Sox Beat A's in Ninth on Error (4/22/15)

The Boston Red Sox won their first game at home this season in dramatic style. Trailing 6-5 to the Philadelphia Athletics in the final frame, the Sox rallied due to an error from second basemen Eddie Murphy to walkoff on the defending AL Champs 7-6 to open Fenway Park in style.

                                                    John F Fitzgerald approves of the win

The once great Napoleon Lajoie also committed FIVE errors throughout the game. The Sox struck first with a run in the bottom of the second but the A's responded with 4 off starter Ernie Shore in the top of the third. The Sox responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth but the A's scored runs in the top of the fifth and sixth to take a 6-2 lead and chase Shore from the game. The Sox got a run in the bottom of the seventh to chase Athletics starter Weldon Wyckoff then got 2 more in the bottom of the eighth against Bob Shawkey. Down 6-5 and at their final out, Eddie Murphy allowed a crucial error which led to the 7-6 victory for the Sox.

Hero of the Night is Ralph Comstock (2-0, 2.00 ERA). He tossed 3 innings of shut-out relief to earn the win and he scored a run at the plate.

                                                            Ralph the Hero


The Good:

Harry Hooper was 2 for 5 with a walk, run scored and an rbi.

Tris Speaker was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, a run scored and an rbi.

Duffy Lewis was 2 for 5.

Hal Janvrin was 1 for 3.

Del Gainer walked with the bases loaded as a pinch hitter.

Hick Cady was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and run scored.

Wally Rehg stole a base and scored as a pinch runner.

Pinch Thomas stole a base and scored as a pinch runner.



The Bad:

Mike McNally was 0 for 1 at the plate.

Ernie Shore sucked. He lasted just 6 innings and allowed 6 runs off FOURTEEN hits. He also was 0 for 1 at the plate.

Olaf Henriksen was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.



The Ugly:

Heinie Wagner was 0 for 5 but walked.

Dick Hoblitzell was 0 for 3 with an error but walked twice and drove in a run.

Everett Scott was 0 for 4 but walked, stole a base and scored a run.




Final Thoughts:

How about those runnin' Red Sox? Twice they sent in a pinch runner, twice they stole a base and twice they scored runs. Every run counted in this improbable win over last year's pennant winners. The Athletics have lost 5 of their first 7 games so they're not off to a good start. Sure the Sox are just 4-3 but its better than that. The Sox return to action against the Athletics next time with Dutch Leonard, last year's ERA champion, making his season debut opposite Herb Pennock, who blinded the Sox on Opening Day. Hopefully this time around will be different.