1967 American League Pennant Race

August 31, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 10 (75-58), Orioles 9

In a game that saw six lead changes, the Twins hung on and finally beat the Orioles in the bottom of the ninth.  The game winner was a walk off, two run pinch hit homer by Rich Reese in the bottom of the ninth.  Cesar Tovar led the way at the plate though.  He went three for five with a double and three runs.

Jim Merritt was roughed up for five runs in 4 2/3 innings.  Ron Kline improved to 7-0 despite giving up three runs and the lead in the top of the ninth inning.

August 30, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Orioles 4, Twins 2 (73-58)

The Twins lost to the Orioles in ten innings and in the process, fell back another game to five the Red Sox a game and a half lead in the American League.  Dean Chance gave up the go ahead run as he pitched a ten inning complete game.  He fell to 17-10 and he gave up four runs (three earned) on nine hits and a walk with seven strikeouts.

Bob Allison belted a pinch hit solo homerun for the Twins.  Rod Carew singled, drew a walk and drove in a run.

August 29, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Orioles 4, Twins 3 (73-57)

The Twins scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth but their comeback attempt fell a run short as they dropped out of their tie for first place with the Red Sox.  Dave Boswell had a tough time finding the plate as he took the loss.  He gave up four runs on three hits and eight walks with six strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.

Ted Uhlaender went three for four in the loss.  Russ Nixon doubled twice, drove in a run and scored.

August 28, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 3 (73-56), Orioles 2

Jim Perry improved to 7-6 on the season with a nice start in the Twins win in their series opener with the Orioles.  He gave up just two runs on three hits and four walks with five strikeouts in seven innings.  Al Worthington closed out the game with two shutout frames and he earned his sixteenth save of the season.

Zoilo Versalles had the big hit with a two run homer in the second inning, just his fifth of the year.  Rich Rollins singled twice and he scored two fo the Twins three runs.

August 27, 1967 at Cleveland Stadium
Twins 6 (72-56), Indians 3

Jim Merritt went the distance and he won his tenth game as the Twins once again moved into first place (tied with the Red Sox).  Merritt gave up just three runs on seven hits and a walk with eight strikeouts.

Rod Carew had a big day at the plate.  He went two for two with two walks, a homerun and two runs.  Rich Rollins was the other Twin to go yard with a solo shot in the sixth inning.

August 26, 1967 at Cleveland Stadium
Indians 5, Twins 2  (71-56)

The Twins fell out of first place as Jim Kaat was roughed up by the Indians.  He fell to 9-13 and he gave up five runs on eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Harmon Killebrew went two for four and he drove in one of the Twins two runs.  Russ Nixon was the only other Twins with two hits in the game.

August 25, 1967 at Cleveland Stadium
Twins 6 (70-55), Indians 5

The Twins needed ten innings but they picked up their third straight win in the first game of their doubleheader with the Indians.  The go ahead run came on a one run triple by Harmon Killebrew but a sac. fly by Sandy Valdespino that scored Killebrew turned out to be the game winner because Ron Kline gave up a run in the bottom of the tenth.  Killebrew finished the game three for four with two RBIs and a run while Ted Uhlaender went two for five with a homerun, two RBIs and three runs.

Mudcat Grant was roughed up for four runs in 5 2/3 innings but the pen, mostly Ron Kline, picked him up.  Kline improved to 6-0 and he gave up just the one tenth inning run on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in four shutout innings.

August 25, 1967 at Cleveland Stadium
Twins 2 (71-55), Indians 1

Dean Chance threw a no hitter and he pitched the Twins to a sweep over the Indians and more importantly, the win moved the Twins into sole possession of first place in the American League.  Chance improved to 17-9 and he gave up just one run on five walks with eight strikeouts.  The lone run against him came in the first inning.  He walked two, another base runner reached base on an error and then he gave up a wild pitch to allow the run to score.

Tony Oliva went two for three with a walk and a run in the win.  Rod Carew had the only extra base hit with a double, his only hit of the game.

August 24, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Twins 4 (69-55), Tigers 2  (69-57)

The Twins took the final game of a five game series between the Tigers and Twins behind a strong outings by Dave Boswell and Al Worthington.  Worthington set the stage and held the Tigers to two runs on five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in six innings but he left with the game tied 2-2.  Worthington picked up from there and pitched three innings of one hit ball to improve to 8-8 on the season.

