie.

Harmon Killebrew homered twice and drove in three runs while Rod Carew had three hits, two runs and an RBI.  Jim Merritt got the start and he gave up all five runs in 6 2/3 innings of work.

Al Kaline hit homerun number 13 for the Tigers.  Both he and McAuliffe drove in two runs and they each scored two runs.  Earl Wilson was hit hard and he gave up four runs in 3 2/3 innings of work.

June 20, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 2 (35-28), Angels 1 (32-36)

The Tigers won two games in a row for the first time in two weeks in a tight game with the Angels.  The Angels scored a single run in the fourth on Woodie Held’s solo shot and the Tigers didn’t answer until they scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth.  Al Kaline doubled home Don Wert and then Kaline scored on Jim Northrup’s single. 

Johnny Podres threw a great game for Detroit but he didn’t manage a decision.  He gave up a single run on six hits with five strikeouts in seven innings.  Dave Wickersham picked up the win with two innings of relief and he improved to 4-0 on the season.  George Brunet took the loss foe the Angels and he dropped to 3-11.

June 19, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Angels 2 (32-34), Tigers 0  (33-28)

The Tigers continued a very rough stretch and dropped a double header and series opener to the Angels.  Clyde Wright held the Tigers to a mere five hits and only Dick McAuliffe was able to reach base twice on a single and a walk.

Mickey Lolich took the loss.  He gave up two runs on five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in eight innings of work.  He fell to 5-9 on the season.

Wright threw 7 2/3 shutout innings and Minnie Rojas pitched the final 1 1/3 to pick up his seventh save of the season.  Rick Reichardt hit his eight homerun of the season and he drove in both Angel runs.

June 19, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 5 (34-28), Angels 1 (32-35)

The Tigers ended a three game skid behind a strong outing by Denny McLain.  McLain held the Angels to four hits and a single run while he struck out twelve.  The only run came on Bobby Knoop’s solo shot in the third inning.

Don Wert doubled, singled and drove in two runs.  Dick McAuliffe singled, scored a run, had an RBI and stole a base.

Ken Turner took the loss for the Angels.  He gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks with one strikeout in six innings.  This would be Turner’s first and only start of his major league career.

June 18, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Athletics 8, Tigers 4  (33-27)

The Tigers dropped their third straight series today as they were doubled up by the Athletics.  Joe Sparma was roughed up in only two innings of work and he dropped his first decision of the season.

Norm Cash accounted for most of the Tigers offense.  He went two for four with a homerun and three RBIs.  Don Wert also had three hits and he drove in one run.

June 17, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 7 (33-25), Athletics 6 

The Tigers were glad to get home and they showed it by winning their first game of a double header with the Athletics.  The Tigers had a 6-4 lead heading into the ninth before Dave Wickersham gave up two runs to tie the game up.  Fortunately the Tigers’ bats got it going in the ninth and Bill Heath’s single drove home Jim Northrup to win the game.

Denny McLain was knocked around and he was gone by the end of the third inning.  Fred Gladding ended up picking up the win because he got the final batter out.  Don Wert had three hits and a run in the game and all seven runs were scored by seven different Tigers.

June 17, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Athletics 6, Tigers 5  (33-26)

The Tigers dropped their back end of their doubleheader with the Athletics in a 19 inning thriller.  The game saw the Tigers have the lead on three different occassions only to have the A’s tie it up, or like in the sixth inning, finally the lead.  Then the Tigers tied if back up in the seventh and the game eventually went into extra frames.  Neither team scored until the fifteenth inning when each team scored a run and it wasn’t until Dave Duncan led off the 19th inning with that solo shot and the Tigers failed to score that the game finally ended.

Earl Wilson threw nine innings to get the Tigers through essentially the first game.  Then Fred Gladding and Hank Aguirre held the A’s scoreless until Larry Sherry gave up the run in the fifteenth.  Ultimately, it was Mike Marshall that took the loss and that was in his fourth inning of work.

Willie Horton and Mickey Stanley both hit homeruns for the Tigers.  The Tigers were held to only 12 hits and two of them came from Stanley, who also drove in two of the Tigers five runs.

June 15, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 6 (30-28), Tigers 4  (32-25)

The Twins won their third game in a four game set with the Tigers to take the series.  This was the closest game of the series and it wasn’t until the Twins scored four runs in the seventh inning until either side broke away from the other.

Dave Boswell struck out nine in five innings of work but he left the game without getting a decision.  Ron Kline picked up the win and he improved to 3-0.  He gave up one run in his three innings of relief pitching.  Harmon Killebrew homered and drove in two runs while Rod Carew singled twice.  Carew scored and drove in one run.

