Hurst took the ball in the top of the first inning and Rod Carew singled up the middle to start. Rick Burelson banged into a double play and Reggie Jackson whiffed on a breaking ball to end the inning. Tommy John got the start for the Angels and Jerry Remy led off the bottom of the first with a routine ground out to second. Dave Stapleton popped up to center before Jim Rice poked a seeing eye single to left. Tony Armas grounded into a force to end the inning.
Brian Downing led off the top of the second inning with a base hit before Ellis Valentine hit a pop up to right. Remy and Dwight Evans collided and the ball fell in for a single. Bobby Grich beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners but Bobby Clark hit into a real one to end the inning. Angels manager John McNamara came out to argue but the call stood. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second although Evans was foolishly thrown out at second trying to stretch a single to left. Reid Nichols singled down the left field line and Ed Jurak (replacing the injured Wade Boggs) singled to center. Glenn Hoffman lined a bullet to Tim Foli at third who bobbled it for an error to load the bases. Gary Allenson smacked a sac fly to right to score Nichols to give the Sox the lead. Remy grounded into a force to end the inning but the Sox had taken the lead 1-0
Could Hurst pitch with the lead in the top of the third inning? YES! Foli popped up to first before Bob Boone hit one up the elevator shaft. Carew reached on a bunt single in front of the plate and Burelson smacked a single to right. Jackson was rung up for strike three by the third base umpire to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the third as Stapleton popped up to right to begin before Rice lined out to a jumping Downing in left. Armas grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Angels beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the fourth inning as Downing grounded out to a bumbling Remy to start. Valentine also grounded to second before Grich grounded out to short to end the inning. Evans flied out to right to begin the bottom of the fourth before Nichols doubled off the Monster. Jurak grounded to second and Hoffman flied out to center to end the inning.
The Angels wasted no time tying the game in the top of the fifth inning as Clark opened the inning with a home run into the screen in left. Foli singled but Hurst picked him off in a rundown. Boone grounded out to second and Carew grounded out to short to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Allenson dumped a single to right field to begin the bottom of the fifth but made a big boo-boo. Remy hit a drag bunt back to the mound and John looked to second but Allenson was already there. He turned and threw to first and Remy was safe. Allenson got greedy and took off for third but was thrown out by a mile. Grich thought he had Remy at first and shouted at first base umpire Steve Palermo. Palermo had to be restrained by Rod Carew and Angels manager John McNamara from attacking Grich.
When action resumed Stapleton popped up to second but Rice swatted his 23rd home run of the season into the bullpen. Armas flied out to right to end the inning but the Sox now led 3-1.
Hurst shut down the Angels in the top of the sixth as Burleson flied out to left to begin. Jackson looked at strike three to earn a hat trick before Downing grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Evans was robbed at the warning track in right to begin. Nichols flied out to the centerfield warning track before Jurak hit a routine grounder to Burleson. Rick threw it just wide to first and Jurak was safe on the error. Hoffman struck out to end the inning.
The Angels exploded in the top of the seventh as Valentine beat out a great throw by Jurak to start. Valentine advanced to second on a wild pitch before Grich walked. Clark beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners before Valentine scored on the infield hit to third by Foli to chase Hurst. Bob Stanley came in and got Foli at second on the force by Boone but Allenson muffed a pitch from Stanley which allowed Clark to score the tying run. Carew was intentionally walked and Burleson made the Sox pay by getting a base hit to score Boone to give the Angels the lead. Jackson singled home Carew for the insurance run. Downing flied out to center to end the inning with the Angels ahead 5-3.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the seventh as Allenson grounded out to short to start. Remy hit a chopper that ate up Carew for a single but Stapleton flied out to center. That was it for Tommy John as McNamara brought in Luis Sanchez to pitch to Rice. Rice grounded out to short to end the inning.
Stanley returned for the top of the eighth and got Valentine to ground out to second on the first pitch. Grich grounded out to short on the first pitch he saw before Clark hit a routine grounder to short. Hoffman fielded it cleanly but threw the ball completely out of Fenway for an error to allow Clark to reach second. Foli grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the eighth as Armas grounded out to short to begin. Evans lined out to center but Nichols blooped a single to left. Jurak took strike three to end the inning. If Wade Boggs didn't pull his groin, he probably would have hit here.
Stanley finished up the top of the ninth as Boone grounded out to short to start. Carew also grounded out to short before Burleson popped up to first to end the inning. Stanley finished strong but where was this in the 7th inning? Clark moved to left with Fred Lynn taking over in center for the bottom of the ninth. Rick Miller pinch hit for Hoffman but Foli snared a high chopper to retire him. Carl Yastrzemski pinch hit for Allenson and doubled off the Monster to bring the tying run to the plate. Marty Barrett pinch ran for Yaz but Remy grounded back to the mound. Stapleton grounded out to third to end the game. The Angels had won it 5-3 to send the Sox back to .500.
Jackass of the Night is Bob Stanley. He allowed 2 inherited runners to score and one of his own in a disasterous 7th inning to blow the game.
The Good:
Jim Rice was 2 for 4 with a 2 run home run.
Reid Nichols was 3 for 4 with a run scored.
Carl Yastrzemski singled as a pinch hitter.
Gary Allenson was 1 for 2 with an rbi.
The Bad:
Dave Stapleton was 0 for 5.
Tony Armas was 0 for 4.
Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 3 with an error.
Rick Miller grounded out as a pinch hitter.
Bruce Hurst took the loss by allowing 4 runs in just 6 1/3 innings. He allowed 9 hits and a walk.
The Ugly:
Jerry Remy was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Dwight Evans was just 1 for 4.
Ed Jurak was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Marty Barrett ran for Yaz in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Another tough loss for a mediocre team. There's really nothing that can be done unless a miracle happens and the Sox can get an ace pitcher sometime soon. Still, the team could have won the game and Stanley has been solid all season but just couldn't slam the door this time. The offense had their chances but just didn't have anyone to deliver the knockout blow. I know Boggs was hurt but the lack of a power threat with the decline of Yaz is glaring. Hurst pitched well but once again ran out of gas in the 7th inning. If he ever learns command then he could be a good lefty pitching. He's shown it in the past this season, maybe his time will come with more experience. As for this game, the less said of it the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 40-40, 6.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox return home for a set with the Seattle Mariners. Bob Ojeda gets the start for the Sox opposite Mike Moore. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park
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