Denny McLain held on as long as he could but he yieled three runs on eleven hits in 7 1/3 innings.  he walked one and struck out three.

The game winner came off of Harmon Killebrew’s bat.  His solo homerun in the eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie.  It was his 34th dinger of the season.  Ted Uhlaender had a solid game as well.  He went three for five with an RBI.

Norm Cash homered for the seventeenth time and Willie Horton had two doubles and an RBI in the loss for the Tigers.

August 23, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 10 (69-55), Twins 0 (67-55)

The Tigers won their fifth straight game in their third double header in four days.  This one was a blow out and it was over early.  The Tigers scored in each of the first four innings and capped things off with a four run fourth.

Joe Sparma coasted to an easy win and he improved to 13-6.  He threw a four hit shutout and struckout three.  Jim Merritt took the loss for the Twins and he was gone by the end of third inning.

Dick Tracewski had the big game for the Tigers.  He went four for five with three RBIs and a run.  Al Kaline and Jim Price eached scored twice.  The only Twins who figured out Sparma was Rod Carew, who had two singles in the game.

August 23, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Twins 4 (68-55), Tigers 3 (69-56)

The Tigers finally ran out of gas as the Twins ended their five game winning streak in the second game of their doubleheader.  The big inning was a three run fifth for the Twins.

Jim Perry evened his record to 6-6 with 6 1/3 innings of solid work.  He gave up three runs on eight hits.  Dave Wickersham took the loss for the Tigers.  He gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Harmon Killebrew hit homerun number 33 and Perry helped out his own cause with two hits, a run and two RBIs.  Eddie Mathews drove in two runs for the Tigers and Jerry Lumpe singled, scored and drove in a run.

August 22, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 7 (67-55), Twins 3 (67-53)

The Tigers won their third straight game in their second doubleheader in five days.  Earl Wilson went the distance and he gave up three runs on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts.  Dean Chance took the loss for the Twins.  He dropped to 16-9 and he gave up three early runs.  The bullpen didn’t fare much better for the Twins.  Each of the three relievers who entered the game gave at least a run.

Eddie Mathews had a big day and he hit his first homerun as a Tiger.  He went three for four with an RBI and two runs.  Dick McAuliffe hit homerun number two and he drove in two runs.

Cesar Tovar, Tony Oliva and Ted Uhlaender all hit homeruns for the Twins.  Luckily for Wilson, all three homeruns came with nobody on base.

August 22, 1967 at Tiger Stadium
Tigers 2 (68-55), Twins 1 (67-54)

The Tigers won their fourth straight and swept their first doubleheader with the Twins in an eleven inning pitchers dual.  Mickey Lolich struck out thirteen in eight innings and he gave up only one run but he didn’t get a decision.  Fred Lasher pitched the final three frames and he gave up only one hit to earn his first win of the season.

Jim Kaat was just as good for the Twins.  He gave up one run on five hits and a walk with nine strikeouts in eight innings of work.  Al Worthington took the loss after he gave up a leadoff triple to Dick McAuliffe in eleventh and then threw a wild pitch that scored him.

McAuliffe had the big eleventh inning triple but he also scored the other run for the Tigers.  Al Kaline had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run.  The only Twins run came in the second.  Lolich loaded up the bases with nobody and while he got Jim Kaat to ground into a double play, a run scored.

The pair of wins moved the Tigers into just one game back of the first place Red Sox and White Sox.  In the process of the doubleheader, they also forced the Twins down into a tie with the Tigers just a game back in a tight pennant race.

August 20, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Yankees 7, Twins 3  (67-52)

Jim Perry fell to 5-6 on the season with a poor start in the Twins loss in their series finale against the Yankees.  He gave up four runs on six hits with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Tony Oliva accounted for most of the Twins offense with a pair of solo homeruns.  Zoilo Versalles drove in the other run with a solo shot of his own.

August 19, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Twins 1 (67-51), Yankees 0

The Twins made it two straight wins behind an impressive start by Dave Boswell.  He gave up just three hits and three walks with five strikeouts in the complete game shutout.  The win pushed his record to 11-8 on the season.

Ted Uhlaender drove in the only run of the game for either side.  He hit into a fielders’ choice that scored Rich Reese in the seventh inning.