Joe Sparma pitched 6 1/3 innings before giving the ball to Fred Gladding, who for blew his second game in around a week.  He gave up three runs (one earned) on three hits in 1 2/3 innings.  Bill Freehan singled twice in the game and drove in a run while Don Wert singled twice and scored.

June 14, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 7 (29-28), Tigers 0  (32-24)

Just one game after giving up 15 runs, the Twins pitching staff got it done and shut out the Tigers.  Jim Kaat threw the gem. He gave up only five hits without a walk with six strikeouts.

Harmon Killebrew hit his sixteenth homerun of the season.  He drove in two runs as did Rod Carew.  Cesar Tovar continued to hit well and he had two hits and two runs.

Earl Wilson dropped to 8-6 and he was gone before the season inning ended.  Bill Freehan and Norm Cash each had two hits.

June 13, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Tigers 15 (32-23), Twins 10  (28-28)

The Tigers snapped their five game winning streak in a crazy game that saw the two teams combine for 25 runs and 31 hits.  The Tigers jumped out to an 11-5 lead after a ten run sixth inning but saw that nearly disappear when the Twins made it 11-10 with five runs in the bottom of the sixth.  That’s all the Twins would get though, while the Tigers continued to pile on runs.

Five different Tigers had at least two RBIs and five had at least two runs.  Dick McAuliffe, Al Kaline and Willie Horton all had three hits and Norm Cash and MaAuliffe each hit homeruns.

For the Twins, Tony Oliva homered, tripled and drove in three runs while Cesar Tovar had three hits and two runs.  Rod Carew also had a solid game with two singles and two runs.

Denny McLain actually picked up the win in this one and he improved to 7-7. He did this despite giving up five runs in five innings.  Dean Chance took the loss for the Twins.  He was tagged for six runs on nine hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings.

June 12, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 11 (28-27), Tigers 5  (31-23)

The Twins handed the Tigers their fifth straight loss in a blow out.  The big inning was the third, in which the Twins scored eight runs, most of which were off of Mickey Lolich.

Jim Merritt wasn’t really sharp but he had plenty of run support to work with.  He gave up five runs on eleven hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in the complete game.  Harmon Killebrew had a huge game.  He homered for the fifteenth time this season and he drove in four runs.  Rich Rollins hit a grand slam and Cesar Tovar went two for five with a double, three RBIs and two runs in the game.

Lolich dropped to 5-8 on the season.  He gave up seven runs (six earned) on five hits and a walk.  He pitched into the third inning but he didn’t get anyone out.  Larry Sherry was also shelled.  He gave up three runs in the sixth inning.  Bill Freehan hit homerun number ten and Norm Cash went yard as well.  Al Kaline went three for three with a run.

June 11, 1967 at Anaheim Stadium
Angels 6 (25-32), Tigers 4 (31-22)

The Tigers lost their fourth straight game as the Angels finished a three game sweep over the Tigers.  Fred Gladding blew this one for the Tigers.  He had a two run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth but he gave up a three run walk off homerun to Jim Fregosi to end the game.

The Tigers scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and six innings but that three run lead was wiped out by another three run shot by Hall.  The Tigers scored one in the eighth to make it 4-3 on Norm Cash’s RBI single but that was wiped out by the Fregosi game winner.

Joe Sparma gave up three runs on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Al Kaline hit his twelth homerun of the season and he scored three runs in the game.  Bill Freehan had two hits, a run and an RBI.

Jim McGlothin threw well enough to keep the Angels in the game. He gave up four runs on six hits and four walks with four strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.  Minnie Rojas picked up the win and he improved to 4-4 with 1 2/3 innings of perfect relief.

June 10, 1967 at Anaheim Stadium
Angels 2 (24-32), Tigers 0 (31-21)

The Tigers were shutout out for the second straight game and the lost their third straight overall. This time it was Clyde Wright and Minnie Rojas who combined for the four hit shutout.  Wright won his first decision of the season and he gave up four hits and two walks in seven innings.  Rojas picked up his fifth save of the season with two perfect innings to close out the game.

Jose Cardenal was the Angels big hitter.  He went two for four with a homerun and he drove in both Angels runs.  Buck Rodgers doubled and scored.

Earl Wilson took the loss and he dropped to 8-5.  He gave up two runs on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts in six innings of work.  Don Wert was the only Tiger to reach base more then once.  He singled and drew a walk.

June 9, 1967 at Anaheim Stadium
Angels 4 (23-32), Tigers 0 (31-20)

Angels starter George Brunet completely shut down the Tigers in the series opener between the two teams to give the Angels their third straight win.  Brunet gave up three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts and the win improved his record to 2-9 on the season.

