Well that was completely unexpected. What should have been a matchup of aces between the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers turned into a slugfest. Tigers ace Mickey Lolich failed to make it out of the second inning while Sox ace Ray Culp was knocked out in the seventh. The Sox did have a 9-6 lead but the Tigers tied it in the seventh and won the game in the bottom of the tenth with a rally off Ken Tatum (0-2, 5.79 ERA). In what should have been a pitcher's duel, the Tigers outmuscled the Sox 10-9 at Tiger Stadium.
The Sox wasted no time against Lolich in the top of the first as Luis Aparicio popped up to second to start. Reggie Smith got the party started with a double and Carl Yastrzemski singled him home. Rico Petrocelli singled to center and Jim Northrup booted the ball allowing Yaz to come around to score, Rico advancing to third. George Scott singled home Petrocelli and Duane Josephson walked. In what turned out to be a big play, Billy Conigliaro banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
The Tigers answered against Culp in the bottom of the first as Dick McAuliffe walked to start. Dick was doubled off first on the liner to third by Al Kaline, but Ray Culp threw a grounder by Northrup into the bleachers for a 3 bag error. Norm Cash singled home Northrup but Willie Horton grounded into a force to end the inning with the Tigers down 3-1.
The Sox finished off Lolich in the top of the second as Doug Griffin doubled to left to start. Culp dropped down a bunt to advance Griffin to third and Aparicio singled him home. Smith singled Aparicio to third and Tigers manager Billy Martin had seen enough, pulling Lolich after just 4 outs. Fred Scherman came in and Yaz greeted him with a base hit to right to score Aparicio. Petrocelli beat out an infield hit to third to score Smith and chase Scherman. Daryl Patterson came in and Scott singled Yaz home but got caught in a rundown. For some reason Petrocelli tried for home and was thrown out to kill the rally. A wild pitch moved Scott to second but Josephson struck out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-1.
Aurelio Rodriguez grounded out to second to start the bottom of the second before Bill Freehan beat out an infield single to third. Ed Brinkman forced Freehan at second and Kevin Collins pinch hit for Patterson. Collins popped up to first to end the inning.
Dave Boswell came in to pitch the top of the third and Billy C walked to start. Griffin flied out to left and Culp took strike three. Aparicio flied out to left to end the inning. The Tigers roared back in the bottom of the third as McAuliffe singled to start. Kaline walked and Northrup singled home McAuliffe. Cash walked and Horton pounded a grand slam to Neptune to cut the lead just like that. Rodriguez popped up to left in foul territory, Freehan lined out to center and Brinkman struck out to end the inning with the Tigers down 7-6.
The Sox tried to fight back when Smith walked to start the top of the fourth. Yaz moved Reggie to second on a grounder and Petrocelli walked to chase Boswell. Jim Hannan came in and Scott singled home Smith to increase the lead. Josephson walked but Billy C hit into another double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-6.
Hannan was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to start the bottom of the fourth before McAuliffe popped up to first in foul territory. Kaline grounded out to short to end the inning.
Griffin singled to left to start the top of the fifth and Culp moved him to second with a bunt. Aparicio flied out to left and Smith grounded out to second to end the inning. Culp got in trouble in the bottom of the fifth although Northrup popped up to third to start. Cash grounded out to first but Horton singled to left. Rodriguez and Freehan both walked to load the bases but Brinkman took strike three to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the sixth when Yaz walked to start. Petrocelli took strike three but Scott reached on an error by Rodriguez. Josephson singled home Yaz to increase the lead. Billy C hit into his third double play of the game to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-6.
George Thomas made his season debut in the bottom of the sixth when he came in for Yaz to start. Old friend Dalton Jones pinch hit for Hannan and was retired on a nubber in front of the plate. McAuliffe and Kaline both flied out to center to end the inning.
