Lee got the ball in the top of the first and Felipe Alou popped up to short to start. Rick Monday took strike three and Reggie Jackson flied out to left to end the inning. Mike Andrews tried to start a rally off Al Downing in the bottom of the first with a double to left. Reggie Smith took strike three Carl Yastrzemski popped up to short and Tony Conigliaro grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Sal Bando lined out to left to start the top of the second and Dick Green grounded out to second. Don Mincher struck out swinging to end the inning. Rico Petrocelli led off the bottom of the second with a line out to left. George Scott grounded out to third and Gerry Moses lined out to right to end the inning.
The Athletics beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the third as Frank Fernandez grounded out to short to start. Roberto Pena grounded out to third and Downing grounded out to second to end the inning. Luis Alvarado grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third before Lee grounded out to third. Andrews struck out swinging to end the inning.
Alou grounded out to third to start the top of the fourth and Monday grounded out to second. Jackson broke up the perfect game with a double off the Monster but Bando grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the fourth as Smith lined out to center to begin. Yaz grounded back to the mound but Tony C smashed his second home run of the season to give the Sox the lead. Petrocelli walked and Scott singled to center but Moses popped up to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Green grounded out to short to begin the top of the fifth before Mincher grounded out to first. Fernandez struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fifth as Alvarado flied out to left to start. Lee grounded back to the mound but Andrews clocked his third home run of the season to increase the lead. Smith flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Pena grounded out to third to start the top of the sixth and Athletics manager Jon McNamara sacrificed Downing for offense when he sent Bob Johnson to pinch hit for Al. Johnson and Alou both grounded out to short to end the inning. Mudcat Grant came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Yaz grounded out to second to start. Tony C grounded out to third but Petrocelli walked. Scott singled to center but Moses grounded out to second to end the inning.
Monday took strike three to start the top of the seventh before Jackson lined out to short. Bando struck out swinging to end the inning. Lee had allowed just 1 hit the entire game without walking anyone. Alvarado hit one up the elevator shaft to start the bottom of the seventh before Lee lined out to short. Andrews lined out to the mound to end the inning.
Lee looked like he was on his way to a one hitter in the top of the eighth when Green grounded back to the mound to start. Mincher struck out swinging but the wheels fell off for Lee when Fernandez singled to left. Jose Tartabull ran for Fernandez and Pena singled to center. Bert Campaneris pinch hit for Grant and singled home Fernandez to cut the lead in half. That was it for Lee who ran out of gas after 7 2/3 innings and a run allowed. Blue Moon Odom pinch ran for Campaneris and Ray Jarvis was brought in to pitch to Alou. Alou flied out to center to end the inning with the A's down 2-1.
Dave Duncan took over behind the plate and Diego Segui came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Smith grounded out to first, Yaz grounded out to second and Tony C hit a pop up to second to end the inning.
Sparky Lyle came in to close out the top of the ninth and Monday took strike three to begin. Jackson grounded out to second and Bando popped up to Andrews to end the game. The Sox had won it 2-1.
Bill Hero
Rico Petrocelli walked twice in 3 plate appearances.
Reggie Smith was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Hero of the Night is Bill Lee. He held the Athletics to just 1 run in 7 2/3 innings and just 1 hit through 7.
The Good:
Mike Andrews was 2 for 4 with a home run.
Rico Petrocelli walked twice in 3 plate appearances.
George Scott was 2 for 3.
Ray Jarvis retired the only man he faced.
Sparky Lyle earned his fourth save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Reggie Smith was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 4.
Gerry Moses was 0 for 3.
Luis Alvarado was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Tony Conigliaro was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a solo home run/
Final Thoughts:
That was another gutsy win in a one run game that the Sox fought hard for. The Sox bats did almost nothing tonight but the 2 home runs they hit just happened to be enough. Bill Lee stepped it up tonight and he should be in the rotation if Sonny Siebert falters or Jim Lonborg can't go. He's not an overpowering pitcher but his junkballs did the job big time, allowing 1 hit through 7 2/3 before the wheels fell off. Jarvis and Lyle also nailed down the win and once again Lyle came up big in the ninth inning. The offense will be there this season, its a question of if the Sox can pitch their way to the American League pennant. More games like this from Vicente Romo and Lee would help big time. The A's have gotten good pitching from Catfish Hunter and Al Downing but have nothing to show for it, look out for them tomorrow. The Sox look to make it three in a row against the A's tomorrow night when Sonny Siebert (0-1) looks to rebound against Chuck Dobson of the Athletics. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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