Jerry Remy led off the top of the first by striking out. Dwight Evans drew a walk and stole second on the strikeout from Wade Boggs. Jim Rice grounded out to short to end the inning. Eckersley began the bottom of the first by getting Jack Perconte to fly out to center. Barry Bonnell struck out and Gorman Thomas flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second inning as Mike Easler flied out to center, Tony Armas whiffed and Dave Stapleton grounded out to short to end the inning. Eckersley began the bottom of the second by striking out Pete Putnam before getting Al Cowens to fly out to left. Alvin Davis also flied out to left to end the inning.
The miserable Sox offense failed to mount anything in the top of the third inning as Glenn Hoffman grounded out to third to start. Gary Allenson flied out to center and Remy struck out to end the inning. Eck allowed a leadoff double to Bob Kearney and Phil Bradley caught the Sox asleep with a bunt single. Eck recovered to get Spike Owen to pop up to second and Perconte to fly out to left. Kearney broke for home and Rice heaved the ball to the plate....YER OUTTA THERE! Rice's throw nailed him and the inning was over.
Still no offense in the top of the fourth as Evans flied out to center to start. Boggs hit a comebacker to the mound and Rice grounded out to third to end the inning. The Mariners struck first in the bottom of the fourth as Bonnell singled to start. Thomas flied out to left but Putnam singled. Cowens beat out a double play and that proved huge as Davis blasted a three run home run to give the Mariners a commanding 3-0 lead. Kearney walked but Bradley grounded out to second to end the inning.
Easler singled to start the top of the fifth inning but Armas struck out. Stapleton banged into a double play to end the inning. Eck settled down in the bottom of the fifth as Owen was thrown out on a squibber in front of the plate. Perconte and Bonnell both grounded out to short to end the inning.
Young kept on dominating in the top of the sixth inning as Hoffman flied out to center to start. Allenson struck out but Remy singled. Evans hit a comebacker to the mound to end the inning. The Mariners struck again in the bottom of the sixth although Thomas grounded out to short to start. Putnam grounded out to first but Cowens launched a 70,000 foot home run halfway to British Columbia to increase the lead. Davis walked and Kearney flied out to center to end the inning with the Mariners leading 4-0.
Young kept the Sox down in the top of the seventh inning as Boggs grounded out to second to start. Rice singled but both Easler and Armas struck out to end the inning. Eck got three ground ball outs in the bottom of the seventh, retiring Bradley on a comebacker to start. Owen grounded out to second and Perconte grounded out to third to end the inning.
Somehow the Sox scored in the top of the eighth inning with Domingo Ramos now in the game at third with Bonnell taking over for Thomas in left. Stapleton doubled and moved to third on the Hoffman ground out. Allenson singled home Stapleton to put the Sox on the board. Rice struck out but Evans singled. Boggs walked to load the bases to chase Young from the game. With a chance to take the lead with one swing....Dave Beard struck out Rice to end the inning. Still, the Sox got one back to trail 4-1.
Just as soon as the Sox scored a run, the Mariners got it back in the bottom of the eighth. Bonnell grounded out to first to start before Ramos struck out. Putnam doubled and Larry Milbourne pinch ran for him. Cowens doubled home Milbourne for another Seattle run and Davis was intentionally walked. That was it for Dennis Eckersley as Sox manager Ralph Houk pulled him before he could register a complete game. Mark Clear induced a ground out by Kearney to end the inning with the Mariners up 5-1.
The game looked to be all over but the Sox sprang to life in the top of the ninth. Easler doubled and Armas walked but Stapleton popped up to short. Rick Miller pinch hit for Hoffman and beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners with one down. Rich Gedman pinch hit for Allenson and Beard tried to pick Miller off at first...only the ball went under Davis' glove, scoring Easler and sending Miller to third. Gedman walked to put runners at the corners and bring the tying run to the plate. Mariners manager Dell Crandall brought in Mike Stanton and Stanton looked to have the game over when Remy hit a routine grounder to short. Owen somehow threw the ball away to allow Miller to score. Evans hit a ground ball up the middle for a base hit to score Gedman and somehow put the tying run on second. That was it for the incompetent Stanton as Crandall brought in Ed Vande Berg to finish the job. Instead Boggs walked to load the bases to put the tying run at third. Roy Thomas replaced Vande Berg and finally Rice flied out to left to end the game. A furious rally fell short and the Mariners had won 5-4.
Jackass of the Night is Dennis Eckersley. Sure the bats didn't wake up until the end but still, Eck allowed 5 runs in 7 2/3 innings when 4 or even 3 would have given the Sox a chance to win.
The Good:
Dwight Evans was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and stolen base.
Mike Easler was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Mark Clear retired the only man he faced.
Rick Miller pinch hit for Hoffman and scored a run.
Gary Allenson was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Rich Gedman walked and scored a run as a pinch hitter.
The Bad:
Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Jerry Remy was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Wade Boggs was 0 for 3 but walked twice.
Jim Rice was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Tony Armas was 0 for 3 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked.
Dave Stapleton was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Close but no cigar for the Sox in this one. After going lifeless for most of the game, at least it was nice to see them spring to life in the ninth inning...albeit with the help of two errors. Still, at least they made it interesting at the end despite another dud pitched by Eckersley. He needs to get his head out of his ass because the Sox need him with everyone not named Bruce Hurst struggling. Speaking of Hurst (1-0), he goes Friday night against the red hot Detroit Tigers who haven't lost a game yet. Milt Wilcox will be Bruce's opponent when the Sox return home to Fenway Park.
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