Don Mincher led the way for the Angels with the bats.  He went yard with his eleventh homerun and he drove in two runs.  Jose Cardenal had two hits and two runs while Bobby Knoop doubled twice and drove in a run.

Denny McLain took the loss and he dropped to 6-7.  He gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts in seven innings of work.  Out of the Tigers that reached base, none of them reached base more then once.

June 7, 1967 at Municipal Stadium
Athletics 4, Tigers 2  (31-19)

The Tigers failed to sweep the A’s in their four game set and in the process, saw their four game winning streak come to an end.  Mickey Lolich was out pitched by Paul Lindblad.  Lolich gave up three runs on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts in six innings of work.  The big blow was a two run homerun by Rick Monday sixth inning that broke a 1-1 tie.

Al Kaline hit his eleventh homerun of the season.  Jim Northrup was two for two with a run and Bill Freehan had two hits and an RBI.

June 6, 1967 at Municipal Stadium
Tigers 11, Athletics 1  (30-18)

The Tigers won their third straight game in a blow out win over the Athletics.  Jim Northrup, Norm Cash and Bill Heath all drove in three runs and Northrup scored three times in the game.  Al Kaline and Willie Horton each had a hit and two runs.

Lost in the offensive onslaught was a great start by Earl Wilson.  He improved to 8-4 and he gave one run on nine hits and one walk with eleven strikeouts in the complete game.  He also helped out his own cause with a solo shot in the eighth inning.  It was Wilson’s second homerun of the season.

June 6, 1967 at Municipal Stadium
Tigers 7, Athletics 1  (31-18)

The Tigers won their fourth straight game and their third straight over the A’s to finish a sweep of their doubleheader.  Joe Sparma improved his record to a perfect 6-0 and he gave up only one run on six hits and a walk with eight strikeouts.

Mickey Stanley and Don Wert each drove in two runs in the game.  Willie Horton double twice and he scored twice.

June 5, 1967 at Municipal Stadium
Tigers 3, Athletics 2  (29-18)

The Tigers won their second straight extra inning game in a pitchers dual with the Athletics.  Denny McLain was a man possessed and he improved to 6-6 on the season.  He threw all eleven innings and he gave up two runs (one earned) on seven hits and five walks with five strikeouts.

Norm Cash doubled twice and drove in a run.  Jim Northrup singled twice and scored a run.

June 4, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Yankees 5, Tigers 0  (27-18)

The Tigers were shutout for the second time this week, this time at the hands of Al Downing.  The Tigers managed only five hits the entire game, two of which were off the bat of Bill Freehan.

Mickey Lolich was solid but he dropped to 5-6.  He gave up three runs on five hits and three walks with one strikeouts in seven innings of work.  Unfortunately for Lolich, two of those five hits were homeruns.

June 4, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Tigers 11, Yankees 7  (28-18)

Dick McAuliffe’s grand slam in the top of the thirteenth inning pushed the Tigers to only their second win in six days.  The Tigers stormed out of the gate with six runs in the first three innings but the Yankees scored three in the seventh and one in the ninth to send the game into extra frames.

Hank Aguirre got the start for the Tigers and while he was knocked around in 4 1/3 innings, he helped out his own cause with a three run bases loaded clearing triple in the second inning.  Johnny Podres picked up the win after throwing three shutout innings and rookie Mike Marshall picked up the save after pitching a perfect thirteenth inning.

Don Wert finished the game with three hits and Jim Price scored twice. 

June 3, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Yankees 3, Tigers 1  (27-17)

Joe Verbanic outdueled Earl Wilson in this low scoring game.  Wilson had one bad inning and it ended up being the difference.  He gave up three runs, all in the fourth inning, on four hits and three walks.

The only run for the Tigers came in the sixth inning when Dick McAuliffe scored on Al Kaline’s double.  Norm Cash and Bill Freehan each had two hits.

June 2, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Tigers 9, Yankees 5  (27-16)

The Tigers ended their mini skid with a blowout win over the Yankees.  Willie Horton led the way for the Tigers with the bat.  He went three for five with two doubles, three RBIs and a run.  Dick McAuliffe and Roy Oyler both scored two runs in the nine run onslaught.

Joe Sparma improved his record to a perfect 5-0.  He gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits and four walks with five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

June 1, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Indians 8, Tigers 2  (26-16)

For the second straight game, the Indians pummelled the Tigers.  This time it was Denny McLain on the receiving.  The Indians tagged McLain for three homeruns and eight runs (four earned), six of which came in the sixth inning.

Mickey Stanley hit his first homerun of the season and Don Wert had two hits.  Al Kaline drove in the other Tigers run.