Sorensen took the mound in the top of the first and Jerry Remy greeted him with a base hit. Dwight Evans popped up to first and Remy moved to second on the groundout by Wade Boggs. Jim Rice grounded out to short to end the inning. Oil Can Boyd made his season debut by getting smacked around in the bottom of the first inning. Rickey Henderson walked and stole second although Boyd punched out Dwayne Murphy. Boyd had Henderson dead to rights with a pickoff throw....right through the glove of Dave Stapleton at first which allowed Rickey to move to third. Joe Morgan walked to put runners at the corners and old pal Carney Lansford singled home Henderson, moving Morgan to third. Bruce Botche singled home Morgan although Boyd recovered to strike out Dave Kingman. Mike Davis flied out to left to end the inning but the A's were up 2-0.'
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the second inning. Mike Easler struck out, Tomy Armas grounded out to short and Stapleton grounded out to second to end the inning. Boyd settled down in the bottom of the second inning as he got Mike Heath to ground out to second to start. Donnie Hill and Henderson both flied out to center to end the inning.
The duel continued in the top of the third inning when Glenn Hoffman grounded out to third to start.Gary Allenson flied out to right and Remy grounded out to second to end the inning. Boyd matched Sorensen in the bottom of the third as Murphy flied out to right to begin. Morgan popped up to first and Lansford hit a comebacker to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the fourth inning. Evans grounded out to third, Boggs grounded out to first and Rice grounded out to short to end the inning. Boyd nearly had similar success in the bottom of the fourth by getting Bochte to fly out to left to begin. Kingman popped up to third but Davis walked. The alert Allenson gunned down Davis trying to steal to end the inning.
The Sox couldn't capitalize on the caught stealing in the top of the fifth inning. Easler whiffed and Armas grounded out to short, although Stapleton singled. Hoffman grounded into a force to end the inning. Boyd almost had a perfect bottom of the fifth when Heath grounded out to third to start. Hill flied out to left but Henderson doubled. Murphy grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox still couldn't crack Sorensen in the top of the sixth inning as Allenson popped up to short, Remy grounded out to second and Evans popped to short to end it. Morgan popped up to first to start the bottom of the sixth before Lansford doubled. Bochte walked but the Sox got some defensive helped when Remy snared a line drive by Kingman and doubled Carney off second to end the inning.
Still no scoring for the Sox offense in the top of the seventh inning a Boggs grounded out to second to start. Rice popped up to first but Easler doubled. Representing the tying run...Armas grounded out to short to end the inning. The A's struck again in the bottom of the seventh although Davis flied out to center to start. Heath doubled but Hill grounded out to second. Henderson singled home Heath then swiped second. Murphy struck out to end the inning but it was now 3-0 A's.
The Sox finally woke up in the top of the eighth but it was too little, too late. Stapleton singled and Rick Miller pinch hit for Hoffman...just to fly out to right. Rich Gedman pinch hit for Allenson and grounded out, advancing Stapleton to second. Remy poked a single to score Stapleton and cut the lead to two runs. That was it for Sorensen as Bob Caudill came in and got Evans to fly out to right to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
Boyd came back to finish his work in the bottom of the eighth inning with Jackie Gutierrez playing short and Gedman behind the plate. Morgan grounded out to third and Lansford flied out to right, but Bochte walked. Kingman popped up to first to end the inning.
The Sox had one last chance against Caudill in the top of the ninth inning. Boggs grounded out to second and Rice popped up to first, but Easler walked. Once again representing the tying run...Armas whiffed to end the game. The A's had won it 3-1.
Jackass of the Night is Tony Armas. Twice he came up representing the tying run and twice he failed to drive in a run.
The Good:
Jerry Remy was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Mike Easler was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Dave Stapleton was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the good list. Oil Can Boyd tossed a complete game, going the distance and allowing just 3 runs. Unfortunately the offense never showed up and he took the loss.
The Bad:
Dwight Evans was 0 for 4.
Wade Boggs was 0 for 4.
Jim Rice was 0 for 4.
Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 2 at the plate.
Rick Miller flied out in his only plate appearance.
Gary Allenson was 0 for 2 at the plate.
Rich Gedman grounded out in his only plate appearance.
The Ugly:
None
Honorable Mention:
Jackie Gutierrez played short in the bottom of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
Not much Boyd could have done if the offense couldn't wake up. Maybe they're homesick, who knows? Bottom line is the offense took the day off and they can't afford to do that unless they find an ace pitcher somewhere down the road. Tomorrow Bruce Hurst (0-1) looks for redemption opposite Mike Warren at the Oakland Coliseum. Maybe the offense will have better luck tomorrow than they did in this one.
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