Culp got the ball in the top of the first inning and Larry Brown popped up to short to start. Ted Uhlaender struck out swinging but Tony Horton singled to left. Horton swiped second but Vada Pinson took strike three to end the inning. Chance got the ball in the bottom of the first and Dick Schofield grounded back to the mound to start. Reggie Smith singled to center but Carl Yastrzemski flied out to center. Tony Conigliaro singled Smith to third but Rico Petrocelli forced Tony at second to end the inning.
Duke Sims flied out to right to start the top of the second before Graig Nettles struck out swinging. Ray Fosse struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as George Scott grounded back to the mound to start. Mike Andrews popped up to second and Gerry Moses grounded out to third to end the inning.
Jack Heidemann singled to left to start the top of the third and Chance hit a routine grounder to Culp. Ray tried to kick the ball over to first for an error but Brown beat out a double play ball. Uhlaender popped up to first and Horton forced Brown at second to end the inning. Culp grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the third before Schofield was plunked. Smith doubled to right and Yaz was intentionally walked to load the bases. Tony C banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Indians struck first in the top of the fourth as Pinson singled to right to begin. Sims flied out to right but Nettles singled to center. Culp had Pinson picked off second but he airmailed the throw, allowing Pinson to score and Nettles made it all the way to third. Fosse then dropped down a suicide squeeze to score Nettles to increase the lead. Heidemann grounded out to first to end the inning with the Indians up 2-0.
Petrocelli tried to start a rally with a base hit to left to start the bottom of the fourth but Scott struck out swinging. Andrews banged into a double play to end the inning.
Culp froze Chance for strike three to start the top of the fifth and Brown grounded out to third. Uhlaender popped up to third to end the inning. Chance matched Culp in the bottom of the fifth as Moses flied out to left to start. Culp grounded out to third and Schofield struck out swinging to end the inning.
Horton grounded out to third to open the top of the sixth but Pinson singled to center. Sims struck out swinging and Nettles grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the sixth as Smith lined out to center to start. Yaz doubled to right and Tony C whalloped his eighth home run of the season to tie the game. Petrocelli and Scott both grounded out to short to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Foss struck out swinging to start the top of the seventh before Heidemann walked, Russ Nagelson pinch hit for Chance but struck out swinging before Brown flied out to left to end the inning. Dennis Higgins came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Andrews was plunked to start. Andrews was thrown out trying to steal second and Moses grounded out to third. Culp took strike three to end the inning.
Uhlaender walked to start the top of the eighth but Horton hit into a double play. Pinson flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox took command in the bottom of the eighth as Schofield walked to start. Smith walked as well and Yaz pulverized a 3 run home run to give the Sox the lead. Tony C grounded out to first but Petrocelli smashed his fifth home run of the season to ice the game. Scott grounded back to the mound but Andrews walked. Moses was intentionally walked to get to Culp and Ray hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-2.
Culp returned to finish the job in the top of the ninth and Sims flied out to center to start. Nettles flied out to left and Fosse also flied out to left to end the game. The Sox had snapped their losing streak with a 6-2 win.
The Good:
Reggie Smith was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Carl Yastrzemski was 2 for 3 with a walk, 3 run homer and 2 total runs scored.
Tony Conigliaro was 2 for 4 with a 2 run homer.
Rico Petrocelli was 2 for 4 with a home run.
The Bad:
George Scott was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Dick Schofield was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Mike Andrews was 0 for 2 but walked.
Gerry Moses was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
Thank god the Sox finally won a game. Its a shame the Sox fell flat on their face after the April they had but the pitching just isn't that good. If Jim Lonborg could rediscover his 1967 self and Mike Nagy developed into the ace everyone thought he would, they'd be right there with the Baltimore Orioles this season. A rotation of ace Lonborg, Sonny Siebert, Culp and Nagy all doing well could put them with Baltimore but it doesn't look like it'll happen. It was a good win today with the offense producing but down the road offense can only do so much without pitching. Still, a win is a win even if its over the worthless Cleveland Indians. The win improved the Sox to 15-17, 8.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox now welcome the Detroit Tigers to Fenway for a set. Mike Nagy goes for the Sox up against Joe Niekro of the Tigers tomorrow night at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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