Too bad Jim Lonborg couldn't stay healthy, he and Sonny Siebert (3-0, 0.54 ERA) would have been a good tag team for the Boston Red Sox this season. Siebert improved to 3-0 on the season by beating the Chicago White Sox in today's game. Siebert scattered 11 hits in a complete game where he allowed just one run. George Scott set the tone with a 2 run bomb off Tommy John in the first inning and the Sox cruised to a 7-1 in at Fenway Park.
The White Sox pounced on Siebert early in the top of the first as Jay Johnstone and old pal Mike Andrews stroked back to back singles to start. Carlos May singled home Johnstone to give Chicago the lead. Bill Melton struck out swinging, Andrews got picked off and Rich McKinney flied out to right to end the inning with Chicago up 1-0.
The Red Sox clawed back in the bottom of the first against Tommy John as John Kennedy tripled into the right field corner. Reggie Smith and Carl Yastrzemski drew back to back walks to load the bases and Rico Petrocelli scored Kennedy with a sac fly. Scott then smashed a 2 run home run to give the BoSox the lead. Duane Josephson grounded out to third and Billy Conigliaro grounded out to short to end the inning with Boston ahead 3-1.
Rich Reichardt took strike three to start the top of the second but Ed Hermann and Luis Alvarado stroked back to back singles. John dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over but Johnstone flied out to left to end the inning. Doug Griffin singled to left to start the bottom of the second before moving to second on the sacrifice bunt by Siebert. Griffin moved to third on the Kennedy grounder but Smith grounded out to short to end the inning.
Andrews flied out to left to start the top of the third before May grounded out to second. Melton whiffed to end the inning. Yaz grounded out to second to start the bottom of the third before Petrocelli grounded out to third. Scott whiffed to end the inning.
McKinney flied out to center to start the top of the fourth but Reichardt singled to right. Herrmann banged into a double play to end the inning. Josephson grounded out to third to start the bottom of the fourth before Billy C did the same. Griffin lined out to center to end the inning.
Alvarado popped up a bunt to first to begin the top of the fifth but John grounded out to short. Johnstone flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox exploded in the bottom of the fifth as Siebert singled to center to start. Kennedy walked but Smith struck out swinging. Yaz doubled home Siebert to increase the lead and chase John from the game. Steve Kealey came in to pitch and Petrocelli scored Kennedy with a sac fly and Scott was intentionally walked. Josephson made the White Sox pay with a base hit to center to score Yaz. Billy C grounded out to third to end the inning with the BoSox ahead 7-1.
Andrews struck out swinging to open the top of the sixth before May grounded out to first. Melton singled to center but McKinney forced him at second to end the inning. Griffin grounded out to short to start the bottom of the sixth before Siebert lined out to left. Kennedy singled to right but Smith whiffed to end the inning.
Reichardt singled to right to start the top of the seventh but Herrmann flied out to center. Ed Stroud pinch hit for Alvarado and flied out to right before Walt Williams pinch hit for Kealey. Williams popped up to second to end the inning. Terry Forster took over on the mound with Rich Morales now playing short in the bottom of the seventh. Yaz flied out to left to start the bottom of the seventh before Petrocelli struck out swinging. Scott flied out to right to end the inning.
Johnstone tried to bunt his way on to start the top of the eighth but Siebert snuffed it out. Andrews grounded out to short but May singled to center. Melton grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Jim Magnuson came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Josephson flied out to right to start. Billy C lined out to center and Griffin grounded out to second to end the inning.
Siebert came back to finish the job in the top of the ninth and McKinney grounded out to short to start. Reichardt singled to center but Herrmann popped up to third. Morales singled to center and Lee Maye pinch hit for Magnuson. Maye took strike three to end the game. The Red Sox beat the White Sox 7-1.
Hero of the Night is Sonny Siebert. He tossed a complete game 11 hitter while allowing just 1 run.
The Good:
John Kennedy was 2 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Carl Yastrzemski was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored.
George Scott was 1 for 3 with a walk and the one hit was a 2 run home run.
The Bad:
Billy Conigliaro was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Reggie Smith was 0 for 3 but walked and scored a run.
Rico Petrocelli was 0 for 2 but drove in 2 runs.
Duane Josephson was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Doug Griffin was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
Ever since Jim Lonborg and Jose Santiago crashed down to earth in 1968, the Sox have been desperate for an ace pitcher and Siebert has stepped it up so far this season. Its early still but so far if the Sox were to go toe to toe with the Baltimore Orioles, at least Siebert would give them a chance to win. Ray Culp faltered his last two starts but Siebert has been good all season. If only Gary Peters was better or Jim Lonborg was healthy, the Sox would have a rotation that could challenge Baltimore. As it is, its Siebert, Culp and then Ulp! Scott's home run set the tone and its nice to have an easy win for once rather than coming from behind day after day. Tomorrow the Red Sox look to make it two in a row over the White Sox when Mike Nagy of Boston goes up against Bart Johnson of Chicago. The game begins at 1 PM at Fenway Park.
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