Hurst began the top of the first inning by catching Billy Sample looking to start. Mike Richardt whiffed but Buddy Bell singled to center. Dave Hostetler whiffed to end the inning. Jerry Remy grounded out to short to start the bottom of the first but Dwight Evans walked. Jim Rice forced Evans at second and Carl Yastrzemski lined out to center to end the inning.
Larry Parrish lined out to left to start the top of the second before Hurst punched out Bob Johnson. Jim Sundberg grounded out to short to end the inning. Reid Nichols tried to rally against Texas starter Danny Darwin with a base hit to begin the bottom of the second. Nichols swiped second but Wade Boggs whiffed. Nichols moved to third on the Dave Stapleton grounder but Rich Gedman whiffed to end the inning.
The Rangers threatened in the top of the third when George Wright and Wayne Tolleson stroked back to back singles to start. Hurst got a big out when Sample popped up to first before Richardt beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Bell grounded out to short to end the inning. Glenn Hoffman grounded out to first to begin the bottom of the third before Remy grounded back to the mound. Evans hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
Hostetler watched strike three go by to open the top of the fourth before Parrish whiffed. Johnson doubled off the Monster but Sundberg flied out to right to end the inning. Rice popped up to second to begin the bottom of the fourth but Yaz singled to right. Yaz was forced at second by Nichols and Boggs grounded out to second to end the inning.
Wright took strike three to begin the top of the fifth before Tolleson flied out to right. Sample hit a routine grounder to Boggs who kicked the ball over to first before running in a circle screaming "GOALLLL!" for an error. Richardt lined out to left to end the inning. Stapleton whiffed to begin the bottom of the fifth before Parrish dropped a routine pop up by Gedman for an error. Hoffman grounded out to short and Remy lined out to left to end the inning.
Hurst cruised in the top of the sixth as Bell flied out to center to start. Hostetler singled to left but Parrish banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox finally broke Darwin in the bottom of the sixth as Evans singled and Rice doubled him home to put the Sox on top just like that. Rice moved to third on the Yaz grounder before Nichols also grounded to third. Boggs made up for his error with a double to center to increase the lead. Stapleton singled to right and that was it for Darwin. John Butcher came in and froze Gedman for strike three to end the inning but Boston was up 2-0.
Hurst pitched well with the lead in the top of the seventh. Johnson grounded out to second, Sundberg flied out to center and Wright whiffed to end the inning. The Sox tried to ice the game in the bottom of the seventh although Hoffman grounded back to the mound to start. Remy beat out an infield single but was forced at second by Evans. Rice walked and a wild pitch moved both runners over. Yaz was intentionally walked but Nichols flied out to center to end the inning.
Hurst ran out of gas in the top of the eighth although Tolleson flied out to center to start. Sample and Richardt drew back to back singles before Sample moved to third on the Bell fly out. Hostetler doubled home Sample and put the go-ahead run at second to chase Hurst. Sox manager Ralph Houk came out and brought in Mark Clear to finish the job. Hurst went strong for 7 2/3 innings, allowing just 1 run. With the pressure on, Clear got Parrish to fly out to center to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 2-1.
Pete O'Brien took over at first for the bottom of the eighth and Boggs grounded back to the mound to start. Stapleton popped up to second and Hoffman grounded out to third to end the inning.
Clear came back to finish off the Rangers in the top of the ninth and got O'Brien to pop up to third to start. Sundberg whiffed and Wright was frozen for strike three to end the game. The Sox had held on to win 2-1.
Hero of the Night is Bruce Hurst. Hurst tossed 7 2/3 innings of 1 run ball while scattering 8 hits and striking out 8.
The Good:
Dwight Evans was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Jim Rice was 1 for 3 with a walk, run scored and an rbi.
Carl Yastrzemski was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Mark Clear earned his first save with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Rich Gedman was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Jerry Remy was just 1 for 4.
Reid Nichols was just 1 for 4 but stole a base.
Wade Boggs was just 1 for 4 with an error but drove in a run.
Dave Stapleton was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
Bruce Hurst ladies and gentleman. The 25 year old looked great and could be a fixture in the rotation if he pitches like this more often. The weakness of the Red Sox last year was their rotation and if Hurst can become the ace they need, they may be able to knock off the Milwaukee Brewers for AL East supremacy. The bottom of the order needs a little work but today was a good win. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox look to jump above .500 when they send John Tudor to the mound up against Rick Honeycutt at 2:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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