Currently (as of 2020[update]), the St. Louis Cardinals are the only "Classic Eight" National League (1900–1961) team to hold a Series edge over the Bronx Bombers, with three wins to the Yankees' two.
The 1937 victory by the Yankees also broke a three-way tie among themselves, the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox for the most World Series wins all-time (five each).
The 1937 Series was the first in which a team (in this case, the Yankees) did not commit a single error, handling 179 total chances (132 putouts, 47 assists) perfectly.
An error on Tony Lazzeri's ground ball made it 6–1 Yankees, then Giant pitcher Dick Coffman issued two walks, including one to Red Rolfe that forced in a run before DiMaggio flew out to end the inning.
The Giants touched Ruffing for a run in the first, as Dick Bartell doubled and Mel Ott drove him in with a single with one out.
In the fifth, however, the Yankees chased the youngster from the game when they took a 2–1 lead on a leadoff double by Myril Hoag, then RBI singles by George Selkirk and Ruffing.
For the second straight game the Yankees won 8–1, for a 2–0 Series lead as the teams moved a few miles south to the Polo Grounds.
Monte Pearson needed last-out help from Johnny Murphy after loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth, inducing Harry Danning, the tying run at the plate, to fly out to centerfield.
A two-out walk loaded the bases before Hank Leiber's two-run single capped the inning's scoring.