If Jim Lonborg (2-0, 1.84 ERA) is back to where he was 3 years ago, the Boston Red Sox may have a chance against the Baltimore Orioles this season. Lonborg was outstanding in his second straight start to begin the season, holding the New York Yankees to just 2 runs in almost eight innings of work. The Sox offense were led by a balanced attack including Lonborg himself with the team's only home run. Carl Yastrzemski drove in 2 runs as well, Sparky Lyle earned his second save and the Sox cruised to a 6-2 victory over the Yankees at Fenway Park.
Lonborg got the ball in the top of the first inning and Horace Clarke singled to right to start. Clarke was thrown out trying to steal second by the alert Jerry Moses and Gene Michael struck out swinging. Roy White grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time getting to Yankees starter Bill Burbach in the bottom of the first. Mike Andrews singled in the hole at short to start and Reggie Smith walked. Carl Yastrzemski dropped a base hit to right that scored Andrews and moved Smith to third. Reggie scored on the sac fly by George Scott and Yaz swiped second. Rico Petrocelli struck out swinging but Yaz took third on a wild pitch. A ball got away from Yankees catcher Jake Gibbs but Yaz was thrown out at home to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Bobby Murcer grounded back to the mound to start the top of the second and Curt Blefary grounded out to first and Danny Cater lined back to Lonborg to end the inning but started clutching his hamstring. Cater had to be hauled off in a wheelbarrow and dumped outside the building and John Ellis came in to play first in the bottom of the second. Tony Conigliaro grounded out to short and Luis Alvarado popped up to second, but Jerry Moses walked. Lonborg grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Jerry Kenney grounded out to short to start the top of the third and Jake Gibbs flied out to left. Burbach took strike three to end the inning. Ellis dropped a pop up by Andrews for an error to start the bottom of the third but Smith lined out to right and Yaz banged into a double play to end the inning.
Clarke flied out to left to start the top of the fourth and Michael grounded out to second. White walked and stole second but Murcer struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Scott grounded out to third to start. Petrocelli walked and Tony C singled him to third, but some idiot knocked the ball out of Kenney's glove on a pop up by Alvarado for a fan interference out. Moses singled to left to score Petrocelli to increase the lead. Lonborg struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Blefary singled to center to start the top of the fifth but he was forced at second by Ellis. Ellis was forced at second by Kenney and Gibbs grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the fifth as Andrews singled to left to start. Smith dropped a base hit to right to move Andrews to third and a wild pitch moved Reggie to second. Yaz grounded out to second but Andrews scored to increase the lead. Scott grounded out to third but Petrocelli singled to center to score Smith. Tony C flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox up 5-0.
Frank Tepedino pinch hit for Burbach and grounded out to short to start the top of the sixth. Clarke grounded out to second but Michael singled to center. White grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox got another run in the bottom of the sixth against Ron Klimkowski although Alvarado lined out to left to start. Moses grounded out to third but Lonborg cracked his first home run of the season to add to the lead. Andrews singled in the hole at short but Smith grounded out to second to end the inning with Boston ahead 6-0.
Lonborg got Murcer to fly out to right to start the top of the seventh and Blefary flied out to center. Ellis popped up to second to end the inning. Yaz grounded out to second to start the bottom of the seventh and Scott struck out swinging. Petrocelli grounded out to third to end the inning.
Lonborg ran out of gas in the top of the eighth as Kenney singled to center to start. Gibbs doubled to left and Pete Ward pinch hit for Klimkowski. Ward took strike three but Kenney scored on a wild pitch and Gibbs moved to third. Clarke grounded out to second to score Gibbs to cut the lead and Michael doubled to right to chase Lonborg. Jim was tough, allowing just 2 runs in 7 2/3 innings of work. Sparky Lyle came in and White grounded out to short to end the inning with the Yankees down 6-2.
Lindy McDaniel came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Tony C grounded out to third to start. Alvarado popped up to short but Moses doubled to left. Lyle bunted foul for strike three to end the inning.
Lyle returned to close out the top of the ninth and Murcer flied out to center to start. Blefary grounded out to second and Ellis grounded out to third to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-2.
The Good:
Mike Andrews was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Reggie Smith was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Rico Petrocelli was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and run scored.
Jerry Moses was 2 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Sparky Lyle got the save with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Luis Alvarado was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Carl Yastrzemski was just 1 for 4 but stole a base and drove in 2 runs.
George Scott was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Tony Conigliaro was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
That was a hell of a game pitched by Lonborg and hopefully he's finally healthy after 2 straight disappointing seasons. The Sox are gonna need him to get back to where he was in 1967 if they have any hope of staying with Baltimore this season. Its early but its good to see the offense look balanced from top to bottom the way Moses is hitting. Andrews had 3 hits and came around to score twice and hopefully that keeps up. Once again, this team is going to live or die by its pitching because the offense is going to be there. Lonborg stepping up early helps but can the other starters keep up? We'll find out tomorrow afternoon when the Sox look to sweep the Yankees out of Fenway. Sonny Siebert goes for the Sox up against Stan Bahnsen of the Yankees. The game begins at 1:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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