August 18, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Yankees 1, Twins 0 (65-51)

The Twins seven game winning streak came to an end as they dropped a dramatic 1-0 pitcher’s duel in their first game of a doubleheader with the Yankees.  Jim Kaat saw a nice start go to waste and he gave up one run on eight hits and two walks with six strikeouts in the complete game loss.  He fell to 9-12 on the season.

The Twins had their share of baserunners but none of them crossed the plate.  In all, ten baserunners were stranded but extra base hits were a commodity.  Jerry Zimmerman had the only extra base hit with a double.

August 18, 1967 at Yankee Stadium
Twins 4 (66-51), Yankees 3

The Twins salvaged a split in their doubleheader with the Yankees with some late inning heroics.  In this one the Yankees needed two in the ninth to win it with the big hit being a two run blast by Rich Reese.  Harmon Killebrew drove in a pair of runs with two sacrafice flies.

Ron Kline improved to 5-0 although he threw to just two batters.  Al Worthington pitched a shutout ninth to earn his fifteenth save of the season.

August 16, 1967 at Anaheim Stadium
Twins 5 (65-50), Angels 1 (62-56)

Dean Chance improved to 16-8 as the Twins finished up a sweep over the Angels and won their seventh straight game.  It was unfortunate for the Angels because they actually outhit the Twins 9-6, they just couldn’t push those runners across the plate.  Chance gave up one run on nine hits and four walks with ten strikeouts in the complete game win while Jim McGlothlin fell to 10-5 with a very rough start.  He gave up five runs and he left with just two outs in the first inning.

Tony Oliva went two for four with a run and an RBI.  Ted Uhlaender singled, doubled and drove in two while for the Angels, Jim Fregosi singled twice and drove in the lone Angels run.

August 15, 1967 at Anaheim Stadium
Twins 4 (64-50), Angels 0 (62-55)

The Twins won their sixth straight game at the expense of the Angels and it was behind a very nice start by Jim Perry.  He gave up six hits and three walks with ten strikeouts in the complete game shutout and the win pushed his record to 5-5.  Curt Simmons took the loss for the Angels.  He gave up four runs on six hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings and the loss dropped him to 1-1.

Tony Oliva was the hitting star for the Twins.  He went three for four with a run and an RBI.  Cesar Tovar singled twice and scored two runs while for the Angels, no hitter had more then one hit.

August 14, 1967 at Anaheim Stadium
Twins 2 (63-50), Angels 1 (62-54)

Twins started Dave Boswell outdueled Angels starter George Brunet as the Twins held on to their thin lead in the American League Boswell improved to 10-8 and he gave up one run on seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings. Al Worthington got the final out for the Angels and he picked up save number 14. For the Angels, George Brunet gave up two unearned runs on seven hits and four walks with six strikeouts in a complete game loss.

Roger Repoz drove in the only Angels run with a solo homerun. Ted Uhlaender was the hitting star for the Twins. He went two for four with an RBI.

August 13, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 3 (62-50), White Sox 2 (61-50)

For the first time in a long time, the White Sox are not in first place in the American League as the Twins passed them after sweeping their three game series.  Jim Merritt had the big outing on the mound for the Twins and he gave up two runs on seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts in the complete game win.  Bob Locker gave up the game winning run in the bottom of the eighth and he fell to 5-3.

Rich Rollins singed and drove in all three Twins runs.  Tommy Agee was the hitting star for the White Sox with a single, a double and a solo homerun.

August 12, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 6 (61-50), White Sox 2 (61-49)

The Twins won their third straight game and the pulled to within a half game of first place in the American League.  This time it was Jim Kaat who got it done for the Twins.  He improved to 9-11 and he gave up two runs on nine hits with four strikeouts in the complete game win.  Hoyt Wilhelm took the loss for the White Sox although all four of the runs he gave up were unearned.  In fact as a result of three White Sox errors, five of the six runs the Twins scored were unearned.

Bob Allison had the big hit with a three run homer for the Twins.  The long ball was his 19th of the season.  Rocky Colavito went two for four with a run and an RBI for the White Sox.

