1977 American League Championship Series

Game summaries

In Game 1, the visiting Royals scored early against Don Gullett, who was dealing with a sore shoulder. Hal McRae hit a two-run home run in the first inning, Freddie Patek added a two-run double in the second, and John Mayberry hit a two-run home run off Dick Tidrow in the third. Thurman Munson hit a two-run home run for the Yankees in the third, but Paul Splittorff pitched eight strong innings and Doug Bird closed the ninth. Al Cowens also homered for the Royals in the eighth off Tidrow.

Game 2 saw the Royals hope to take a 2–0 lead back to Kansas City. Ron Guidry, the Yankees' new ace, started for New York. Freddie Patek drove in Darrell Porter with a sacrifice fly in the third for a Royals run. Andy Hassler held a shutout through four innings, but Cliff Johnson homered in the fifth.

The Yankees took a 2–1 lead in the same inning when Willie Randolph singled, Hassler balked him to second, and Bucky Dent singled him home. In the sixth, Patek doubled and McRae walked; George Brett grounded to Graig Nettles, who threw to Randolph to force McRae, but McRae body-blocked Randolph, breaking up the double play and allowing Patek to score the tying run.

The Yankees responded in their half of the sixth: Munson singled, Lou Piniella singled, Johnson doubled in a run, and after an intentional walk, an error by Brett on a Randolph grounder let two more runs score, making it 5–2. Randolph added an RBI single in the eighth. Guidry pitched a complete game, allowing only three hits and two runs.