Culp took the ball in the top of the first inning and Buddy Bradford struck out swinging to start. Vada Pinson flied out to right but Ray Fosse walked and took second on a passed ball. Graig Nettles flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the first against Indians starter Steve Hargan as John Kennedy grounded out to third to start. Reggie Smith walked then took second and third on wild pitches. Carl Yastrzemski singled home Smith to give the Sox the lead. Rico Petrocelli flied out to right but George Scott singled to center. Duane Josephson popped up to first to end the inning with Boston ahead 1-0.
Ken "Hawk" Harrelson struck out swinging to open the top of the second before Roy Foster went down hacking as well. John Lowenstein grounded out to first to end the inning. Billy Conigliaro tried to bunt his way on to start the bottom of the second but was snuffed out by Nettles. Doug Griffin grounded out to third and Culp popped up to second to end the inning.
The Indians attacked in the top of the third as Larry Brown caught Petrocelli asleep with a bunt single to start. Hargan popped up a bunt back to Culp but Bradford doubled Brown to third. Pinson doubled home both runners to give the Indians the lead and Fosse doubled home Pinson. Nettles then hit a home run all the way to the Azores to chase Culp from the game. After spending most of April leaving his starters in too long, now Sox manager Eddie Kasko was pulling them early. Culp was done after 2 1/3 innings and 5 runs allowed, not good. Cal Koonce came in and Harrelson grounded back to the mound before Foster lined out to third to end the inning. The Indians had knocked out Culp and led 5-1.
The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the third although Kennedy flied out to right to start. Smith grounded out to first but Yaz smashed his 3rd home run of the season to cut the lead. Petrocelli walked but Scott grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox down 5-2.
The Indians took advantage of shoddy defense to score another run in the top of the fourth. Lowenstein beat out an infield single then swiped second base. Petrocelli booted a ground ball by Brown for an error and Lowenstein scored on a double play hit by Hargan. Bradford grounded out to short to end the inning but it was 6-2 Indians.
The Sox tried to rally when Josephson and Billy C stroked back to back singles to start the bottom of the fourth. Chuck Machemehl replaced Hargan and Griffin flied out to center. Gary Peters the pitcher pinch hit for Koonce and lined out to center. Kennedy grounded into a force to end the inning.
Bill Lee took over on the mound in the top of the fifth and he got smacked too. Pinson lined out to left but Fosse tripled to right. Nettles popped up to first but Harrelson singled home Fosse to increase the lead. Foster lined out to right to end the inning but it was 7-2 Indians.
The Sox stormed back in the bottom of the fifth as Smith walked to start. Yaz singled to right and Petrocelli singled home Smith. Scott flied out to right and Josephson popped up to first, but Billy C crushed a 3 run bomb to cut the lead. Griffin grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox down 7-6.
Lee returned for the top of the sixth and Lowenstein grounded out to second to start. Brown grounded back to the mound and Machemehl struck out to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the sixth as Mike Fiore pinch hit for Lee only to pop up to third. Kennedy doubled to left and Smith singled him home to tie the game and chase Machemehl. "Rock Hard" Rick Austin came in just to walk Yaz before Vince Colbert came in to freeze Petrocelli for strike three. Scott grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the game tied 7-7.
Sparky Lyle came in to pitch the top of the seventh inning and Bradford walked to start. Pinson struck out swinging and Fosse forced Bradford at second. Nettles popped up to third to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the seventh as Josephson popped up to first in foul territory to start. Billy C walked but Griffin banged into a double play to end the inning.
Harrelson flied out to center to start the top of the eighth but Foster singled to left. Foster was forced at second by Lowenstein and Brown struck out to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the eighth as Joe Lahoud pinch hit for Lyle, drawing a walk. Kennedy bunted Lahoud to second but Smith grounded back to the mound. Yaz put the Sox on top with an rbi doubled to left and Petrocelli singled him in for the insurance run. Scott singled to left but Josephson grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-7.
Bobby Bolin came in to close out the top of the ninth and Ted Uhlaender pinch hit for Colbert to start. Uhlaender flied out to left and Gomer Hodge pinch hit for Braford, drawing a walk. Hodge moved to second on the Pinson grounder and Fosse popped up to first to end the game. The Sox had rallied to win it 9-7.
Hero of the Night is Carl Yastrzmeski. He homered early and drove in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.
The Good:
Reggie Smith was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored.
Rico Petrocelli was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 rbis and a run scored.
George Scott was 2 for 5.
Billy Conigliaro was 2 for 3 with a walk and a 3 run home run.
Joe Lahoud walked and scored a run as a pinch hitter.
Sparky Lyle got the win by pitching 2 shutout innings.
Bobby Bolin earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Doug Griffin was 0 for 4.
Gary Peters was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Mike Fiore was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Ray Culp was knocked out in the third inning after allowing 5 runs in 2 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
John Kennedy was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Duane Josephson was just 1 for 5.
Cal Koonce allowed an unearned run in 1 2/3 innings.
Bill Lee allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
Its a nice win but the Sox really need to stop falling behind in almost every game they've played this season. Ray Culp is supposed to be one of their best pitchers but he didn't pitch like it today. Luckily the offense was up to the task today and the home run by Billy Conigliaro was huge. Its about time Bolin pitched well and Lyle had a good game as well. Not much to complain about other than Griffin hitting a pathetic .167 to start the season. They couldn't have traded Tony Conigliaro for a better second baseman? Either way its a win and every one of them counts. After an off-day tomorrow the Red Sox welcome the Chicago White Sox to Fenway on Friday afternoon. Sonny Siebert (2-0) takes on Tommy John of the White Sox at 1 PM at Fenway Park.
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