The Angels wasted no time getting to Boyd in the top of the first as Gary Pettis and Rod Carew stroked back to back singles to start. Fred Lynn walked to load the bases and Doug DeCinces scored Pettis with a sac fly. Reggie Jackson struck out and Brian Downing flied out to right to end the inning with the Angels ahead 1-0.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the first against Angels starter Steve Brown. Jerry Remy led off with a single then moved to second on a wild pitch. Dwight Evans popped up to second and Wade Boggs flied out to left, but Jim Rice doubled home Remy to tie the game. Mike Easler singled home Rice to give the Sox the lead but Tony Armas struck out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Boyd cruised in the top of the second as Bobby Grich struck out to start. Bob Boone singled but Dick Schofield Jr banged into a double play to end the inning. Rich Gedman grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the second before Reid Nichols popped up to second. Jackie Gutierrez doubled but Remy grounded out to short to end the inning.
Pettis grounded out to short to start the top of the third but Carew singled and Lynn doubled him to third. Carew then tried to steal home but was caught in a run-down. DeCinces popped up to second to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the third as Evans and Boggs walked to start. Rice then tripled home both runners to increase the lead. Easler grounded out to second and Armas grounded out to short, but Gedman doubled home Rice. Nichols popped up to second to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 5-1.
The Angels then went back to back to back off Boyd in the top of the fourth. Jackson, Downing and Grich all homered in short order as the boo birds rained down. Boone singled and Sox manager Ralph Houk pulled Boyd before it could get any worse. Boyd was clearly rattled and lasted just 3 innings and allowed 4 runs. John Henry Johnson came in and got Schofield to force Boone at second. Pettis singled but Carew struck out. Lynn flied out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-4.
Steve Brown didn't last long in the bottom of the fourth as Gutierrez flied out to right to start. Remy walked to chase Brown. Jim Slaton came in and the Sox rallied. Evans flied out to center but Boggs singled Remy to third. Rice singled home Jerry to increase the lead. Easler struck out to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 6-4.
The slugfest continued in the top of the fifth as DeCinces bashed a home run all the way into Walden Pond to cut the lead. Jackson grounded out to short, Downing grounded out to second and Grich flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-5.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fifth as Armas popped up to third to start. Gedman popped up to short and Nichols flied out to center to end the inning.
The Angels took command in the top of the sixth as Boone singled to start. Schofield Jr hit a double play ball to Remy BUT HE BOOTED IT! Pettis walked to load the bases and Carew walked in a run to tie the game. That was it for Johnson as Al Nipper was brought in only for Lynn to score Schofield Jr with the go-ahead run. DeCinces forced Pettis at home and Jackson struck out to end the inning with the Angels ahead 7-6.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Gutierrez singled to start. Remy forced Jackie at second and Evans banged into a double play to end the inning.
Nipper got Downing to fly out to left to start the top of the seventh before Grich grounded back to the mound. Boone doubled and Schofield Jr popped up to short to end the inning. Boggs flied out to center to start the bottom of the seventh before Rice grounded out to short. Easler grounded out to first to end the inning.
Nipper got Pettis to ground back to the mound to begin the top of the eighth but Carew singled. Lynn banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox showed some balls in the bottom of the eighth as Armas singled to start. Gedman doubled to chase Slaton. Luis Sanchez came in and Nichols was plunked to load the bases with nobody out. Rick Miller pinch hit for Gutierrez and Marty Barrett pinch ran for Gedman. Miller scored Armas with a sac fly and Remy singled to reload the bases. All Evans needed was a sac fly but instead he struck out. Boggs grounded out to first to end the inning which was a huge waste, although the Sox tied the game 7-7.
Bob Stanley came in for the top of the ninth with Jeff Newman behind the plate and Glenn Hoffman taking over at short. DeCinces grounded out to third but Jackson doubled. Downing singled home Jackson to give the Angels the lead. Grich flied out to right and Boone grounded out to short to end the inning with the Angels ahead 8-7.
The Sox tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth although Rice popped up to second to start. Easler singled and moved to second on the Armas grounder. A passed ball moved Easler to third and Newman walked to put runners at the corners. Nichols flied out to right to end the game. The Angels won the hard fought battle 8-7.
Jackass of the Night is Bob Stanley. He allowed the go-ahead run to score in the top of the ninth.
The Good:
Jerry Remy was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Jim Rice was 3 for 4 with 4 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Mike Easler was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Rich Gedman was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Jeff Newman walked in his only plate appearance.
Jackie Gutierrez was 2 for 3.
Rick Miller drove in a run in his only at bat.
Al Nipper tossed 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Oil Can Boyd allowed 4 runs in just 3 innings included 3 straight home runs.
The Ugly:
Dwight Evans was 0 for 4 but walked and scored.
Wade Boggs was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Tony Armas was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Reid Nichols was 0 for 4 but was hit with a pitch.
John Henry Johnson was charged with 2 runs in 3 innings of work.
Honorable Mention:
Marty Barrett pinch ran in the bottom of the eighth.
Glenn Hoffman played short in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox offense can't save the day every time and tonight was one of those nights. Boyd didn't have it and Henry Johnson couldn't hold the lead. The Angels couldn't miss with 16 hits and even then, if the Sox could push across a second run in the bottom of the eighth, maybe Stanley closes it out. The Sox need to make a trade big time because they can't compete with pitching that's THIS bad. They have young arms in Boyd, Nipper, Bruce Hurst and Bob Ojeda. Somebody either has to step up or be traded for a proven starter. Going life or death with the California Angels isn't a good thing because the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers are much better. Tomorrow night the Sox start a set with the Seattle Mariners. Jim Beattie goes for Seattle up against Bruce Hurst (2-2) at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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