The Sox wasted no time getting to Tigers starter Joe Niekro in the top of the first as Mike Andrews singled to center to start. Reggie Smith blasted his second home run of the season to put the Sox up early. Carl Yastrzemski struck out swinging, George Scott grounded out to second and Rico Petrocelli struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0. The Sox would have just 4 hits the rest of the game.
The Tigers responded in the bottom of the first against Peters as Mickey Stanley doubled to left to start. Dick McAuliffe dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Stanley to third and he scored on the Al Kaline grounder to third. Willie Horton grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 2-1.
Tony Conigliaro grounded out to third to start the top of the second and Luis Alvarado popped up to short. Jerry Moses flied out to right to end the inning. Jim Northrup hit one up the elevator shaft to start the bottom of the second before Bill Freehan walked. Don Wert struck out swinging and Cesar Gutierrez forced Freehan at second to end the inning.
Peters popped up to third to start the top of the third and Andrews flied out to center. Smith was retired on a nubber in front of the plate to end the inning. Niekro struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third and Stanley grounded out to short. McAuliffe walked and Kaline singled to left, but Horton grounded out to short to end the inning.
Yaz lined out to left to start the top of the fourth and Scott popped up to right in foul territory. Petrocelli lined out to left to end the inning. Northrup walked to start the bottom of the fourth and Freehan singled to center. Wert popped up to short, Guitierrez popped up to first and Niekro struck out swinging to end the inning.
Tony C grounded out to short to begin the top of the fifth but Alvarado singled in the hole at second. Moses flied out to right and Peters grounded out to first to end the inning. Stanley grounded out to third to begin the bottom of the fifth and McAuliffe took strike three. Kaline walked but Horton forced Al at second to end the inning.
Andrews flied out to right to start the top of the sixth and Smith flied out to center. Yaz walked but was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. Northrup grounded out to second to begin the bottom of the sixth but Freehan and Wert drew back to back walks. Gutierrez singled to right and Freehan made a mad dash for home. Conigliaro fired home....OUT! Freehan was out and Niekro grounded into a force at second to end the inning.
Scott singled to center to start the top of the seventh but Petrocelli hit into a double play. Tony C lined out to short to end the inning. Peters ran out of gas in the bottom of the seventh although Stanley grounded out to short to start. McAuliffe doubled to right and moved to third on a Kaline grounder to short, but Horton was intentionally walked. Northrup was plunked and that was it for Peters after 6 2/3 innings of 1 run ball. Ray Jarvis got Freehan to ground back to the mound to end the inning.
Alvarado hit a routine grounder to third but Wert booted it for an error to start the top of the eighth. Moses popped up to third and Jarvis dropped down a bunt to move Alvarado to second. Andrews grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The bottom fell out in the bottom of the eighth as Wert doubled to left to start. Gates Brown was sent to pinch hit for Guitierrez but Sox manager Eddie Kasko called in Sparky Lyle to pitch. Tigers manager Mayo Smith countered by having Elliott Maddox to pinch run for Wert and Jim Price to pinch hit for Brown. Price walked and Ike Brown pinch hit for Niekro. Brown dropped down a bunt but Moses dropped it allowing everyone to be safe on the error. Stanley hit a double play ball to third and Alvarado forced Price, but Mickey beat out the throw to first to score Maddox with the tying run. Both runners moved over on the McAuliffe grounder to third but Kaline walked to reload the bases. Vicente Romo came in for Lyle and got Horton to ground back to the mound to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Ken Szotkiewicz came in to play short and Fred Lasher came in to pitch the top of the ninth as Smith walked to start. Smith swiped second but Yaz made a big out with a swinging strikeout. Scott singled in the hole at second but Smith had to stop at third. Petrocelli hit a grounder to third but Smith was thrown out at home. Tony C popped up to short to end the inning. Northrup grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the ninth and Freehan popped up to short. Maddox struck out swinging to end the inning and send the game to extras.
The Sox ran themselves into another out in the top of the tenth as Alvarado hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Moses lined out to center and Mike Derrick pinch hit for Romo. Derrick did manage a base hit to center but was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning.
Ken Brett took over for the bottom of the tenth and Szotkiewicz struck out swinging to start. Lasher went down hacking and Stanley grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox blew their final rally in the top of the eleventh as Andrews flied out to center to start. Smith was hit with a pitch and Yaz walked, but Scott banged into a double play to end the inning. The game finally ended in the bottom of the eleventh although McAuliffe struck out swinging to start. Kaline walked but Horton popped up to first. Northrup then doubled to left to score Kaline with the winning run. The Tigers walked off the Red Sox in 11 innings 3-2.
Jackass of the Night is Ken Brett. He gave up the rbi double to Northrup to lose the game.
The Good:
Reggie Smith was 1 for 3 with a walk, 2 run homer and a stolen base.
George Scott was 2 for 5.
Mike Derrick singled as a pinch hitter.
Gary Peters tossed 6 2/3 innings of 1 run ball.
Vicente Romo tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Rico Petrocelli was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jerry Moses was 0 for 4 with an error.
Ray Jarvis was charged with a run in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Mike Andrews was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 3 with with 2 strikeouts and a caught stealing but walked twice.
Tony Conigliaro was 0 for 4 but threw out a runner at home.
Luis Alvarado was just 1 for 4.
Sparky Lyle allowed an inherited runner to score in 2/3 of an inning.
Final Thoughts:
That was one of the most frustrating games of the season because the Sox had their chances all day to get some runs but either hit into a double play or ran themselves into outs. Yaz and Derrick getting thrown out trying to steal and Smith getting thrown out at home all added up to the loss. Neither Jarvis or Lyle could put away the Tigers and the error by Moses hurt big time. The breaks went the Tigers way and it ruined a great start by Peters in a game the Sox needed to win. The offense couldn't get much done with just 6 hits in 11 innings but they still could have won the game with one clutch hit here or there. The Sox can't afford to lose games like this if they have any chance of competing with Baltimore this season. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow when Bill Lee makes his first start of the season against Tigers ace Mickey Lolich. The game begins at 2:05 PM Eastern time at Tiger Stadium.
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