Peters, Sox Shut Out Brewers in Game 2 (4/25/70)

The Boston Red Sox were in trouble after they were smacked around in the first game of today's doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers. Sonny Siebert got knocked out in the second inning and the Sox had to use 4 relief pitchers to get to the end. With the bullpen already taxed, the Sox turned to Gary Peters (2-1, 3.20 ERA) to save them. Peters did just that as he put the team on his back with a complete game 4 hit shutout against the Brewers. The Sox offense had 12 hits in the first game but only 4 in this one but ironically they were much bigger. George Scott and Mike Andrews both hit home runs to give Peters all the support he needed. Tony Conigliaro added an rbi of his own and the Sox took Game 2 by the score of 3-0 at Fenway Park.

                                                                 Jo-Jo White approves of the win

Peters got the ball in the top of the first inning and almost had a repeat of Game 1. Tommy Harper singled to right then promptly stole second. Ted Savage popped up to second but Mike Hershberger walked. Both runners pulled off a double steal but Danny Walton flied out to center. Wayne Comer grounded out to short to end the inning. Bobby Bolin got the start for Milwaukee and Mike Andrews grounded out to first to start. Reggie Smith took strike three but Carl Yastrzemski walked. Yaz stole second but George Scott hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.

Max Alvis popped up to second to begin the top of the second and Phil Roof grounded out to third. Ted Kubiak grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Rico Petrocelli doubled off the Monster to start. Tony Conigliaro drove in Rico with a base hit to left but Luis Alvarado flied out to center. Don Pavletich forced Tony C at second and Peters flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.

                                                              Tony C drives in a run

Bolin took strike three to start the top of the third before Harper popped up to first. Savage grounded out to third to end the inning. Bolin cruised in the bottom of the third as Andrews struck out swinging to start. Smith popped up to short and Yaz hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.

The Brewers threatened in the top of the fourth as Hershberger doubled to left to start. Walton grounded out to short and Comer flied out to center, but Alvis walked. Roof popped up to first to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Scott belted his second home run of the season to increase the lead. Petrocelli walked but Tony C flied out to center. Alvarado reached on an error by Harper to put runners at the corners but Pavletich struck out swinging. Peters popped up to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.

                                                           Scott hits his second homer

Peters cruised in the top of the fifth as Kubiak grounded out to third to start. Bolin took strike three and Harper grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the fifth when Andrews smashed his second home run of the year to ice the game. Smith lined out to first but Yaz walked. Scott flied out to center and Petrocelli flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.

                                                           Andrews hits one out

Savage grounded out to short to begin the top of the sixth and Hershberger struck out swinging. Walton singled to left but Comer grounded out to third to end the inning. Tony C walked to start the bottom of the sixth but Alvarado flied out to left. Pavletich flied out to right and Peters grounded out to first to end the inning.

The Brewers tried to rally in the top of the seventh when Alvis and Roof walked to start. The pitcher Marty Pattin pinch ran for Roof and both runners moved over on the Kubiak grounder to third. Jerry McNertney pinch hit for Bolin but popped up to short. Harper flied out to center to end the inning, good work Peters. McNertney took over behind the plate with John Gelnar on the mound to begin the bottom of the seventh. Andrews took strike three and Smith grounded out to second, but Yaz walked. Scott foolishly got in the way of McNertney on a squibber in front of the plate for an interference out to end the inning.

Savage singled to left to open the top of the eighth but Hershberger grounded into a double play. Walton struck out swinging to end the inning. Petrocelli reached on an Alvis error to start the bottom of the eighth but Tony C hit one up the elevator shaft. Alvarado popped up to short and Pavletich struck out swinging to end the inning.

Peters returned to finish the job in the top of the ninth and Comer grounded out to second to start. Alvis grounded out to second and Greg Goossen pinch hit for Gelnar. Goossen grounded out to short to end the game. Peters had thrown a shutout to beat the Brewers 3-0.

Hero of the Night is Gary Peters. He pitched a complete game 4 hit shutout while striking out 4 batters.

                                                       Peters The Hero

The Good:

Carl Yastrzemski walked 3 times in 4 at-bats.

Rico Petrocelli was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Tony Conigliaro was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.

The Bad:

Reggie Smith was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Luis Alvarado was 0 for 4.

Don Pavletich was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

The Ugly:

Mike Andrews was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but the one hit was a home run.

George Scott was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a home run.

Final Thoughts:

That was a big game in more ways than one for Peters. Not only did he pitch a hell of a game to get the win but he saved the Sox a lot of hassle after they had to use the bullpen in Game 1. The Sox are going to need a rotation to match Baltimore and if Jim Lonborg is back healthy, Ray Culp has a great year and Peters is pitching well, they'll be in good shape. The Sox offense only had 4 hits but 3 of them went for rbis, go figure. Maybe this will get Scott back on track as he's only hitting .226 at the moment. Its not as if he's completely lost like he was in 68 but a home run might get him on track to a hot streak. Scott has as many home runs as Mike Andrews, that's not a good thing. Andrews is playing well though so its not a knock on him. The Brewers have a legitimate leadoff weapon in Harper but apart from him, there's not much there. The Sox are going to need to beat the Brewers consistently if they want to keep pace with Baltimore. The Sox play the rubber game of this series tomorrow afternoon when Ray Culp (1-2) takes on Gene Brabender of the Brewers. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.