Another day, another loss for the Boston Red Sox and Marty Pattin (1-3, 8.85 ERA). Pattin got lit up for five runs and got knocked out in the third inning. John Curtis held the Twins to 1 run in relief but the Boston bats couldn't do enough damage against Twins starter Dick Woodson. The Sox rallied against Dave Goltz but couldn't deliver the knockout punch. Bobby Bolin allowed yet another rub and a Dwight Evans rbi single wasn't enough as the Twins beat the Red Sox 6-4 at Fenway Park.
Pattin got the ball in the top of the first inning and Larry Hisle grounded out to first to start. Rod Carew singled to left but Harmon Killebrew forced him at second. Tony Oliva popped up to second to end the inning. Woodson got the ball in the bottom of the first and Doug Griffin lined one off of Hisle but the ball went to Danny Thompson who threw to Killebrew for the out. Luis Aparicio singled to right and moved to second when Carl Yastrzemski grounded out to first. Smith flied out to right to end the inning.
Bobby Darwin grounded out to second to start the top of the second but Steve Braun walked. Thompson singled to left but Phil Roof took strike three. Jim Holt forced Thompson at second to end the inning. Orlando Cepeda hit one up the elevator shaft to start the bottom of the second before Rico Petrocelli grounded out to third. Carlton Fisk flied out to center to end the inning.
The Twins exploded in the top of the third with John Kennedy taking over for the injured Petrocelli as Hisle led off with a home run all the way to Pluto to start. Carew walked but Killlebrew hit one up the elevator shaft. Olivia singled to center and Darwin got a base hit to left to score Carew. Braun singled to right to score Oliva and Thompson got a base hit to right to score Darwin. That was it for Pattin who lasted just 2 1/3 innings and was charged with five runs. John Curtis came in and Roof scored Braun with a grounder to second to increase the lead. Holt beat out a roller to first to move Thompson to third but Hisle struck out swinging to end the inning with the Twins up 5-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the third as Ben Oglivie grounded out to first to start. Dwight Evans flied out to right and Griffin struck out swinging to end the inning.
Carew struck out swinging to start the top of the fourth but Killebrew worked a walk. Oliva struck out swinging and Darwin forced Killebrew at second to end the inning. Aparicio grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fourth and Yaz lined out to center. Smith popped up to third in foul territory to end the inning.
Braun singled to center to start the top of the fifth but Thompson popped up to second. Roof banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the fifth as Cepeda singled in the hole at second to start. Kennedy struck out swinging but Fisk doubled to center. Oglivie walked to load the bases and Evans walked home Cepeda to cut the lead. Griffin hit a sac fly to right to score Fisk and the runners moved up on the error at home by Roof. Aparicio grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox down 5-2.
Holt grounded out to second to start the top of the sixth but Hisle singled to left. Carew singled to center but Killebrew hit into a double play to end the inning. Dave Goltz took over for the bottom of the sixth and Yaz grounded out to first to start. Smith grounded out to short but Cepeda got a base hit to left. Kennedy lined out to second to end the inning.
Oliva grounded out to short to start the top of the seventh but Darwin lined out to left. Braun grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox got a run back in the bottom of the seventh as Fisk was hit with a pitch to start. Oglivie doubled to center but Evans grounded back to the mound. Griffin dropped down a safety squeeze bunt that scored Fisk and put runners at the corners. Unfortunately Aparicio lined a ball back to Goltz who threw Oglivie out at home. Ken Sanders came in to pitch and Yaz walked to load the bases, but Smith grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox down 5-3.
The Twins iced the game in the top of the eighth as Thompson walked to start. Roof flied out to center but Holt walked to chase Curtis. Bobby Bolin came in and got Hisle to pop up to first, but Carew walked to load the bases. Despite hitting .170 on the season, Kilebrew got a base hit to left to score Thompson to increase the lead. That was it for Bolin as Bob Veale came in to get Oliva to pop up to first to end the inning with the Twins ahead 6-3.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the eighth as Cepeda flied out to center to start. Kennedy took strike three and Fisk struck out swinging to end the inning.
Darwin lined out to center to open the top of the ninth but Braun got a base hit to right. Thompson banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox did try to rally in the bottom of the ninth when Oglivie doubled off the Monster to start. Evans ripped a base hit to center to score Ben and bring the tying run to the plate. Griffin took strike three and Aparicio flied out to right, but Yaz doubled to left to keep the inning alive. With the game on the line....Smith popped up to second to end the game. The Twins had won it 6-4.
Jackass of the Night is Marty Pattin. He got knocked out in the third inning after being charged with 5 runs to put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of.
The Good:
Orlando Cepeda was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Carlton Fisk was 1 for 3 with a hit by pitch and 2 runs scored.
Ben Oglivie was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Dwight Evans was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Bob Veale tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Reggie Smith was 0 for 5.
Rico Petrocelli was 0 for 1 before leaving the game.
John Kennedy was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Doug Griffin was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but drove in 2 runs.
Luis Aparicio was just 1 for 5.
Carl Yastrzemski was just 1 for 4 but walked.
John Curtis allowed an inherited runner to score and one of his own in 5 innings.
Bobby Bolin allowed an inherited runner to score in 1/3 of an inning.
Final Thoughts:
That game was a kick in the pants, especially the end. The Sox did all that work to get back in the game only for Bolin to give up that sixth run. If it was a two run game in the ninth, there's no doubt Griffin would have bunted Evans to second if that's how things played out. Its a shame because the Sox showed heart to rally after being down 5-0 but it just wasn't enough. That's three bad games this month for Pattin and he better start improving or the Sox are going to be in trouble. The offense was pretty much held in check apart from some spurts here and there but those are the breaks. The Sox still need to address the bullpen since every one they put in there gives up runs. Trading Sparky Lyle looks pretty foolish right about now considering Danny Cater's regression and the bullpen woes. Its only April so the Sox have plenty of time to right the ship. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow night against the Twins when Lynn McGlothen takes the ball against Bill Hands of Minnesota. The game begins at 7:35 PM at Fenway Park.
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