Tom Timmermann came in for the top of the seventh and plunked Griffin to start. Culp sacrificed Griffin to second with a bunt but Aparicio grounded out to third. Smith was intentionally walked and the gamble worked as Thomas struck out to end the inning. The wheels fell off for Culp as Northrup and Cash crushed back to back home runs to chase him from the game. He didn't have his best stuff as he got tagged for 8 runs in just 6 innings. Bobby Bolin came in and Horton crushed his second home run of the game to tie it up. Rodriguez hit one up the elevator shaft, Freehan grounded out to short and Brinkman grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The three homers in a row tied the game 9-9.
Petrocelli walked to start the top of the eighth but Scott struck out. Joe Lahoud pinch hit for Josephson and flied out to right Billy C lined out to second to end the inning. Don Pavletich took over behind the plate for the bottom of the eighth and Timmermann popped up to first to start. McAuliffe popped up to short and Kaline struck out to end the inning.
Griffin grounded out to short to start the top of the ninth and Mike Fiore pinch hit for Bolin. Fiore reached on an error by Cash and Aparicio walked, but Smith banged into a double play to end the inning. Bill Lee came in for the bottom of the ninth and Northrup grounded out to first to start. Cash singled to to center and Cesar Gutierrez ran for him. Horton singled Gutierrez to third to chase Lee. Ken Tatum came in and Rodriguez was intentionally walked to load the bases. Gates Brown pinch hit for Freehan and Gutierrez was thrown out at home on the force. Brinkman flied out to center to end the inning.
Mickey Stanley took over in center with Jim Price in for Brown to start the top of the tenth. Thomas grounded out to short, Petrocelli flied out to left and Scott grounded out to short to end the inning. Timmermann himself started the final rally with a walk to start the bottom of the tenth. McAullife popped up a bunt but Petrocelli tried to double off Timmermann and ended up throwing the ball into Lake Eerie to advance the pitcher to third. Kaline and Northrup were intentionally walked to load the bases but Stanley popped up to second. Who else but Horton singled home Timmermann to win the game for the Tigers? The Tigers had walked off the Sox 10-9.
Jackass of the Night is Ken Tatum. He allowed the winning run to score in the bottom of the tenth by walking the relief pitcher to start the inning.
The Good:
Reggie Smith was 2 for 4 with 2 walks and 3 runs scored.
Carl Yastrzemski was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 rbis and 3 runs scored.
Rico Petrocelli was 2 for 4 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored.
George Scott was 3 for 6 with 3 rbis.
Duane Josephson was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and an rbi.
Doug Griffin was 2 for 4 with a hit by pitch and a run scored.
The Bad:
George Thomas was 0 for 2 at the plate.
Joe Lahoud was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Mike Fiore was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Ray Culp was lit up for 8 runs in just 6 innings of work.
Bill Lee gave up hits to two of the three men he faced.
The Ugly:
Luis Aparicio was just 1 for 5 but walked, drove in a run and scored.
Billy Conigliaro was 0 for 4 but walked.
Bobby Bolin allowed the tying home run in 2 innings of work.
Honorable Mention:
Don Pavletich caught the final inning.
Final Thoughts:
If blowing a 5 run lead to the Washington Senators wasn't bad enough, how do you lose a game where you knock Mickey Lolich out in the second inning and lead 7-1? The Sox pitching has been Jekyll and Hyde this season and Hyde showed up today. Culp didn't have his best stuff but good golly is that bullpen BAD. The trio of Bobby Bolin, Ken Tatum and Ken Brett hasn't shown much at all even though Brett didn't pitch in this one. Billy C's double play in the first and Petrocelli running into an out in the second ended up being big rally killers that ended up costing the Sox. In essence the Sox were beaten by two men, Willie Horton and Tom Timmermann. Timmermann tossed 4 shutout innings and started the winning rally with a walk and Horton was hitting home runs all game. Its only April but the Sox can't afford to get off to a bad start with the Baltimore Orioles being as good as they are. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow when they send Sonny Siebert (1-0) to the mound up against former Minnesota Twins ace Dean Chance of the Tigers. The game begins at 2:00 PM at Tiger Stadium.
No comments:
Post a Comment