White Sox Break Tie With Five‑Run 10th, Defeat Yankees 8–3
New York Loads Bases in Ninth but Scores Only Once; Staley Escapes Jam and Finishes Win
NEW YORK, May 8 — The New York Yankees had every reason to believe they were about to steal a game Sunday afternoon. Trailing 3–2 in the bottom of the ninth, they loaded the bases with none out and had Héctor López, Yogi Berra, and Bob Hadley due up. But the rally produced only the tying run, and the Chicago White Sox answered with five runs in the 10th to claim an 8–3 victory before 19,053 at Yankee Stadium.
The win moved Chicago into first place, ended New York’s four‑game winning streak, and extended the White Sox’ own run to four straight.
Pierce Controls Yankees Early
Chicago starter Billy Pierce held the Yankees to one run through eight innings. New York’s best early chance came in the first, when Tony Kubek, Roger Maris, and Bill Skowron produced a run and put two men in scoring position. Pierce escaped by striking out Ken Hunt, and from that point until the ninth he allowed only two singles.
Chicago tied the game in the fourth on Minnie Miñoso’s fourth home run of the season, took the lead in the seventh on Pierce’s RBI single, and added another in the eighth when Sherm Lollar singled home a run.
Yankees Rally in the Ninth
Pierce carried a 3–1 lead into the ninth, but Mickey Mantle doubled and Maris singled him home. Manager Al López summoned veteran reliever Gerry Staley, who entered with none out and runners on first and second.
Skowron doubled to right‑center, sending Maris to third. With the tying and winning runs in scoring position, Staley intentionally walked Howard to load the bases.
New York then sent up López, Berra, and Hadley — and all three hit soft grounders. Third baseman Sam Esposito forced the runner at the plate on López’s roller. Miñoso and Ted Kluszewski combined for another force on Berra’s bouncer. Hadley’s grounder to second was mishandled by Nellie Fox, allowing the tying run to score, but Staley prevented further damage when Kubek lined out to right.
White Sox Break It Open in the 10th
Left‑hander Fred Kipp retired the first batter of the 10th, but Miñoso singled and Kluszewski followed with another hit. Jim Coates relieved, but Chicago’s offense found every gap.
Two softly hit singles — one behind second, another looping over the infield — brought home runs, and Jim Landis capped the rally with a high fly to right that dropped just inside the foul pole for a three‑run homer, giving Chicago an 8–3 lead.
Staley Finishes the Job
Staley allowed only a single to Mantle in the bottom of the 10th and closed out the win. The right‑hander has yet to allow a run in 17⅔ innings this season.
Notes
- Mantle extended his hitting streak to 15 games.
- Miñoso collected three hits and now has four of Chicago’s nine home runs.
- The game was played in a steady drizzle, contributing to several slips and misplays.
- Catcher Elston Howard committed a mental error in the eighth when he requested a new ball on ball four, allowing Al Smith to advance to second on the live ball.
Courtesy of The New York Daily News May 9, 1960 via Newspapers.com