Hurst took the ball in the top of the first inning and Rick Burleson popped up to Marty Barrett in short right to begin the game. Wally Joyner knocked down Wade Boggs with a base hit to third but was erased on the Brian Downing force. Doug DeCinces popped up into the sun but Dwight Evans snared it to end the inning. McCaskill got the ball in the bottom of the first and the Sox immediately tagged him. Boggs tripled off the Monster before Barrett doubled down the right field line to put the Sox up 2 batters into the game. Bill Buckner hit a shot but right to Gary Pettis and Barrett was caught in a rundown on a ground ball by Rice. Baylor singled off the Monster to put runners at the corners but Dwight Evans lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Hurst struck out George Hendrick to begin the top of the second before Bobby Grich hit a broken bat bloop single. Dick Schofield flied out to a running Tony Armas before Bob Boone hit a routine pop up but Spike Owen dropped for an error in foul territory. Boone failed to take advantage of the second chance as he looked at strike three to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the first when Rich Gedman singled to left center to start. Armas whiffed but Owen atoned for his error with a base hit off a rock that went up the middle, fooling Schofield. McCaskill was blinded by the sun on a ground ball by Boggs which was ruled a hit to load the bases. Barrett lined a base hit to drive in another run as Gedman scored. Buckner banged into a double play to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 2-0.
Hurst kept up the pace in the top of the third inning as Pettis grounded out to third to start. Mark "The Bird" Fidrych was shown in the crowd as Burleson flied out to right. Evans climbed the wall in right to rob Joyner of a home run to end the inning. Rice whiffed to begin the bottom of the third before Baylor drew a walk. Evans flied out to right before Gedman grounded into a force to end the inning.
The Angels struck back in the top of the fourth as Downing led off with a base hit just in front of Armas. DeCinces whacked a single into left field but Hendrick popped up to third. Grich hit a routine grounder to third but Boggs booted it to load the bases on the error. Owen compounded the situation by failing to get the ball out of his glove on a grounder by Schofield to score Downing. Hurst got a big out when Boone popped up to second and Pettis lined out to a running Armas to end the inning but it was 2-1 Sox.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Armas and Owen both grounded out to first to start. Boggs grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Angels tied it up in the top of the fifth inning although Burleson grounded out to short to begin. Joyner crushed a 500,000 foot home run to tie the game. Downing popped up to first and DinCinces grounded out to short to end the inning with the game tied 2-2
The Sox retook the lead although Barrett led off the bottom of the fifth by looking at strike three. Buckner singled up the middle but Rice whiffed. Baylor drew a walk and Evans hit a routine pop up to Grich but he lost it in the sun. The ball dropped in and Buckner scored to give the Sox the lead on the "single" by Evans. Evans ended up on second and Baylor on third but Gedman was rung up on a check swing to end the inning with the Sox now ahead 3-2.
Hurst got Hendrick to pop up to Buckner to begin the top of the sixth. Grich and Schofield struck back to back singles before the Angels made a huge blunder. Boone lined a single to left and Rice gunned it to the cutoff man. Angels third base coach Moose Stubing never moved and Grich rounded third. He figured the throw was coming home so he trotted back to third only to see Schofield barreling toward third. Hung up, Grich was tagged out and was FURIOUS with Stubing for falling asleep at the switch. Hurst froze Pettis for strike three to end the inning with the lead still intact.
Boston failed to capitalize on the break in the bottom of the 6th as Armas grounded out to short to start. Owen grounded out to first before Boggs lined out to second to end the inning.
Hurst came back for the top of the seventh and Burleson hit a bloop single just in front of a diving Armas to start. Joyner helped the Sox by banging into a double play before Downing whiffed to end the inning. The Angels puked on themselves in the bottom of the seventh inning although Barrett took strike three to start. Buckner hit a routine grounder to second that Grich booted for an error. Rice lined a base hit to center and Baylor walked to load the bases. Evans hit a routine grounder to third but DiCences tripped and fell, allowing Rice to reach third safely. Buckner scored the insurance run and the bases were reloaded. Gedman hit a perfect double play ball to second but Schofield threw the relay throw to first away which allowed Rice to score. Baylor made the turn for home and Joyner heaved the ball over everything which allowed Don to score the killshot. The Angels managed to commit 3 errors (4 really) in the same inning. Armas grounded out to third but the Sox now led 6-2
Dave Henderson came in for Armas in the top of the eighth and DeCinces flied out to right to begin. Hurst had to hustle to field a throw from Buckner to get Hendrick at first and Grich grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the eighth with Gary Lucas now on the mound. Owen drew a walk and Boggs dropped down a bunt to move him a second. Barrett singled Owen to third and Buckner scored Spike with a sac fly to left. That was it for Lucas as Doug Corbett was brought in to pitch to Rice. Rice made the Angels pay by smashing a 2 run home run into the Angels bullpen to end the scoring. The Fenway faithful started serenading the Angels with "Na na na na, kiss him goodbye" before Baylor singled off the Monster. Evans lined out to 3rd to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-2.
Dave Stapleton took over at first in the top of the ninth and Barrett caught a looper by Schofield to start. Boone flied out to center but Pettis singled to center. Burleson grounded into a force to end the game. The Sox had taken Game 2 with a 9-2 win to send the series to California tied.
Hero of the Night is Bruce Hurst. The offense was rocking and rolling but Hurst went the distance allowing just 2 runs, 1 earned.
The Good:
Wade Boggs was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Marty Barrett was 3 for 5 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Jim Rice was 2 for 5 with a 2 run home run.
Don Baylor was 2 for 2 with 3 walks and a run scored.
Spike Owen was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
The Bad:
Tony Armas was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Bill Buckner was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored twice.
Dwight Evans was just 1 for 5 but drove in 2 runs.
Rich Gedman was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored.
Honorable Mention:
Dave Henderson played centerfield in the final 2 innings.
Dave Stapleton played first base in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Even though it was a feel good win to beat up the Angels, trouble looms on the horizon. The Sox are going to have to rely on Oil Can Boyd and Al Nipper in Anaheim and that may not be ideal. The injury to Tom Seaver put the Sox behind the 8-ball after Hurst and Clemens. The Sox offense is going to have to step up in the next two games to get it back to Clemens and Hurst in the following games. As for this one, the Sox offense didn't really pound the Angels as it was California just throwing up on themselves. The Angels couldn't get out of their own way defensively and they're going to rebound for sure in Anaheim. Still, Hurst stepped up big and now its time for the others to pitch in if the Sox want to get to the World Series for the first time in 11 years. After an off-day tomorrow, the Sox travel to Anaheim for Game 3 of the series. Oil Can Boyd goes for the Sox up against John Candelaria this Friday night at 8:00 PM Eastern Time at Anaheim Stadium.
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