The Yankees wasted no time getting to Culp in the top of the first inning as Horace Clarke hit a roller up the middle to begin. Thurman Munson popped up a bunt to rookie catcher Carlton Fisk and Bobby Murcer popped up to second. Clarke stole second, Roy White walked and Ron Blomberg singled to center to score Clarke. Johnny Callison grounded out to first to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 1-0.
Mel Stottlemyre got the ball in the bottom of the first and Tommy Harper led off with a walk.....only to be doubled off first on a line drive to short by Luis Aparicio. Carl Yastrzemski grounded out to second to end the inning.
Rick McKinney singled to left to open the top of the second and moved to second on the long fly out to right by Gene Michael. Stottlemyre grounded out to short and Clarke flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second as Reggie Smith slashed a base hit to center to start. Smith took off for second and Munson airmailed the throw, Smith taking third on the error. Rico Petrocelli hit a routine grounder to McKinney who booted it, putting runners at the corners. Danny Cater tied the game with a sac fly to right to score Smith and Doug Griffin ripped a base hit to center. Griffin got caught in a rundown but not before Petrocelli came around to score. Carlton Fisk made his season debut by flying out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Culp got in trouble in the top of the third when he walked both Munson and Murcer to start. Culp struck out White swinging but both runners moved over on the fly ball to right by Blomberg. Callison popped up to third to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the third as Culp walked to start. Harper singled to center and Aparicio singled to right to load the bases with nobody out. Yaz grounded out to second but Culp scored to increase the lead. Smith was intentionally walked to set up a double play and Petrocelli hit a pop up to Murcer....WHO DROPPED IT! Harper scored but Aparicio was forced at third because he had to stay at second to see if the ball was caught. Cater grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1.
Culp settled down in the top of the fourth as McKinney grounded out to third to start. Michael grounded out to first and Stottlemyre struck out swinging to end the inning. Griffin singled to left to begin the bottom of the fourth but Fisk banged into a double play. Culp grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Yankees struck back in the top of the fifth as Clarke lined out to center to start. Munson singled to left and took second on a balk before Murcer hit a two run homer all the way to Bangladesh to cut the lead. White flied out to center but Blomberg singled in the hole at short. Callison walked but McKinney watched strike three go by to end the inning with the Yankees down 4-3.
Murcer hits one out
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fifth as Harper grounded out to short to start. Aparicio doubled to right but Yaz grounded back to the mound. Smith grounded out to second to end the inning.
Culp returned for one final inning in the top of the sixth and Michael walked to start. Stottlemyre dropped down a bunt to move Michael to second and Clarke also walked. Munson banged into a double play to end the inning and that was it for Culp. He lasted 6 innings and allowed 3 runs to put the Sox on position to win.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Petrocelli grounded out to third to start. Cater's bunt attempt to third was snuffed out and Griffin flied out to center to end the inning.
Bill Lee took over on the mound for the top of the seventh inning and Murcer singled to center to begin. White popped up to first and Felipe Alou pinch hit for Blomberg only to strike out swinging. Callison flied out to center to end the inning. Fisk got his first hit of the season when he tripled to the centerfield triangle to start the bottom of the seventh. Lee grounded out to second but Harper ripped a base hit to left to score Fisk for a big insurance run. Aparicio singled Harper to third but Tommy got picked off immediately after. Yaz lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-3.
Sox manager Eddie Kasko benched Harper after getting picked off and Rick Miller came in to play center for the top of the eighth. McKinney grounded out to third and 1969 World Series hero Ron Swoboda pinch hit for Michael, doubling to left. John Ellis pinch hit for Stottlemyre and singled home Swoboda to cut the lead. Jerry Kenney pinch ran for Ellis but Munson grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 5-4.
Swoboda brings the Yankees closer
Lindy McDaniel took over on the mound for the bottom of the eighth and the Sox played keystone kops on the bases. Smith singled and took off for second, once again Munson threw the ball away to move Smith to third on the error. Petrocelli took strike three and Cater hit a grounder to short. Smith managed to get himself thrown out in a rundown....and Cater also managed to get thrown out in a rundown to end the inning.
Lee returned for the top of the ninth and snuffed out Murcer's bunt attempt to start. White lined out to center and Alou hit a routine grounder to Petrocelli who threw himself on the ball and curled up like it was a grenade for an error. Callison struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-4.
Hero of the Night is Reggie Smith. He was 2 for 3 with a walk, run scored and 2 stolen bases.
The Good:
Tommy Harper was 2 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Luis Aparicio was 3 for 4.
Doug Griffin was 2 for 3 with an rbi.
Carlton Fisk was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Ray Culp tossed 6 solid innings to earn the win, allowing just 3 runs. He also walked and scored a run at the plate.
Bill Lee earned the save by allowing just 1 run in 3 innings.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.
Rico Petrocelli was 0 for 3 with a strikeout and an error but drove in a run and scored a run.
Danny Cater was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Honorable Mention:
Rick Miller played center in the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
THAT'S what the Sox have been looking for in terms of offense. Tommy Harper and Luis Aparicio getting on base and setting the stage for the big hitters. The speed of Harper and Smith can be weapons for Eddie Kasko to use on cold days where balls aren't really traveling. Still, Smith and Cater getting caught in rundowns and Harper getting picked off is the flip side to that. Still, the positives outweigh the negatives and the 5 runs the Sox scratched out were the result of the team speed. Hopefully the Sox can ride the momentum to get the offense going for the rest of April and beyond. Culp was good but not great, thankfully Lee was good enough to save the game. With Sparky Lyle now on the Yankees, the Sox need to rely on Lee to carry the load. A win is a win and hopefully more are on the way. The Sox look to make it two in a row over the Yankees tomorrow afternoon when Sonny Siebert (1-0) takes on Fritz Peterson of the Yankees at 2:05 PM at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment