After Ted Williams threw out the first pitch, Bruce Hurst took the mound in the top of the first inning. Len Dykstra grounded out to second to begin the frame before Tim Teufel made up for his game one error with a gap shot double. Keith Hernandez advanced Teufel with a ground out to second but Gary Carter also grounded out to second to end the inning. Dwight Gooden got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Wade Boggs hit a weak tapper back to Gooden for the first out. Marty Barrett walked but was foolishly picked off before Bill Buckner could even step to the plate. The pickoff was costly as Buckner singled up the middle and Jim Rice hit one off the glove of Teufel. Instead of the bases loaded and one out, it was 2 on and 2 out as Teufel was not charged with an error. Don Baylor got plunked to load the bases (which would have scored Barrett) which brought up Dwight Evans, who failed to produce in the first inning last night. History repeated itself as Evan popped up to left to end the inning. The Sox had 4 men on base but couldn't score any of them.
Darryl Strawberry began the top of the second inning by grounding out to first, Hurst having to cover first since Buckner couldn't move on his bad heels. Ray Knight flied out to right and Boggs made a diving grab and threw to first to nab Kevin Mitchell to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Vin Scully put over Ted Williams' final at-bat at Fenway back in 1960. Rich Gedman greeted Gooden by lofting a broken bat pop up to short to begin. Dave Henderson then lined one into the gap that made both Strawberry and Dykstra fall down, Hendu motoring into third with a triple. Spike Owen popped up to left but Henderson made a mad dash home to score the game's first run. Boggs grounded out to first to end the inning but the Sox had a 1-0 lead.
Hurst began the top of the third inning by freezing Mookie Wilson as Scully says this was the first time the home team has led in the entire series. Rafael Santana walked and Dykstra blooped a single to center to put the Mets in business. Hurst recovered to get Teufel and Hernandez to both fly out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the second although Barrett grounded out to second to begin. Buckner reached on a Santana error and Rice walked, but Baylor swung at a ball in the dirt for strike three. Evans lashed a single to center and Buckner dove into home safe. Gedman flied out to center to end the inning but the Sox were now up 2-0.
Could Hurst pitch with the lead in the top of the fourth? YES! He froze Carter with a pitch at the knees although Strawberry lashed a single by the lunging Barrett. Knight banged into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning. The Sox threatened in the bottom of the fourth although Henderson swung at a ball in the dirt to begin. Scully brought up how Gooden was drafted 5th overall by the Mets in the 1982 draft and Spike Owen was chosen 6th overall by the Mariners. Owen whiffed but Boggs singled up the middle just as Scully said he was 0 for his last 8. Barrett stroked a seeing eye single that moved Wade to third but Hernandez robbed Buckner of a single to end the inning.
The Mets threatened in the top of the fifth inning when Mitchell blooped a single to right and Wilson singled in the hole at second. Santana dropped down a sac bunt to move both runners into scoring position but Hurst got a huge out by striking out Dykstra. Teufel grounded out to third to end the inning as Fenway roared. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fifth inning. Rice lit up the crowd with a wind blown triple off the top off the bullpen wall, mere feet from a home run. Baylor scored Rice with a bloop single to right and Evans chased Gooden with a single to move Baylor to third. Bye Bye Gooden.
Sid Fernandez took the mound and struck out Gedman but Henderson doubled down the left field line to score Baylor. Evans moved to third and was one hit away from breaking it open, but Owen was robbed of an rbi single by Teufel and Evans couldn't move. Boggs flied out to left to end the inning but it was 4-0 Sox.
Hurst returned for the top of the sixth and retired Hernandez on a one hopper to Owen. Carter grounded out to third and Strawberry was caught looking to end the inning as Scully was reciting The Music Man for no apparent reason. Fernandez returned for the bottom of the sixth and Barrett popped up to first to begin. Buckner flied out to left and Rice struck out to end the inning.
Knight led off the top of the seventh with a bloop single to right with 3 guys chasing the ball, but holding Ray at first on a heads up play by Gedman to cover second. Hurst recovered to make Mitchell swing at air and Wilson to fly out to right. Santana popped up to second to end the inning, that's 15 innings and ZERO runs allowed by Hurst in this series. Fernandez came back for the bottom of the seventh and whiffed Baylor to start. Evans grounded out to short and Gedman whiffed as well to end the inning.
The Mets finally cracked Hurst in the top of the eighth inning. Dykstra popped up to Owen to start but Teufel hit a wind aided, 300 foot home run down the right field line to put the Mets on the board. Hernandez blooped a single to right but Hurst recovered to get Carter to ground out to second. With the sell-out crowd on their feet, Hurst got Strawberry to pop up to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1
The fans started taunting Strawberry in the bottom of the eighth as he tipped his cap to the crowd. The Sox threatened in the bottom of the eighth while it appeared Hurst's night was done with Calvin Schiraldi warming in the bullpen. Henderson flied out to right and Owen whiffed but Boggs singled off the ankle of Teufel who hopped around screaming "habooooowoahhowhowhow!!!!" Barrett doubled off the Monster but Buckner ended his night by popping up to third to end the inning.
Hurst shockingly came back to finish his work in the top of the ninth. Dave Stapleton took over at first for Buckner as Bruce needed just one pitch to retire Knight on a grounder to third. Mitchell popped up to first as the crowd rose to its feet in the final game at Fenway Park this season. Wilson delayed the celebration with a double into the left field corner. Santana made it interesting by lining a base hit to right to score Wilson and bringing the tying run to the plate in Dykstra. Hurst got Dykstra to chase a high pitch to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-2 and were one win away from being World Series champions.
Hero of the Night is Bruce Hurst. He went the distance to save the bullpen for Game 6 and tossed a gem. 9 innings of 2 run ball to put the Sox one win away from the championship.
The Good:
Wade Boggs was 2 for 5.
Marty Barrett was 2 for 4 with a walk.
Jim Rice was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Don Baylor was 1 for 3 with an rbi and a run scored.
Dwight Evans was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Dave Henderson was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
The Bad:
Rich Gedman was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Bill Buckner was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Spike Owen was 0 for 3 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Dave Stapleton played first base in the top of the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
Could it be? Could the Sox finally win the championship that's eluded them for 68 years? It sure looks good after Hurst's complete game victory. The bullpen will be well rested headed into Game 6 with Roger Clemens, the shoo-in for the AL Cy Young award, looming to pitch. Bob Ojeda pitched a great Game 3 so he'll be tough but Clemens is due for a gem. As mentioned earlier, the Sox look to finish off the World Series in Game 6 with Clemens going opposite Ojeda at Shea Stadium. If the Sox were to win it all, it will have to be on the road. Still, after nearly 68 years of misery it won't matter where they win it as long as they win it. For guys like Rice who missed the 75 Series and guys like Sammy Stewart that have already won it, it will all be worth it in the end if they win just one more game.
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