Sox Bash Orioles (4/20/82)

Well that's more like it. The struggling Boston Red Sox offense finally came alive for at least one game against the Baltimore Orioles. The Sox were trailing 2-0 when the Boston bats came alive in the fourth inning and Glenn Hoffman hit a 2 run home run to put the Sox ahead. Holding on to a 4-3 lead, the bats rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth to ice the game. Bob Ojeda (1-2, 5.93) turned in his best start of the season by allowing 3 runs in 7 1/3 innings to keep the Sox in front. Luis Aponte continued his hot streak by slamming the door in the top of the ninth inning. The Sox scored eight runs for the first time all season and beat the Orioles 8-3 at Fenway Park.

                                                           Lana Turner approves of the win

Ojeda got the ball in the top of the first inning and Lenn Sakata popped up to first in foul territory to start. Gary Roenicke struck out swinging and Ken Singleton grounded out to second to end the inning. Mike Flanagan got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Jerry Remy led off by striking out swinging. Dwight Evans watched strike three go by and Jim Rice also took strike three to end the inning. 

Eddie Murray lined out to left to begin the top of the second inning and Dan Ford grounded out to short. Benny Ayala walked and Cal Ripken Jr doubled to left. Rich Dauer grounded out to short to end the inning. Carney Lansford popped up to first in foul territory to start the bottom of the second and Dave Stapleton grounded out to third. Tony Perez walked and Glenn Hoffman singled to left but Gary Allenson lined out to short to end the inning.

Rick Dempsey singled to center to start the top of the third but Sakata popped up to second. Roenicke struck out swinging again and Singleton flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the third as Reid Nichols popped up to short to start. Remy flied out to left and Evans popped up to short to end the inning.

The O's struck first in the top of the fourth as Murray got a base hit to left to start. Ford banged into a double play and Ayala hit a routine grounder to Remy. Jerry dove on the ball and swam on it for an error to allow Ayala to reach. The floodgates opened as Ripken Jr singled to left and Dauer walked to load the bases. Dempsey walked to score Ayala and a wild pitch scored Ripken to increase the lead. Sakata flied out to left to end the inning but the O's led 2-0.

                                                                      Dammit Remy!

The Sox fought back in the bottom of the fourth as Rice walked to start. Lansford flied out to right and Stapleton flied out to center but Perez ripped a base hit to center that Rice scored all the way to first from. Hoffman then belted his second home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Allenson hit a ground ball to short that Sakata booted for an error. Nichols grounded out to second to end the inning with Boston ahead 3-2.

                                                  Home run Hoffman

Ojeda cruised in the top of the fifth as Roenicke led off with a pop up to third to begin. Singleton and Murray both grounded out to short to end the inning. Remy grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fifth before Evans flied out to center. Rice walked but Lansford struck out swinging to end the inning.

Ford hit a bullet to Ojeda to start the top of the sixth but Ayala singled to left. Ripken Jr flied out to center and Dauer popped up to second to end the inning. Stapleton flied out to center to begin the bottom of the sixth but Ford dropped a pop up by Perez for an error. Hoffman flied out to center and Allenson grounded out to short to end the inning.

Dempsey took strike three to start the top of the seventh before Sakata flied out to center. Roenicke flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the seventh as Nichols flied out to center to start. Remy also flied out to center but Evans doubled off the Monster. Rice then tripled into the right field corner to increase the lead. Lansford grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-2.

                                                                Rice triples home a run

Ojeda returned for the top of the eighth and Singleton grounded out to short to start. Murray flied out to left but Ford doubled to left. Ayala doubled to left to score Ford and chase Ojeda from the game. Ojeda was charged with 3 runs but only 1 earned in 7 2/3 innings. Terry Crowley pinch hit for Ripken Jr but Sox manager Ralph Houk countered by bringing in Luis Aponte to pitch to him. Crowley grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-3.

                                                             Ojeda gets it done

Bobby Bonner came in to play short for the bottom of the eighth and the Sox rallied. Stapleton flied out to right but Perez walked. Julio Valdez pinch ran for Perez and Don Stanhouse replaced Flanagan on the mound. Hoffman got a base hit to right and Allenson walked to load the bases and chase Stanhouse. Tippy Martinez came in to pitch and Carl Yastrzemski pinch hit for Nichols. Yaz grounded out to first but Valdez scored to increase the lead. Remy caught the O's asleep with a suicide squeeze bunt that scored Hoffman and advanced Allenson to third. Evans put the exclamation point on the inning with a double to left that scored both Allenson and Remy. Rice grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-3.

                                                        Evans drives in the final runs

Rick Miller took over in center with Al Bumbry pinch hitting for Dauer to start the top of the ninth. Bumbry grounded out to second and old friend Jim Dwyer pinch hit for Dempsey. Dwyer got a base hit to left and John Lowenstein pinch hit for Sakata. Lowenstein banged into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won it 8-3.

Hero of the Night is Glenn Hoffman. His 2 run homer put the Sox up for good in the bottom of the fourth.

                                                          Hero Hoffman

The Good:

Dwight Evans was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.

Jim Rice was 1 for 3 with 2 walks an rbi and a run scored.

Tony Perez was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored.

Julio Valdez scored a run as a pinch runner.

Gary Allenson was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Carl Yastrzemski drove in a run in his only at-bat.

Bob Ojeda got the win by pitching 7 2/3 innings and being charged with 3 runs (1 earned).

Luis Aponte earned the save with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

The Bad:

Carney Lansford was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Dave Stapleton was 0 for 4.

Reid Nichols was 0 for 3.

The Ugly:

Jerry Remy was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout and an error but drove in a run and scored a run.

Honorable Mention:

Rick Miller played centerfield in the top of the ninth.

Final Thoughts:

Good win by the Sox and its about time the bats woke up. It took 11 games but the Sox finally scored 8 runs to make the game a laughter by the end. It was also a balanced attack from top to bottom rather than just one guy doing the damage. Hoffman has been on a tear lately and its unlikely he can keep up this pace, but its definitely fun to see. Who knows, maybe he can be the next great Red Sox shortstop like Johnny Pesky? On the other side of the ball Ojeda looked good even if the error did rattle him in the fourth inning. Aponte looked strong too so all in all there wasn't much to complain about in this one. The Sox are back in action tomorrow night against the Orioles in the second game of this series. Dennis Eckersley (1-1) goes for the Sox up against Dennis Martinez of the Orioles. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.