Cowley got the ball in the top of the first instead of the sick Dennis Rasmussen and Wade Boggs walked on a pitch to the backstop to start. Dwight Evans walked but Jim Rice struck out swinging. Mike Easler grounded into a double play to end the inning. Boyd got the ball in the bottom of the first and Rickey Henderson made his season debut by popping up to third to start. Willie Randolph drew a full count walk but Don Mattingly struck out swinging. Dave Winfield popped up to right to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second as Tony Armas golfed a base hit past Bob Meachem to start. Bill Buckner drew a walk but was forced at second by Rich Gedman to put runners at the corners. Marty Barrett scored Armas hit a sac fly to score Armas to put the Sox on top. Jackie Gutierrez sliced a base hit to right but Boggs flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Don Baylor led off the bottom of the second by striking out swinging on a big curveball to start. Ken Griffey flied out to right but Mike Pagliarulo walked. Butch Wynegar grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the third inning although Evans struck out swinging to start. Rice also went down hacking but Easler cranked his second home run of the season to right to increase the lead. Armas popped up to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Meachem led off the bottom of the third with a bloop hit to left and moved to second on the Henderson grounder to third. Randolph grounded back to the mound and Mattingly struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth as Randolph knocked down a Buckner grounder and threw him out to start. Gedman popped up to short and Barrett popped up to center to end the inning. Winfield hit one up the elevator shaft to start the bottom of the fourth before Baylor flied out to left. Griffey flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the fifth as Gutierrez singled off the glove of Meachem to begin. Gutierrez took off for second and Wynegar bounced the throw into center to advance Jackie to third on the error. Boggs scored Gutierrez with a sac fly to left to increase the lead but Evans grounded out to second. Rice flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
The Yankees threatened in the bottom of the fifth as Pagliarulo doubled to the right field wall to start. Wynegar flied out into the right field corner and Evans told the umpires that somebody threw trash at him while he was trying to make the catch. Meachem caught Boyd asleep with a bunt single to put runners at the corners. Henderson popped up to Buckner and Randolph flied out to the left field warning track to end the inning.
Bob Shirley replaced Cowley to start the top of the sixth and Easler grounded out to short to start. Armas flied out to center and Buckner struck out swinging to end the inning. The Yankees began their comeback in the bottom of the sixth although Mattingly lined out to short to start. Winfield singled over the head of Gutierrez and Baylor hit a hanging curve into the left field stands to cut the lead. Griffey flied out to deep right and a fan tried to throw beer at Evans making the catch. Alert Yankee Stadium security seized the beer thrower and wrestled him to the ground. Pagliarulo struck out swinging to end the inning but the Yankees were back in it down 3-2.
The Sox answered in the top of the seventh as Gedman singled down the first base line to start. Barrett dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Gedman to second and Randolph booted a grounder by Gutierrez for an error. Boggs walked to load the bases and Evans walked to score Gedman with another run. With a chance to break the game open....Rice banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox led 4-2 but the double play cost them dearly.
The Yankees knocked Boyd out in the bottom of the seventh although Wynegar popped up to first to start. Meachem walked and Henderson singled down the left field line to chase Boyd. Bob Stanley replaced Boyd and Randolph forced Henderson at second, but Mattingly singled home Meachem to cut the lead. Winfield went down swinging to end the inning with the Yankees down 4-3.
Easler hit a routine pop up to Griffey who dropped it for an error to leave Mike at second base to start the top of the eighth. Armas grounded out to short and Meachem dove into the stands to catch a pop up by Buckner. Gedman struck out swinging to end the inning. The Yankees tied it in the bottom of the eighth although Baylor grounded out to second to start. Griffey and Pagliarulo drew back to back walks before Wynegar doubled to right to score Griffey to tie the game. Meachem was intentionally walked and Henderson banged into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 4-4.
Barrett hit a routine grounder to Meachem who booted it for an error to start the top of the ninth. Gutierrez moved Barrett to second with a sacrifice bunt and Dave Righetti came in to pitch. Boggs and Evans both struck out swinging to end the inning. Stanley cruised in the bottom of the ninth as Randolph struck out swinging to start. Mattingly popped up to short and Winfield flied out to a running Rice to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the tenth as Rice grounded back to the mound to start. Easler struck out swinging but Armas ripped a base hit to left. Steve Lyons pinch ran for Armas and Buckner sliced a base hit to left to advance Steve to third. Reid Nichols pinch hit for Gedman but grounded out to third to end the inning. Baylor struck out swinging to start the bottom of the tenth with Marc Sullivan now behind the plate. All of a sudden Sox manager John McNamara brought in Bob Ojeda to pitch and Griffey flied out to left. Pagliarulo struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox rallied against Righetti in the top of the eleventh as Barrett lined a base hit to center to begin. Gutierrez dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Marty to second and Boggs singled in the hole at short to put runners at the corners. Evans slashed a base hit to left to score Barrett to give the Sox the lead. Rice banged into a double play to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 5-4.
Ojeda came back to close out the bottom of the eleventh but Wynegar lined a base hit to right to start. Henry Cotto pinch ran for Wynegar and Meachem sacrificed Henry to second. Henderson lined out to short and Randolph grounded out to second to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-4 in 11 innings.
The Good:
Wade Boggs was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and an rbi.
Tony Armas was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Marty Barrett was 1 for 3 with an rbi and a run scored.
Jackie Gutierrez was 2 for 3 with a stolen base and a run scored.
Oil Can Boyd pitched well, allowing just 3 runs in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed 6 hits and 3 walks.
Bob Ojeda got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Jim Rice was 0 for 6 with 2 strikeouts.
Reid Nichols grounded out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Mike Easler was just 1 for 5 but the one hit was a home run.
Bill Buckner was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked.
Rich Gedman was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Bob Stanley allowed an inherited runner to score and one of his own in 3 innings of work.
Honorable Mention:
Steve Lyons pinch ran for Armas and played center in the final inning.
Marc Sullivan caught the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
It wasn't easy but a win is a win, especially on the road. The Sox could have broken this game open when it was 4-2 but instead the Yankees came back to tie the game. Hats off to the Sox to keep the game tied after that with Stanley and Ojeda giving New York nothing after the eighth inning. Evans had an eventful night dealing with rowdy fans and still managed to deliver the game winning hit. The Sox are treading water in April and hopefully their pitching can hold up the whole season to match the offense. Boyd looked good tonight and its a shame Stanley couldn't hold the lead. Ojeda coming out of the bullpen was interesting but at least it worked tonight. The Sox look to make it two in a row against the Yankees tomorrow night when Al Nipper takes the mound against Ron Guidry of New York. The game begins at 7:00 PM at Yankee Stadium.
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