Remember the sizzling, scintillating summer of 1977 when Billy Martin’s Yankees stormed past the Red Sox and went on to capture their first World Championship in 15 years by beating the Dodgers in six games as Reggie Jackson blasted three home runs in the grand finale?
In this series, The Post takes you back 30 years to one of the greatest seasons in Yankee history.
SEPTEMBER 30, 1977
CLEVELAND 4, YANKEES 1
A funny thing happened to the Yankees last night on their way to a champagne party. They never got there.
Wayne Garland beat the Yankees, 4-1, and prolonged the American League East race at least another
night with Ron Guidry now going for the clincher tonight against Ralph Houk’s Tigers. John Hiller starts for
Detroit.
The Magic Number stays at one and a Yankee win ends it. A Yankee loss tonight keeps the race alive for another day, but eliminates the loser of the Boston-Baltimore game in Fenway. The Yankees lead both teams by three games with three to go.
More important than losing the game may be the possible loss of pitcher Ed Figueroa. He strained a muscle on his left side in the third inning last night and had to leave the game.
“He’ll be resting and we’ll have to see how bad it is,” said Billy Martin. “He wasn’t going to pitch for another week, anyway.”
Figueroa was treated and left the ballpark with his body wrapped tightly in a corset to hold the side in place and ease the strain.