1978 Major League Baseball postseason

1978 Major League Baseball playoffs July 2022 Major League Baseball postseason 1978 October 3–17, 19781978 Major Leagues Schedule https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1978-schedule.shtml Baseball-Reference.com 11 July 2022 4 New York Yankees(22nd title) Los Angeles Dodgers 14 765675 Davey Lopes (LA) 5 Amos Otis (KC) 4 Five tied 11 Ron Guidry (NYY) 1.06 Bucky Dent (NYY) 1977 1979 The 1978 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 1978 season. The winners of each division advance to the postseason and face each other in a League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series. This was the second of two consecutive postseasons to feature the same teams – in the American League, the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals returned for the third year in a row. In the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies made their third straight appearance, and the Los Angeles Dodgers returned for the third time in the last five years. The former three teams all returned for the 1980 postseason, and all four returned in the expanded 1981 and 2024 postseasons. As of , this is the last instance in which the same teams made up the season’s postseason field in back-to-back years. The postseason began on October 3, 1978, and concluded on October 17, 1978, with the Yankees again defeating the Dodgers in six games in the 1978 World Series. The Yankees repeated as World Series champions, winning their 22nd championship. Teams right 10px American League Teams 10px National League Teams 480 360 220 100 10 USA 380 USA 40.83 -73.93 Red pog.svg 80 top Yankees USA 39.05 -94.48 Red pog.svg 80 bottom Royals USA 39.91 -75.17 Blue pog.svg 80 bottom Phillies USA 34.07 -118.24 Blue pog.svg 80 bottom Dodgers The following teams qualified for the postseason: American League New York Yankees – 100–63, AL East champions1978 New York Yankees Statistics https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1978.shtml Baseball-Reference.com 11 July 2022 July 13, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080713030437/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1978.shtml live Kansas City Royals – 92–70, AL West champions1978 Kansas City Royals Statistics https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1978.shtml Baseball-Reference.com 11 July 2022 November 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211105134336/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1978.shtml live National League Philadelphia Phillies – 90–72, NL East champions1978 Philadelphia Phillies Statistics https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1978.shtml Baseball-Reference.com 11 July 2022 March 27, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220327011341/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1978.shtml live Los Angeles Dodgers – 95–67, NL West champions1978 Los Angeles Dodgers Statistics https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/1978.shtml Baseball-Reference.com 11 July 2022 March 26, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220326222303/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/1978.shtml live Playoff bracket League Championship Series(ALCS, NLCS) World Series East NY Yankees West Kansas City 3 1 East Philadelphia West Los Angeles 1 3 AL NY Yankees NL Los Angeles 4 2 American League Championship Series 1978 American League Championship Series New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals New York 3–1 New York Yankees – 7, Kansas City Royals – 1 October 3 Royals Stadium 2:57 41,143 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10030KCA1978.htm 1978 ALCS Game 1 – New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals 11 July 2022 Retrosheet September 24, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135740/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10030KCA1978.htm live New York Yankees – 4, Kansas City Royals – 10 October 4 Royals Stadium 2:42 41,158 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10040KCA1978.htm 1978 ALCS Game 2 – New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals 11 July 2022 Retrosheet December 13, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201213195903/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10040KCA1978.htm live Kansas City Royals – 5, New York Yankees – 6 October 6 Yankee Stadium 2:13 55,445 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10060NYA1978.htm 1978 ALCS Game 3 – Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees 11 July 2022 Retrosheet October 18, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201018004729/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10060NYA1978.htm live Kansas City Royals – 1, New York Yankees – 2 October 7 Yankee Stadium 2:20 56,356 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10070NYA1978.htm 1978 ALCS Game 4 – Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees 11 July 2022 Retrosheet September 24, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135750/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10070NYA1978.htm live For the third year in a row, the Yankees and Royals met in the ALCS, and once again the Yankees came out on top, this time in four games, to return to the World Series for the third year in a row. Jim Beattie pitched five innings of shutout ball as the Yankees blew out the Royals in Game 1 on the road. In Game 2, Larry Gura went six shutout innings as the Royals responded with a blowout win of their own to even the series headed to the Bronx. Game 3 was a slugfest that the Yankees narrowly won, thanks to a two-run home run from Thurman Munson in the bottom of the eighth. Game 4 was a pitchers' duel between Yankees' ace Ron Guidry and Royals' ace Dennis Leonard, which would be won by the former as the Yankees narrowly prevailed by one run to secure the pennant. Both teams would meet again in the ALCS in 1980 - where the Royals finally broke through in a sweep before falling in the World Series to the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. They would also meet in the ALDS in 2024, which was won by the Yankees before they too fell in the World Series. The Yankees would win their next pennant in 1981 over the Oakland Athletics in a sweep before coming up short in the World Series. National League Championship Series 1978 National League Championship Series Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies Los Angeles 3–1 Los Angeles Dodgers – 9, Philadelphia Phillies – 5 October 4 Veterans Stadium 2:37 63,460 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10040PHI1978.htm 1978 NLCS Game 1 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies 11 July 2022 Retrosheet July 14, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210714225453/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10040PHI1978.htm live Los Angeles Dodgers – 4, Philadelphia Phillies – 0 October 5 Veterans Stadium 2:06 60,642 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10050PHI1978.htm 1978 NLCS Game 2 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies 11 July 2022 Retrosheet September 24, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135744/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10050PHI1978.htm live Philadelphia Phillies – 9, Los Angeles Dodgers – 4 October 6 Dodger Stadium 2:18 55,043 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10060LAN1978.htm 1978 NLCS Game 3 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 11 July 2022 Retrosheet July 15, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210715191938/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10060LAN1978.htm live Philadelphia Phillies – 3, Los Angeles Dodgers – 4 (10) October 7 Dodger Stadium 2:53 55,124 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10070LAN1978.htm 1978 NLCS Game 4 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 11 July 2022 Retrosheet July 15, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210715192354/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10070LAN1978.htm live For the second consecutive year, the Dodgers and Phillies met in the NLCS. The Dodgers yet again prevailed in four games and advanced to the World Series for the second straight year. The Dodgers stole a Game 1 slugfest on the road, 9–5. In Game 2, the Dodgers prevailed off a complete-game shutout from ace Tommy John. When the series shifted to Los Angeles for Game 3, Steve Carlton pitched a complete game as the Phillies blew out the Dodgers to get on the board in the series. However, the Dodgers ended up winning the pennant in Game 4 with a narrow victory in extra innings as Ron Cey scored the pennant-clinching run in the bottom of the tenth. The Phillies would finally win the pennant two years later over the Houston Astros in a tightly-contested five-game NLCS en route to their first ever World Series championship after being six outs away from elimination in Game 5. The Dodgers would win their next pennant in 1981 over the Montreal Expos in five games en route to a World Series title. This was the last time the Dodgers defeated the Phillies in the postseason until 2025, as the Phillies would win the next three matchups against them in 1983, 2008 and 2009. 1978 World Series 1978 World Series New York Yankees (AL) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) Dodgers-Yankees rivalry New York 4–2 New York Yankees – 5, Los Angeles Dodgers – 11 October 10 Dodger Stadium 2:48 55,997 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10100LAN1978.htm 1978 World Series Game 1 - New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 11 July 2022 Retrosheet October 31, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211031050622/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10100LAN1978.htm live New York Yankees – 3, Los Angeles Dodgers – 4 October 11 Dodger Stadium 2:37 55,982 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10110LAN1978.htm 1978 World Series Game 2 - New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 11 July 2022 Retrosheet October 31, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211031050309/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10110LAN1978.htm live Los Angeles Dodgers – 1, New York Yankees – 5 October 13 Yankee Stadium 2:27 56,447 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10130NYA1978.htm 1978 World Series Game 3 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees 11 July 2022 Retrosheet October 31, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211031163534/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10130NYA1978.htm live Los Angeles Dodgers – 3, New York Yankees – 4 (10) October 14 Yankee Stadium 3:17 56,445 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10140NYA1978.htm 1978 World Series Game 4 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees 11 July 2022 Retrosheet November 4, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211104093829/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10140NYA1978.htm live Los Angeles Dodgers – 2, New York Yankees – 12 October 15 Yankee Stadium 2:56 56,448 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10150NYA1978.htm 1978 World Series Game 5 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees 11 July 2022 Retrosheet September 24, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135759/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10150NYA1978.htm live New York Yankees – 7, Los Angeles Dodgers – 2 October 17 Dodger Stadium 2:34 55,985 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10170LAN1978.htm 1978 World Series Game 6 - New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 11 July 2022 Retrosheet September 24, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135800/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B10170LAN1978.htm live This was the tenth World Series meeting in the history of the Dodgers–Yankees rivalry, and the fifth New York–California matchup in the World Series (1962, 1963, 1973, 1977).https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-yankees-legends-discuss-classic-world-series-matchups Murti Sweeny Yanks, Dodgers legends dish on historic 1977, '78, '81 World Series showdowns MLB.com October 24, 2024 September 10, 2025https://www.mlb.com/news/1962-world-series-recap 1962 World Series recap MLB.com September 27, 2022 September 10, 2025https://www.mlb.com/news/1973-world-series-recap 1973 World Series recap MLB.com September 28, 2022 September 10, 2025 In a near identical outcome to last year's series, the Yankees overcame a two-games-to-none series deficit to again defeat the Dodgers in six games, repeating as World Series champions. Tommy John pitched six innings of shutout ball and Davey Lopes homered twice as the Dodgers blew out the Yankees in Game 1. In Game 2, the Yankees led 2-1 after five innings, until Ron Cey hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to put the Dodgers in the lead for good as they went up 2–0 in the series headed to the Bronx. Then, the Yankees responded. Ron Guidry pitched a complete game as the Yankees got on the board in the series in Game 3. Game 4 remained tied after regulation, until Lou Piniella hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the tenth to even the series at two. In Game 5, Jim Beattie pitched another complete game for the Yankees as they blew out the Dodgers by ten runs to take a 3–2 series lead headed back to Los Angeles. Catfish Hunter pitched seven solid innings in Game 6 as the Yankees blew out the Dodgers again to clinch the title. Game 6 of the 1978 World Series was the last for Yankees catcher Thurman Munson, who died in a plane crash on August 2, 1979, at Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1979/08/03/page/73/article/munson-dies-in-plane-crash Chicago Tribune Munson dies in plane crash August 3, 1979 1, sec. 5https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Cw0wAAAAIBAJ&pg=3091%2C2937686 Toledo Blade Ohio Associated Press Yankees' star Munson is killed in plane crash August 3, 1979 1https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7fdLAAAAIBAJ&pg=6923%2C1367178 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press 'New love' claims life of Yanks' Munson August 3, 1979 33 As of , this is the last time the Yankees defeated the Dodgers in the World Series. These historical rivals would meet again in the World Series in 1981 and 2024, both of which the Dodgers won. After repeating as champions, the Yankees entered a rare and unusual slump, making the postseason only twice between 1979 and 1995. The Yankees would return to the World Series in 1996, and defeated the Atlanta Braves in six games to end an 18-year title drought, which also marked the start of a dynasty for the team. Broadcasting ABC televised both LCS nationally in the United States. Each team's local broadcaster also televised coverage of LCS games. NBC aired the World Series. References External links League Baseball Standings & Expanded Standings - 1978 collapsed Category:Major League Baseball postseason