It was an amazing day for Boston sports. The Boston Bruins won Game 2 of their NHL Semifinal series, the Boston Celtics defeated the New York Knicks in Game 4 of their NBA East Final series and the Boston Red Sox pulled off an amazing comeback to sweep the Cleveland Indians. Bill Lee surrendered a 2 run home run in the top of the third inning and ended up trailing 5-1 going into the bottom of the ninth. Things looked bleak after a Carl Yastrzemski sac fly brought the Sox within run but there were two outs. Down to their last out, Rico Petrocelli doubled off Cecil Upshaw to score Juan Beniquez with the tying run. Diego Segui (2-1, 2.53 ERA) tossed a scoreless tenth and then Dick McAuliffe stood on second base in the bottom of the frame. Milt Wilcox somehow threw a pickoff throw into centerfield and McAuliffe made a mad dash home to win the game for the Sox 6-5 in 10 innings at Fenway Park
Lee got the ball in the top of the first and Remy Hermoso grounded back to the mound to start. John Lowenstein grounded out to third but Buddy Bell dumped a base hit to right. Bell was thrown out at second by Dwight Evans to end the inning. The Sox jumped on Jim Perry in the bottom of the first as Cecil Cooper walked to start. Doug Griffin caught the Indians asleep with a bunt single and Bernie Carbo walked to load the bases. Carl Yastrzemski grounded out to second but Cooper scored to put Boston on top. Rico Petrocelli was intentionally walked to re-load the bases but Evans struck out swinging. Rick Miller popped up to left to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
John Ellis singled to left to start the top of the second and Charlie Spikes forced him at second. Chris Chambliss flied out to right and George Hendrick forced Spikes at second to end the inning. Bob Didier popped up to third to start the bottom of the second before Mario Guerrero grounded out to third. Cooper grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Indians struck back in the top of the third as Dave Duncan flied out to center to start. Frank Duffy grounded out to third but Hermoso singled to right. Lee then threw a pickoff throw away to move Hermoso to second but Lowenstein hit a home run all the way to Billerica to put Cleveland on top. Bell flied out to center to end the inning with the Indians up 2-1.
Home run Lowenstein
The Sox failed to answer in the bottom of the third as Griffin grounded out to third to start. Carbo singled to center but Yaz popped up to left. Petrocelli flied out to left to end the inning.
Ellis flied out to left to start the top of the fourth before Spikes grounded back to the mound. Chambliss took strike three to end the inning. Evans popped up to center to start the bottom of the fourth but Miller ripped a base hit to center. Rick moved to second on the Didier grounder to short. Guerrero struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Indians struck again in the top of the fifth as Hendrick walked to start. Hendrick got picked off but Griffin dropped a pop up from Duncan. Duffy singled to left and Hermoso got a seeing eye single into right to score Duncan. The Indians pulled off a double steal but Lowenstein grounded out to second with the infield in. Bell grounded out to third to end the inning with the Indians up 3-1.
Duncan scores a run
Cooper doubled to left to start the bottom of the fifth but Griffin's bunt attempt was too hard to Perry and Cooper stayed at second. Carbo grounded out to second to move Cooper to third and Yaz grounded out to second to end the inning.
Ellis beat out a roller to third to start the top of the sixth but Spikes forced him at second. Spikes stole second but Chambliss lined out to Griffin. Hendrick grounded out to short to end the inning. Petrocelli got a base hit to center to start the bottom of the sixth but Evans banged into a double play. Miller doubled to right but Didier grounded out to second to end the inning.
Duncan singled to left to start the top of the seventh but Duffy dropped down a bunt. Lee threw the ball away for another error and Hermoso singled in the hole at short to load the bases. Lowenstein lined out to left and Bell beat out a double play ball to score Duncan.....and they forgot about Duffy who came around to score as well. Ellis hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning with the Indians up 5-1.
Guerrero popped up to first to start the bottom of the seventh and Cooper struck out swinging. Griffin flied out to center to end the inning.
Spikes singled to right to start the top of the eighth but was thrown out second trying to steal. Chambliss grounded out to third but Hendrick singled to left. Duncan singled to left but Duffy forced Duncan to end the inning. Carbo took strike three to start the bottom of the eighth but Yaz doubled to left. Petrocelli grounded out to third but Evans was hit with a pitch. Miller forced Evans at second to end the inning.
Lee returned for the top of the ninth and Hermoso grounded out to short to start. Lowenstein singled to right and stole second, but Bell grounded out to short. Ellis got picked off to end the inning. Lee went 9 innings and allowed 5 runs although only 2 were earned. He allowed 13 hits and a walk.
Suddenly the Sox woke up in the bottom of the ninth with Dick McAuliffe pinch hitting for Didier. Dick drew a walk and Danny Cater pinch hit for Guerrero. Cater got a base hit to right and that was it for Perry. Ken Sanders came in to pitch and Cooper singled to right to load the bases. Griffin got a base hit to right to score McAuliffe and reload the bases. Tom Hilgendorf came in to face Carbo and Bernie beat out a double play ball to score Cater. Juan Beniquez ran for Carbo and Yaz scored Cooper with a sac fly to cut the lead. Cecil Upshaw came in to face Petrocelli and with the game on the line....Rico doubled off the Monster to score Beniquez to tie the game. Terry Hughes ran for Petrocelli and Evans drew a walk. With the winning run at second....Miller took strike three to end the inning with the game tied 5-5.
Bob Montgomery took over behind the plate with Diego Segui now on the mound for the top of the tenth. Ellis lined out to short but Spikes singled to right. Chambliss banged into a double play to end the inning. McAuliffe walked to start the bottom of 10th and was sacrificed to second by Montgomery. Milt Wilcox came in to face Cooper and accidentally threw a pickoff throw into centerfield. McAuliffe made a mad dash all the way around to score to win the game. The Sox had stolen the game 6-5.
Hero of The Night is Dick McAuliffe. His hustling around the bases scored the winning run in the 10th inning.
The Good:
Cecil Cooper was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Doug Griffin was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Juan Beniquez scored a run as a pinch runner.
Rico Petrocelli was 2 for 4 with a walk and an rbi.
Rick Miller was 2 for 5.
Danny Cater singled and scored as a pinch hitter.
Bob Montgomery dropped down a crucial sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the tenth.
Diego Segui got the win with a scoreless 10th inning.
The Bad:
Bob Didier was 0 for 3.
Mario Guerrero was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Dwight Evans was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and was hit with a pitch.
Bernie Carbo was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked, drove in a run and scored.
Carl Yastrzemski was just 1 for 4 but knocked in two runs.
Bill Lee pitched 9 innings and allowed 5 runs but only 2 of them were earned due to his own error. He allowed 13 hits and a walk.
Honorable Mention:
Terry Hughes ran for Petrocelli and played third base.
Final Thoughts:
That was the win of the season for sure. The Sox were down 5-1 going into the eighth and rallied to tie the game. Everyone contributed from Danny Cater getting a pinch hit single, Dick McAuliffe getting a pinch hit walk, Juan Beniquez scoring as a pinch runner and Diego Segui getting key outs in the 10th. Petrocelli's double with 2 outs was clutch as was well as Carbo avoiding the double play. Yaz got a big rbi and all around the team needed everyone to win this one. Lee was hit or miss in this one but still went 9 innings that would have been a complete game if the Sox pulled it off in the ninth. The Sox need to win every game possible and this is one of those games they'll need come September. The Sox swept Cleveland out of Fenway and now welcome in the Kansas City Royals for a two game set. Rick Wise (1-1) goes for the Sox against Nelson Briles of the Royals. The game begins at 7:00 PM at Fenway Park.
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