As this disappointing season winds to a close, at least the Sox gave their fans a great win they can build on for next year. Jim Lonborg tossed a ten inning complete game while allowing just 2 runs to earn his 9th win of the season. The Sox took a 2-0 lead on the Detroit Tigers due to a George Scott two run single. The Tigers fought back to tie the game in the top of the ninth, but Luis Aparicio drove home rookie Cecil Cooper in the bottom of the tenth to win it for the Sox. The Sox may be a mile behind the Baltimore Orioles, but for one day they sent their fans home happy with a 3-2 win over the Tigers at Fenway Park.
Longborg got the ball in the top of the first and Dick McAuliffe grounded out to first to start. Auerlio Rodriguez struck out and Gates Brown grounded out to second to end the inning. Tom Timmermann got the start for Detroit and Doug Griffin popped up to second to start. Luis Aparicio grounded out to third and Carl Yastrzemski hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
Al Kaline popped up to short to start the top of the second before Bill Freehan flied out to right. Jim Northrup flied out to center to end the inning. Reggie Smith lined out to right to start the bottom of the second before Rico Petrocelli singled to center. George Scott struck out and Joe Lahoud grounded out to second to end the inning.
Mickey Stanley grounded out to short to begin the top of the third before Ed Brinkman grounded out to second, Timmermann struck out to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the third as Duane Josephson lined out to center to start. Lonborg, Griffin and Aparacio all singled to load the bases but Yaz banged into a double play to end the inning.
Lonborg cruised in the top of the fourth as McAuliffe lined out to right to start. Rodriguez popped up to left and Brown popped up to first to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fourth as Smith grounded out to second to start. Petrocelli and Scott both grounded out to third to end the inning.
Kaline hit one up the elevator shaft to begin the top of the fifth but Freehan singled to center. Northrup walked but Stanley banged into a double play to end the inning. Lahoud took strike three to begin the bottom of the fifth before Josephson flied out to center. Lonborg reached on an error by McAuliffe but Griffin grounded into a force to end the inning.
Brinkman popped up to second to open the top of the sixth before Timmermann struck out. McAuliffe flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the sixth although Aparicio grounded out to first to start. Yaz singled to right but Smith struck out. Petrocelli doubled Yaz to third and Scott singled home both runners to give the Sox the lead. Lahoud popped up to second to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 2-0.
Rodriguez singled to left to start the top of the seventh but Brown struck out. Kaline singled to left and Freehan walked to load the bases but Northrup struck out. Stanley flied out to left to end the inning. Josephson flied out to right to begin the bottom of the seventh but Lonborg singled to center. Griffin popped up to second and Aparicio grounded out to first to end the inning.
Brinkman walked to start the top of the eighth and old friend Dalton Jones pinch hit for Timmermann, getting a base hit to right. Cesar Gutierrez pinch ran for Jones but he was forced at second on the McAuliffe grounder. Rodriguez popped up to first and Brown popped up to second to end the inning. Fred Scherman came in for the bottom of the eighth and Yaz grounded out to short to start. Smith struck out and Petrocelli popped up to second to end the inning.
The Tigers rallied in the top of the ninth although Kaline grounded out to third to start. Freehan and Northrup stroked back to back singles but Stanley beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Kevin Collins pinch hit for Brinkman and singled home Freehan to cut the lead. Tont Taylor pinch hit for Scherman and singled home Stanley to tie the game. McAuliffe flied out to right to end the inning but the Tigers had tied it 2-2.
Jack Whillock took over on the mound for the bottom of the ninth and Scott grounded out to short to start. Lahoud took strike three and Josephson flied out to center to end the inning.
Lonborg returned for the top of the tenth and allowed a double to left by Rodriguez to start. Brown flied out to left, Kaline struck out and Freehan popped up to Jim to end the inning. Rookie Cecil Cooper pinch hit for Lonborg and got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the tenth. Griffin dropped down a bunt to advance Cooper to second and Aparicio dropped a base hit to center. Cooper made a mad dash home...SAFE! THE RED SOX WIN!!!!
The Good:
Luis Aparicio was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Rico Petrocelli was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Jim Lonborg tossed a complete game allowing just 2 runs to earn the win. He was also 2 for 3 at the plate as well.
The Bad:
Reggie Smith was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Joe Lahoud was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Duane Josephson was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Doug Griffin was just 1 for 4.
Carl Yastrzemski was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
George Scott was just 1 for 4 but the one hit drove in 2 runs.
Final Thoughts:
If Lonborg had pitched like that all season and stayed healthy, once again they could have possibly competed with the Orioles. Too bad he saved that kind of performance at the end of the year when all the pressure was off. Two years in a row the Sox were a mile behind Baltimore when better pitching would have been the difference. It was a good win and good to see Cooper contributing 2 weeks after his MLB debut. The Sox will go into this off-season once again in a mad scramble to do anything to get on the same level as the Orioles, but who knows what will happen. The win improved the Sox to 81-74, 14.5 games behind the Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it 2 in a row against the Tigers when they send rookie Mike Garman (0-0, 6.54 ERA) to the mound up against Detroit ace Mickey Lolich at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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