The bad news was the Boston Celtics lost their Game 1 NBA East Finals showdown with the Philadelphia Sixers. The good news is the Boston Red Sox laid waste to the Texas Rangers. John Tudor (1-0, 3.00 ERA) made his season debut by tossing Boston's third complete game in four days. The Boston bats woke up to pound out 15 hits and 10 runs against old friend Fergie Jenkins and when the dust settled, the Sox had won the game 10-4 at Fenway Park.
Turdor got the ball in the top of the first inning and Bump Wills took strike three to start. Mickey Rivers grounded out to second before Al Oliver grounded out to short to end the inning. Jenkins got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jerry Remy popped up to third to start. Dwight Evans grounded back to the mound but Carl Yastrzemski walked. Jim Rice struck out swinging to end the inning.
Buddy Bell flied out to right to start the top of the second but John Ellis slapped a single to right. Ellis was thrown out trying to stretch a double and Jim Sundberg grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second although Tony Perez flied out to left to start. Carney Lansford grounded out to third but Gary Allenson doubled to left. Glenn Hoffman singled home Allenson to give the Sox the lead, taking second on the throw home. Rick Miller took strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
The Rangers fought back in the top of the third as Leon Roberts walked to start. Billy Sample singled to left and Mario Mendoza dropped down a bunt to advance the runners. Wills grounded back to the mound but Rivers singled home Roberts. Oliver struck out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Remy flied out to right to start the bottom of the third but Evans walked. Evans was doubled off first on the liner to second by Yaz to end the inning.
Bell singled to right to start the top of the fourth but was picked off. Ellis lined out to center and Sundberg flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox took command in the bottom of the fourth as Rice doubled to right to begin. Perez grounded back to the mound but Lansford singled home Rice to give the Sox the lead. Allenson banged into a double play to end the inning with Boston ahead 2-1.
Tudor cruised in the top of the fifth as Roberts grounded out to third to start. Sample singled to short but was doubled off first on a liner to second by Mendoza to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fifth although Hoffman grounded out to second to start. Miller walked and Remy singled him to third before taking second on the throw over. Evans scored Miller with a sac fly and Yaz singled home Remy to increase the lead. Rice flied out to center to end the inning with Boston ahead 4-1.
The Rangers got one back in the top of the sixth as Wills walked to start. Wills took second on the grounder by Rivers and scored on the ground rule double by Oliver. Oliver took third on the grounder by Bell but Ellis grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Rangers were down 4-2.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the sixth as Perez tripled to center to start. Lansford doubled home Perez to chase Jenkins from the game. Steve Comer came in and Allenson doubled home Lansford to ice the game. Hoffman moved Allenson to third with a grounder but Miller flied out to left. Remy beat out an infield single to score Allenson with another run. Evans walked but Yaz flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-2.
Tudor cruised in the top of the seventh as Sundberg flied out to right to start. Roberts popped up to short and Sample did the same to end the inning. Charlie Hough came in for the bottom of the seventh and Rice singled to left to start...but was thrown out second trying to stretch a double. Perez struck out swinging but Lansford singled to center. Lansford stole second again but Allenson grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Rangers got a run back in the top of the eighth although Mendoza flied out to right to start. Wills doubled to left but Rivers flied out to center. Oliver singled home Wills to cut the lead. Bell lined out to short to end the inning with the Rangers down 7-3.
The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the eighth as Hoffman flied out to center to start. Miller doubled to left and Remy walked to set up the rbi double by Evans. Yaz singled home Remy and Evans but was thrown out at second trying to stretch a double. Rice grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-3.
Tudor came back to finish the job in the top of the ninth and Ellis flied out to center to start. Sundberg doubled to center and moved to third on the grounder by Roberts. Sample hit a routine grounder to Hoffman who did a cannonball on top of the baseball for an error to score Sundberg. Mendoza grounded into a force to end the game. The Sox had won it 10-4.
Hero of the Night is John Tudor. He tossed a complete game and allowed just 3 earned runs.
The Good:
Jerry Remy was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored.
Dwight Evans was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Carl Yastrzemski was 2 for 4 with a walk and 3 rbis.
Jim Rice was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Carney Lansford was 3 for 4 with 2 stolen bases, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Gary Allenson was 2 for 4 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Rick Miller was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Tony Perez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Glenn Hoffman was just 1 for 4 with an error but drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
If the Red Sox play to their potential this is going to be a scary team for the rest of the season. It would be unfair to expect Tudor, Mike Torrez and Frank Tanana to all win 20 games this season but if the offense can fire on all cylinders, this could be one of the top teams of the American League. Tudor pitched great in his season debut and this could be the start of a great season for him. The Sox have gotten 3 complete games in their last four pitched and the Sox bullpen must be getting bored. It won't last but having a trio of Bob Stanley, Mark Clear and Tom Burgmeier is better than some of others in the American League. If only the offense could perform like this every day, oh well. Tomorrow the Sox look to sweep the Rangers out of Fenway when Dennis Eckersley (1-0) takes on Danny Darwin of the Rangers. The game begins at 2 PM at Fenway Park.
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