April 29, 1977 - Yankees 3, Mariners 0

NEW YORK – This was the night that Ron Guidry became Ron Guidry, which is to say the diminutive left-hander began charting his course to Yankee legend status.

To this point, Guidry had been exclusively a middle innings relief pitcher since first appearing at Yankee Stadium in 1975. He’d made the only start of his career that season, and hadn’t made another one until this night, against the expansion Seattle Mariners.

And what a start it was. Guidry pitched 8.1 scoreless innings, scattering seven hits and two walks while striking out eight in a game that took two hours, 10 minutes to complete. Sparky Lyle came on to get the final two outs for his fifth save.

“This really builds up my confidence,” said Guidry who, while he didn’t know it as he spoke to reporters, would officially join the starting rotation based on this performance and would go on to start 25 games in 1977. “It was a struggle for me last year.

Guidry’s previous longest outing had been 5.1 innings in that 1975 start, but he was dominant against this makeshift Seattle lineup mixing sliders with a lively fastball. “You never can tell with him,” said Billy Martin. “He’s got a great arm. I just hoped he could keep us in the ballgame for six innings or so.”

Martin had fully intended to start Mike Torrez until he learned that the newly-acquired pitcher wouldn’t be able to report for a few days. Surely Guidry would have eventually become Guidry, but it’s just funny how things work out sometimes and maybe Martin wouldn’t have started Guidry anytime soon had Torrez been able to get to New York.

The only run support Guidry needed came in the first inning. Willie Randolph led off with a walk against Stan Thomas, Reggie Jackson drew a one-out walk, and Chris Chambliss chased home Randolph with a single. The Yankees added a pair of runs in the seventh when Bucky Dent doubled and Thurman Munson ripped a two-run homer.

Meanwhile in Boston, Dock Ellis made his debut for the A’s at Fenway Park and got rocked by three home runs in a 7-4 loss.

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