Sox Outslug Brewers (6/28/82)

Its about time the Boston Red Sox punched back. After getting kicked around for 3 games at home by the Milwaukee Brewers, this time it was the Red Sox that did the kicking. The potent Brewers offense knocked out Sox starter Chuck Rainey but the offense led by Jerry Remy was able to counterpunch Pete Vuckovich into submission. The Sox rode a 5 run seventh inning then survived a late surge by the relentless Milwaukee offense to salvage game four of this series with a 9-7 win at Fenway Park.

                                                  Indiana Jones approves of the win

Rainey took the ball in the top of the first inning and Paul Molitor grounded out to third to begin. Robin Yount singled to left but Cecil Cooper popped up to third. A passed ball moved Yount to second but Ted Simmons flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox ran themselves out in the bottom of the first inning against Vuckovich. Remy grounded out to second to begin before Dwight Evans flied out to center. Jim Rice and Carl Yastrzemski worked back to back walks before Wade Boggs laced a single to left. Rice motored around third and the throw came home...YERRRR OUT! Rice was out to end the inning, damn.

                                                         Nice going Rice

Ben Oglivie grounded out to first to start the top of the second before Gorman Thomas and Roy Howell drew back to back walks. Rainey recovered by getting Ed Romero to bang into a double play to end the inning. The Red Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the second inning as Dave Stapleton grounded out to short to begin. Rich Gedman grounded out to first and Glenn Hoffman grounded out to third to end the inning.

The Brewers struck first in the top of the third inning although Charlie Moore grounded out to second to begin. Molitor beat out an infield single to short but Yount popped up to second. Cooper singled to center and Simmons singled home both runners to put Milwaukee on top. Oglivie flied out to right to end the inning but the Brewers were up 2-0.

The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the third although Rick Miller walked to start. Remy lined out to short but Evans walked as well. Rice beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners but Yaz flied out to right to end the inning.

Rainey struck out Thomas to start the top of the fourth but Howell singled to center. Romero flied out to left but Moore walked. Molitor popped up to second to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Boggs singled to right to begin. Stapleton hit a routine grounder to Romero who went OLE! to allow Dave to reach. Gedman doubled home Boggs to put the Sox on the board and Hoffman scored Stapleton with an rbi grounder to tie the game. Miller grounded out to short but a wild pitch by Vuckovich sent Gedman to third. Remy doubled home Gedman to give the Sox the lead. Evans drew a walk but Rice popped up to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-2.

                                                         Clutch double by Gedman

Could Rainey pitch with the lead in the top of the fifth? Miraculously yes. Yount grounded out to third, Cooper flied out to right and Simmons grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox tried to rally in the bottom of the fifth although Yaz flied out to center to start. Boggs and Stapleton stroked back to back base hits but Gedman grounded out to third. Hoffman flied out to center to end the inning.

The Brewers finally chased Rainey in the top of the sixth although Oglivie flied out to center to begin. Thomas walked and Howell crushed a 7,000 foot home run to give the Brewers the lead. Sox manager Ralph Houk pulled Rainey after allowing 4 runs in 5 1/3 innings. He was game but the home run killed him in the end. Bob Stanley came in and got both Romero and Moore to ground out to short to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 4-3.

                                                Not the best but not the worst either

The Sox answered in the bottom of the sixth as Miller singled to start. Remy poked a single to left and the hustling Miller made it all the way to third with Remy advancing to second on the throw. Evans popped up to second but a passed ball scored Miller and advanced Remy to third. Rice grounded out to short and Yaz grounded out to first but the game was tied 4-4.

                                                              Good hustle Miller

Stanley cruised in the top of the seventh as Molitor struck out to start. Yount grounded out to third and Cooper grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox exploded in the bottom of the seventh although Boggs grounded out to first to begin. Stapleton and Gedman drew back to back walks but Hoffman struck out. Miller was plunked to load the bases and Remy cleared the bases with an rbi double. That was it for Vuckovich as Jim Slaton came in and walked Evans. Rice cleared the bases with a triple to chase Slaton. Jamie Easterly came in and Yaz looked at strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-4.

                                                      Remy gets it done

The Brewers fought back in the top of the eighth as Simmons singled to center to start. Oglivie flied out to center but Thomas crushed a 97,000 foot home run to inch the Brewers closer. Marshall Edwards pinch hit for Romero but grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Brewers down 9-6.

Rob Picciolo came in to play second in the bottom of the eighth as the Sox beat the ball in the dirt. Boggs grounded out to short, Stapleton grounded back to the mound and Hoffman grounded out to short to end the inning.

Stanley came out to finish the top of the ninth but the Brewers refused to go quietly. Moore popped up to second but Molitor doubled to left. Yount grounded out to third but Cooper singled home Molitor to put the tying run at the plate. With the game on the line, Simmons flied out to center to end the game. The Sox hung on to win 9-7

Hero of the Night is Jerry Remy. He put the Sox on top twice by going 3 for 5 with a run scored and 4 total rbis.

                                                            Remy the Hero


The Good:

Dwight Evans walked 3 times in 5 plate appearances and scored a run.

Wade Boggs was 3 for 5 with a run scored.

Rick Miller was 1 for 2 with a walk, hit by pitch and 2 runs scored.



The Bad:

None



The Ugly:

Jim Rice was just 1 for 4 with a walk but drove in 2 runs.

Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 4 but walked.

Dave Stapleton was just 1 for 4 but walked and drove in 2 runs.

Rich Gedman was just 1 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored twice.

Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.

Bob Stanley got the win but allowed 3 runs in 3 2/3 of an inning.

Chuck Rainey allowed 4 runs in just 5 1/3 innings, allowing 6 hits and 4 walks.




Final Thoughts:

The Brewers are for real and the Sox need better pitching or else they won't be able to handle the high powered Milwaukee offense going forward. If the Brewers take 3 out of 4 at Fenway, what are they going to do when they get back home? The Sox don't have the starting pitching to hold the Brewers down or the lineup to bop their way back when they go down. Hoffman, Nichols, Stapleton and Miller aren't 30 homer a year guys but that may be what the Sox need to keep the AL East lead. Still, a win is a win so no use panicking just yet. The win improved the Sox to 43-28, 3 games ahead of the Brewers for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox travel to Detroit to play a set with the Detroit Tigers. Dennis Eckersley (7-6) goes for the Sox up against Jerry Ujdur at 7:30 PM at Tiger Stadium.