On this day 86 years ago an opening day record 60,000 fans watched the Yankees dismantle Ty Cobb and the Philadelphia Athletics, 8-3. Behind 2 RBIs from Lou Gehrig and Earle Combs and 3 hits off the bat of Joe Dugan, the Bombers tagged ace Lefty Grove–who would win 20 games in ’27–for 8 runs on 9 hits. Waite Hoyt earned the victory, his first of 22 on the season, going the distance while giving up 3 runs on 9 hits. A’s catcher Mickey Cochrane, whom Mickey Mantle would be named for 4 years later, went 2-for-3 with 1 RBI.
The 1927 Yankees were an absolute juggernaut. The lineup dubbed “Murderers’ Row” would power the team to 110 wins and a 5th pennant after leaving the A’s 19 games behind in a distant 2nd place. After their opening day victory the Yanks led the American League from wire-to-wire, and were tied atop the standing for a mere 4 days.
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