August 11, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 3 (60-50), White Sox 2 (61-48)

The Twins moved to within a game and a half of first place with a win over the American League leading White Sox and they did it behind the arm of their ace Dean Chance.  He improved to 15-8 and he gave up just two runs on six hits and five walks with four strikeouts in a complete game win.  John Buzhardt took the loss for the Sox and gave up two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

Zoilo Versalles singled twice and scored two runs while Tony Oliva singled twice and drove in two for the Twins.  Rocky Colavito singled and he drove in both White Sox runs.

August 10, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 5 (59-50), Senators 0

Jim Perry improved to 4-5 on the season with one of his best outings of the year with a five hit shutout over the Senators.  He walked two and struck out eight in the win.

Bob Allison provided the bulk of the offense with a big day.  He went three for four with two homer and three RBIs.  Jackie Hernandez singled and he drove in two runs in the win.

August 9, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Senators 9, Twins 7 (58-50)

The Twins blew a seven run lead when three different pitchers gave up seven runs in the seventh inning to tie the game up.  Thirteen innings later the Senators scored two runs off of Jim Roland in the top of the twentieth inning in a game that clocked in at five hours and forty minutes.  Give some major props to Al Worthington, who nearly threw the equivalent of a complete game shutout in relief with 8 2/3 shutout innings.

Tony Oliva went three for eight with two runs and two RBIs.  Cesar Tovar singled three times and scored a run in nine at bats.

August 8, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 3 (58-49), Senators 2

Rich Rollins belted a solo homerun in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie in the Twins win over the Senators.  Rollins finished the game with two runs in a game where the Twins won despite managing just five hits the entire game.

Jim Merritt gave up two runs in seven solid innings but it was Al Worthington who picked up the win.  He gave up one hit and a walk with a strikeout in two shutout innings of relief.

August 7, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Senators 5, Twins 0  (57-49)

After holding the Red Sox to a single run over a three game series, the Twins went out and laid an egg against the Senators in their series opener.  Two singles and a double were all the Twins could manage and it was Bob Allison who had the only extra base hit for the Twins.

To make matters worse, three errors led to four unearned runs as a fair start by Jim Kaat went to waste.  He gave up five runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings of work and the loss dropped him to 8-11 on the season.

August 6, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 2 (57-48), Red Sox 0 (58-49)

The Twins tied up the Red Sox by finishing up a three game sweep at home in a battle of Cy Young contenders.  Dean Chance got the better end of the deal and he held the Red Sox to five perfect innings and the win improved his record to 14-8 on the season.  Jim Lonborg fell to 15-5 and he gave up two runs on four hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. 

Bob Allison doubled and he drove in a run.  Cesar Tovar drew a walk and he scored a run. 

August 5, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 2 (56-48), Red Sox 1 (58-48)

The Twins made it two straight over the Red Sox as Dave Boswell held the Red Sox to a single run on three hits.  The win improved to 9-8 and he gave up three walks with five strikeouts.  Lee Stange took the loss and he fell to 7-7.  He gave up two runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts in seven innings.

Tony Oliva went two three for four with two doubles and an RBI for the Twins while Zoilo Versalles went two for four with a solo homerun.  Rico Petrocelli was the hitting star for the Red Sox.  He went two for three with a solo homerun.

August 4, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium
Twins 3 (55-48), Red Sox 0 (58-47)

The Twins one a big one as they took care of the Red Sox in an important series between two of the top teams in the American League.  In this one, Jim Merritt threw a five hit shutout and he improved to 8-3 on the season.  Bucky Brandon took the loss for the Red Sox with a rough start.  He gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.  The loss dropped him to 4-9 on the season.

Tony Oliva went two for three with an RBI to lead the way for the Twins. Carl Yastrzemski was the only Red Sox hitter with two hits.

August 2, 1967 at D.C. Stadium
Senators 5, Twins 4  (54-48)

The Twins came back from four down to tie the game up with four runs in the eighth inning only to lose the game in the eleventh inning.  Al Worthington gave up that eleventh inning run and he fell to 6-7 on the season.

Harmon Killebrew singled twice and drove in two runs.  Rod Carew singled, drove in a run and scored.

August 1, 1967 at D.C. Stadium
Twins 5 (54-47), Senators 4 

Dean Chance improved to 13-8 on the season with a nice start in the Twins win over the Senators.  He gave up four runs (three earned) on ten hits with three strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.

Tony Oliva went two for five with a triple, two runs and two RBIs.  Ted Uhlaender went one for three and he drove in two runs in the win.