For 8 innings, 23 year old Boston Red Sox rookie Steve Crawford (0-1, 0.00 ERA) matched future Hall of Fame Baltimore Orioles ace Jim Palmer to a 1-1 draw. Thanks to some really bad defense, the Orioles scored 5 un-earned runs off Crawford and reliever Tom Burgmeier to put the game away. The Red Sox bats went silent against Palmer and the Orioles rode a 4 run ninth inning to beat the Sox 5-1 at Fenway Park.
Crawford cruised in the top of the first inning as Al Bumbry took strike three to start. Old pal Jim Dwyer whiffed and Ken Singleton went down swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the frame although Jerry Remy grounded out to third to start. Dave Stapleton walked but was thrown out at second trying to steal. The caught stealing turned out big as Dwight Evans bashed his second home run of the year to put Boston on top. Jim Rice flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0. Sadly that would be the only run they'd score the rest of the game.
Eddie Murray struck out swinging to start the top of the second before John Lowenstein flied out to left. Doug DiCinces singled to left and Rick Dempsey walked, but Mark Belanger lined out back to Crawford to end the inning. Tony Perez struck out swinging to begin the bottom of the second but Carney Lansford singled to center. Glenn Hoffman banged into a double play to end the inning.
Rich Dauer grounded out to third to start the top of the third but Bumbry grounded out to first. Dwyer singled to right but was caught stealing second to end the inning. Gary Allenson popped up to short to begin the bottom of the third but Rick Miller walked. Remy banged into a double play to end the inning.
Singleton singled to center to start the top of the fourth but Murray flied out to left. Lowenstein singled to right but DiCinces banged into a double play to end the inning. Stapleton flied out to left to start the bottom of the fourth but Evans singled to right. Rice took strike three and Perez whiffed to end the inning.
The Orioles struck back in the top of the fifth as Dempsey singled to center to start. Dempsey moved to second on the Belanger grounder and to third on a passed ball. Dauer singled Dempsey home to tie the game. Bumbry banged into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Lansford doubled to left to begin the bottom of the fifth but Hoffman flied out to left. Allenson grounded out to third and Miller grounded out to second to end the inning.
Crawford got Dwyer to fly out to left to open the top of the sixth but Singleton struck out swinging. Murray doubled to left but Lowenstein flied out to center to end the inning. Remy lined out to short to start the bottom of the sixth but Stapleton walked. Evans popped up to first and Rice flied out to center to end the inning.
Crawford got the O's to beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the seventh as DeCinces grounded out to short to start. Dempsey grounded back to the mound and Belanger grounded out to second to end the inning. Perez walked to start the bottom of the seventh and Sox manager Ralph Houk sent Reid Nichols to pinch run for him. Lansford dropped down a bunt to advance Reid to second but Hoffman popped up to second. Allenson walked but Miller flied out to left to end the inning.
Crawford cruised in the top of the eighth as Dauer grounded out to third to start. Bumbry grounded out to second and Dwyer flied out to right to end the inning. Tim Stoddard replaced Palmer in the bottom of the eighth and Remy grounded out to short to start. Stapleton singled to left but was thrown out at second on the strikeout by Evans to end the inning.
The Sox turned into a comedy of errors in the top of the ninth to blow the game. Singleton doubled to left to chase Crawford after 8 outstanding innings. Tom Burgmeier came in and Wayne Krenchicki pinch ran for Singleton. Murray hit a routine grounder to Hoffman who dove on the ball and swam on it for an error. Gary Roenicke pinch hit for Lowenstein and beat out an infield single to third to load the bases. Burgmeier did manage to get DeCinces flied out to left and Dempsey to pop up to short, but Jose Morales pinch hit for Belanger. Morales lashed a base hit to center to score Krenchicki and Murray to give the O's the lead. Lenn Sakata pinch ran for Morales and took off for second. Allenson fired there and he was safe, Roenicke taking off for home....safe! The Sox were humiliated and the O's had iced the game. Dauer doubled home Sakata to wrap up the scoring. Bumbry grounded out to first to end the inning with the O's up 5-1.
Rice tried to start a rally with a base hit to left to start the bottom of the ninth and Gary Hancock pinch hit for Nichols, striking out swinging. Lansford forced Rice at second and Hoffman struck out swinging to end the game. The Orioles had won it 5-1.
Jackass of the Night is Tom Burgmeier. He was felled by some piss-poor defense but he still allowed 3 hits and 4 runs.
The Good:
Dave Stapleton was 1 for 2 with 2 walks.
Dwight Evans was 2 for 4 with a home run.
Carney Lansford was 2 for 3.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the good list but Steve Crawford was outstanding, being charged with 2 runs in 8 innings of work. Its too bad the Sox couldn't score for him.
The Bad:
Jerry Remy was 0 for 4.
Gary Hancock struck out as a pinch hitter.
Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and an error.
The Ugly:
Jim Rice was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Tony Perez was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Gary Allenson was 0 for 2 but walked.
Rick Miller was 0 for 2 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Reid Nichols pinch ran for Tony Perez.
Final Thoughts:
The game was a classic pitcher's duel for 8 innings but completely fell apart in the ninth. Steve Crawford went toe to toe with Jim Palmer and did very well. If he can pitch like that down the road, the Sox are in good hands. There's no shame in being beaten by Jim Palmer and its encouraging to see Crawford hang in there. The defense in the ninth was garbage but its April and its only one game. Hopefully this was just a hiccup and the Sox can bounce back Wednesday against the Orioles. Mike Torrez makes his season debut opposite Dennis Martinez of the O's. The game begins at 2:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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