We’re a week closer to the finish line but we’re no closer to knowing who’s going to win the pennant. The 1961 New York Yankees, going for a three-peat, are in the pole position. But at 12-8, they’re not running away with it, and three teams are right behind the Yanks, one game back.
Week six offers two great matchups featuring the top four teams that may go a long way toward deciding the champion. The 1967 Boston Red Sox, the hottest team in the league with five wins in the last six, take on the rival Yankees. The other two second-place teams, the 1967 St. Louis Cardinals and the 1969 Minnesota Twins, will also square off.
The magic number for wins is 21 — every previous champion has won at least that many games. Can the Yankees go 9-3 the rest of the way to get there, or can one of the second-place teams go 10-2?
| Week 5 | W | L | PCT | GB | R | RA | +/- | AVG | ERA | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 New York Yankees | 12 | 8 | .600 | — | 82 | 69 | +13 | .218 | 3.19 | Stats |
| 1967 Boston Red Sox | 11 | 9 | .550 | 1.0 | 98 | 86 | +12 | .270 | 4.31 | Stats |
| 1967 St. Louis Cardinals | 11 | 9 | .550 | 1.0 | 65 | 76 | -11 | .237 | 3.56 | Stats |
| 1969 Minnesota Twins | 11 | 9 | .550 | 1.0 | 119 | 91 | +28 | .291 | 4.30 | Stats |
| 1961 Detroit Tigers | 9 | 11 | .450 | 3.0 | 78 | 95 | -17 | .234 | 4.18 | Stats |
| 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers | 9 | 11 | .450 | 3.0 | 66 | 92 | -26 | .234 | 4.55 | Stats |
| 1962 San Francisco Giants | 9 | 11 | .450 | 3.0 | 98 | 96 | +2 | .276 | 4.66 | Stats |
| 1969 New York Mets | 8 | 12 | .400 | 4.0 | 70 | 71 | -1 | .240 | 3.41 | Stats |
Week 5 recaps:
> Gameday #17
> Gameday #18
> Gameday #19
> Gameday #20
Week 5 results:
> Mets d. Cardinals 3-1
> Red Sox d. Dodgers 3-1
> Twins and Yankees split 2-2
> Tigers and Giants split 2-2
BATTING LEADERS
Average
.407 Ken Boswell, 1969 Mets
.394 Rico Petrocelli, 1967 Red Sox
.383 Orlando Cepeda, 1962 Giants
.379 Rich Reese, 1969 Twins
.372 George Scott, 1967 Red Sox
.371 Norm Cash, 1961 Tigers
.361 Curt Flood, 1967 Cardinals
.352 Rod Carew, 1969 Twins
.351 Ron Fairly, 1962 Dodgers
.345 Tony Oliva, 1969 Twins
Runs
18 Rod Carew, 1969 Twins
18 Tony Oliva, 1969 Twins
18 Willie Mays, 1962 Giants
18 Harmon Killebrew, 1969 Twins
17 several
Hits
33 Rich Reese, 1969 Twins
31 Rod Carew, 1969 Twins
31 Orlando Cepeda, 1962 Giants
30 Curt Flood, 1967 Cardinals
29 Tony Oliva, 1969 Twins
29 George Scott, 1967 Red Sox
Doubles
10 Rich Reese, 1969 Twins
9 Lou Brock, 1967 Cardinals
7 Rod Carew, 1969 Twins
7 Joe Foy, 1967 Red Sox
7 Cleon Jones, 1969 Mets
Triples
4 Mike Ryan, 1967 Red Sox
3 Roger Maris, 1967 Cardinals
3 Frank Howard, 1962 Dodgers
3 Ken Boswell, 1969 Mets
2 several
Home Runs
9 Dick Brown, 1961 Tigers
8 Harmon Killebrew, 1969 Twins
8 Roger Maris, 1961 Yankees
7 Willie Mays, 1962 Giants
7 Tom Haller, 1962 Giants
7 Orlando Cepeda, 1962 Giants
7 Rocky Colavito, 1961 Tigers
7 Yogi Berra, 1961 Yankees
RBI
25 Dick Brown, 1961 Tigers
24 Harmon Killebrew, 1969 Twins
22 Rico Petrocelli, 1967 Red Sox
21 Tony Oliva, 1969 Twins
20 Orlando Cepeda, 1962 Giants
Stolen Bases
10 Maury Wills, 1962 Dodgers
7 Rod Carew, 1969 Twins
5 Lou Brock, 1967 Cardinals
4 several
PITCHING LEADERS
Wins
5 Gary Bell, 1967 Red Sox
5 Jim Kaat, 1969 Twins
4 Steve Carlton, 1967 Cardinals
4 Whitey Ford, 1961 Yankees
3 several
ERA
1.80 Whitey Ford, 1961 Yankees
2.03 Jim Kaat, 1969 Twins
2.08 Bill Stafford, 1961 Yankees
2.31 Jerry Koosman, 1969 Mets
2.59 Don Drysdale, 1962 Dodgers
2.68 Gary Bell, 1967 Red Sox
2.72 Juan Marichal, 1962 Giants
2.77 Steve Carlton, 1967 Cardinals
2.83 Lee Stange, 1967 Red Sox
2.87 Don Mossi, 1961 Tigers
Complete Games
4 Juan Marichal, 1962 Giants
3 Jim Kaat, 1969 Twins
3 Tom Seaver, 1969 Mets
2 several
Shutouts
2 Whitey Ford, 1961 Yankees
1 several
Saves
5 John Wyatt, 1967 Red Sox
4 Luis Arroyo, 1961 Yankees
4 Terry Fox, 1961 Tigers
4 Joe Hoerner, 1967 Cardinals
4 Ron Perranoski, 1962 Dodgers
Strikeouts
49 Jerry Koosman, 1969 Mets
41 Tom Seaver, 1969 Mets
38 Don Drysdale, 1962 Dodgers
35 Whitey Ford, 1961 Yankees
33 Jim Bunning, 1961 Tigers
ROGER SPORTS & GAMES 