The 1932 Yankees beat the 1923 Yankees four games to two in their six game series to move into a tie for third place at 44-22. The '23 Yankees slumped to 68-76 with two more series left to play.
The '32 Yankees opened the series with an 18-4 pounding of the hapless '23 Yankees pitching. Normally hitting the cycle is a difficult feat; Tony Lazzeri and Ben Chapman did it in the same game! Lazzeri went 4-5 with five runs scored and four RBI while Chapman went 5-6 with two triples and seven RBI. His two three-baggers were part of five the team had in this game. After an offensive display like that, it made sense that they were shut out by Waite Hoyt in Game Two 1-0. Hoyt pitched a two-hitter and scored the only run in the game. Offense was back on display in Game Three was the '32 Yankees won a wild 12-10 slugfest in 11 innings. After trailing 4-0 after two innings, they came back with five unanswered runs, including a couple by Babe Ruth. The '23 Yankees responded with four runs in the bottom of the 7th to take an 8-5 lead. Joe Sewell homered in the 8th to trim the deficit to 8-6 and Earle Combs tied the game in the 9th with a two-run single. The two teams exchanged runs in the 10th. Sewell hit his second home run of the day, a three run blast to put the '32 Yankees ahead for good. The homerun capped off a 5-5 day for Sewell who had four RBI. The '32 Yankees won another high scoring affair in Game Four, this one 9-8. Ruth went 5-5 for the '32 Yankees with a home run and five RBI. The game ended when Bill Dickey threw out Joe Dugan trying to steal second. The clinched the series in Game Five with a 14-4 win; Dickey led the way going 3-5 with a triple and a home run and six RBI.
Ruth leads the '32 Yankees in hitting at .369 with 25 home runs, 71 RBI, 69 runs scored, and a 1.209 OPS. Lou Gehrig is hitting .356 with 11 home runs, 68 RBI, 63 runs scored, and a 1.088 OPS. Combs is hitting .353 with 62 runs scored and a .909 OPS. Lazzeri is hitting .350 with 14 triples, 57 RBI, 68 runs scored and a 1.047 OPS. Dickey is hitting .320 with 14 home runs, 73 RBI, and a .922 OPS. Chapman is hitting .302 with 50 RBI and 21 stolen bases. So six of their starters are hitting .300 or better and four of them are hitting at least .350. WOW! Ironically Lefty Gomez has the team’s best ERA at 2.57 but only has a 6-5 record to show for it. Red Ruffing, George Pipgras, and Johnny Allen are a combined 24-5.
Ruth’s average for the '23 Yankees slipped back to .395 with 45 home runs, 133 RBI, 139 runs scored, and a 1.339 OPS. Bob Muesel is hitting .319 with 12 homers, 107 RBI, 75 runs scored, 10 triples, and 12 stolen bases. Aaron Ward cracked the 100 RBI mark while hitting .269. Hoyt’s shutout improved his record to 16-7 with a 2.95 ERA. The '32 Yankees will battle the 33-15 1998 Yankees in the next series.
