Torrez got the ball in the top of the first inning and George Wright hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Lee Mazzilli doubled to right and Buddy Bell was hit with a pitch, but Lamar Johnson grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time getting to Rangers starter Charlie Hough in the bottom of the first inning as Jerry Remy singled to left to start. Remy stole second and Evans walked before Remy moved to third on the fly out to right by Jim Rice. Carl Yastrzemski ripped a base hit to right to score Remy to put the Sox on top. A wild pitch moved Yaz to second and Glenn Hoffman was intentionally walked to load the bases. The gamble worked as Dave Stapleton struck out swinging and Rick Miller popped up to third in foul territory to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Jim Sundberg grounded out to third to begin the top of the second but Johnny Grubb walked. Larry Parrish popped up to second and Mark Wagner grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the second as Rich Gedman pounded a ground rule double to right to start. Wade Boggs hit a routine grounder to Lamar Johnson who threw the ball away allowing Gedman to score. Johnson then booted a grounder by Remy for another error but Evans banged into a double play. Rice flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Doug Flynn singled to center to start the top of the third and moved to second when Wright grounded out to second. Flynn moved to third on the grounder to second by Mazzilli and Bell walked. Bell stole second but Johnson struck out swinging to end the inning. Yaz struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third but Hoffman flied out to left. Stapleton struck out swinging to end the inning.
Sundberg singled to center to open the top of the fourth but Grubb hit into a double play. Parrish grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the fourth as Miller and Gedman stroked back to back singled to left to begin. Boggs doubled to right and Parrish booted the ball for an error to clear the bases. Boggs moved to third on the error and he scored on the sac fly to left by Remy to increase the lead. Evans struck out swinging but Rice and Yaz both walked to chase Hough, Dave Schmidt got Hoffman to pop up to second to end the inning with Boston ahead 5-0.
Boggs drives in a pair
Wagner walked to start the top of the fifth but Flynn forced him at second. Wright hit into a double play to end the inning. Stapleton singled to right to open the bottom of the fifth but Miller flied out to center. Gedman singled to right to move Stapleton to third but Evans flied out to left. Remy forced Gedman at second to end the inning.
The Rangers struck back in the top of the sixth as Mazzilli walked to start. Bell forced Lee at second and Johnson forced Bell at second as well. Sundberg walked and Grubb singled to right to score Mazzilli. Parrish forced Grubb at second to end the inning with Texas down 5-1.
The Sox answered right back in the bottom of the sixth as Evans took strike three to start. Rice walked but Yaz flied out to left. Hoffman singled to center and Stapleton scored Rice with a base hit to center to increase the lead. That was it for Schmidt as Paul Mirabella came in to get Miller to ground into a force at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-1.
Wagner grounded back to the mound to start the top of the seventh inning before Flynn lined out to third. Wright lined out to left to end the inning. Boston wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the seventh as Gedman grounded out to short to begin. Boggs walked and Remy was hit with a pitch, but Evans flied out to center. Rice lined a base hit to left to score Boggs and Yaz walked. Hoffman flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-1.
Torrez returned for the top of the eighth and Mazzilli flied out to left to begin. Bell struck out looking and Johnson grounded out to short to end the inning. Stapleton singled to left to start the bottom of the eighth before Miller took strike three. Gedman flied out to center but Boggs drew a walk. Remy forced Wade at second to end the inning.
Torrez came back to complete his work in the top of the ninth and Sundberg popped up to second to start. Grubb walked but Parrish flied out to center. Wargner grounded out to third to end the game. Torrez went the distance and the Red Sox had defeated the Rangers 7-1.
Hero of the Night is Mike Torrez. He tossed a complete game 4 hitter allowing just one run to earn the win.
The Good:
Jim Rice was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored.
Carl Yastrzemski was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and an rbi.
Dave Stapleton was 3 for 5 with an rbi.
Rich Gedman was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Wade Boggs was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and 2 runs scored.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Jerry Remy was just 1 for 4 but stole a base, was hit with a pitch, drove in a run and scored a run.
Dwight Evans was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Glenn Hoffman was just 1 for 4 but walked.
Rick Miller was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Now that's the way to end the month. The Sox have ripped off 11 of 13 wins to vault them into first place in the AL East. After they missed the playoffs by an eyelash last season, maybe a full season with this roster will be enough to guide them to their first division title in 7 years. The only drawback to the month was the injury to Carney Lansford but if Wade Boggs can fill in for him consistently, the Sox may have a deadly lineup when Lansford comes back. The bullpen has been their strength but if guys like Torrez and Dennis Eckersley can turn in seasons like they had in 1978, this could be a fun season for the Red Sox. The win improved the Sox to 13-7, 0.5 games in front of the Detroit Tigers for first place in the AL East. The Sox are back in action tomorrow afternoon against the Rangers with Bob Ojeda getting the start for Boston against Rick Honeycutt of the Rangers. The game begins at 2:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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