Another day, another loss for the Boston Red Sox. Their struggling offense once again couldn't get untracked against the Minnesota Twins. Ray Culp (1-2, 3.05 ERA) did the best he could, holding the Twins to just 3 runs in 7 innings while helping his own cause by driving in a run. The problem was that was the only run driven in by the Sox as the rest of the team was shutout by Dick Woodson of the Twins. Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew drove in the big runs Minnesota needed and Dave LaRoche slammed the door on the bumbling Sox. It all added up to a 3-1 victory over the Red Sox at Metropolitan Stadium.
Woodson got the ball in the top of the first and Tommy Harper took strike three to start. Luis Aparicio grounded out to short but Carl Yastrzemski walked. Reggie Smith flied out to left to end the inning. The Twins immediately got to Culp in the bottom of the first as Cesar Tovar led off with a routine grounder to third. Petrocelli threw his glove at the ball and screamed at it for an error and Tovar was sacrificed to second on the bunt by Danny Thompson. Rod Carew grounded out to first to move Tovar to third and Cesar scored on the base hit to left by Harmon Killebrew. Bobby Darwin struck out swinging to end the inning but the Twins led 1-0.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second as Rico Petrocelli popped up to first to begin. Danny Cater grounded out to second and Doug Griffin flied out to right to end the inning. Steve Braun singled to right to start the bottom of the second but Carlton Fisk gunned him down at second trying to steal. Steve Brye struck out swinging but Rick Dempsey walked. Woodson lined out to left to end the inning.
Fisk got a base hit to start the top of the third but Culp struck out swinging. Fisk moved to second on the ground out by Harper and to third on a balk, but Aparicio flied out to right to end the inning. The Twins poured it on in the bottom of the third as Tovar hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Thompson doubled to left and Carew lined a base hit to left. Thompson came all the way around to score and Carew took second on the throw, but Killebrew flied out to left. Darwin singled Carew to third and Rod scored on the base hit to center by Braun. Bryce forced Braun at second to end the inning but it was now 3-0 Twins.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth as Yaz struck out swinging to start. Smith grounded out to first and Petrocelli flied out to right to end the inning. Culp settled down in the bottom of the fourth as Dempsey popped up to first to start. Woodson struck out swinging and Tovar grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox finally got on the board in the top of the fifth although Cater lined out to left to start. Griffin flied out to right but Fisk doubled to left. Culp aided his own cause with a base hit to right to score Fisk to cut the lead. Harper lined out to right to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
Culp deserved better
Jackass of the Night is Reggie Smith. He was 0 for 4 including the big strikeout with the bases loaded in the eighth inning.
Nice strikeout Jackass
Fisk scores a run
Culp cruised in the bottom of the fifth as Thompson grounded out to short to start. Carew and Killebrew both struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the sixth as Aparicio flied out to center to start. Yaz grounded out to second and Smith grounded out to short to end the inning. Darwin struck out swinging to open the bottom of the sixth but Braun singled to right. Brye forced Braun at second before he stole second base. Dempsey lined out to center to end the inning.
The Sox tried to rally when Petrocelli singled to left to start the top of the seventh but Cater banged into a double play. Griffin tried to bunt his way on but Woodson snuffed it out to end the inning. Culp stayed tough in the bottom of the seventh as Woodson took strike three to start. Tovar grounded out to short and Thompson flied out to right to end the inning. Culp got hit around early but came back to toss 7 innings while allowing 3 runs. Normally that would be good enough to win.
The Sox blew their last chance to rally in the top of the eighth as Fisk reached on an error by Thompson to start. Ben Oglivie pinch hit for Culp but forced Fisk at second. Harper forced Oglivie at second but Aparicio doubled to left to chase Woodson. Dave LaRoche came in to pitch and Yaz got plunked to load the bases. With the game on the line....Smith struck out swinging to end the inning. Ken Tatum came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Carew lined out to left to start. Killebrew popped up to first and Darwin popped up to short to end the inning. Rich Reese took over at first for Killebrew to start the bottom of the ninth as Petrocelli led off with a lineout to right. Cater lined out to left but Griffin got a base hit to left to bring the tying run to the plate. Fisk struck out swinging to end the game. The Twins had won it 3-1.
The Good:
Carlton Fisk was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the Good list but Ray Culp did very well. He went 7 innings and allowed just 2 earned runs (with one unearned). He also was 1 for 2 at the plate and drove in the only run for Boston.
Ken Tatum pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Tommy Harper was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Danny Cater was 0 for 4.
Ben Oglivie was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Luis Aparicio was just 1 for 4.
Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked and was hit with a pitch.
Rico Petrocelli was just 1 for 4 with an error.
Doug Griffin was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
This team is the absolute pits right now. After getting shelled yesterday, the pitching stepped up to hold the Twins to just 3 runs. Unfortunately the bats the got shut out yesterday managed to score just a single run today. The Twins pitching is good but its not THAT good. The Sox offense should be their bread and butter but has done absolutely nothing through the first 8 games. Harper, Petrocelli, Yaz and Cater have been almost automatic outs and Smith hasn't been much better. Apart from the rookie Fisk, nobody looks good offensively to start the year. Its still early but the Sox can't afford to lose many of these games with 7 games wiped off the schedule and Baltimore struggling as well. Culp did enough to win but the bats couldn't generate any offense for him. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox continue their road trip for a set with Ted Williams and the Texas Rangers starting Friday. Sonny Siebert gets the ball for the Sox against Pete Broberg of Texas. The game begins at 8:30 PM Eastern time at Arlington Stadium.
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