Sox Walkoff Twins for Seventh Straight Win (9/6/86)

Make it seven wins in a row for the Boston Red Sox. Their latest victim was the Minnesota Twins in come from behind fashion. The Twins broke out to a 2-0 lead on Oil Can Boyd (14-9, 3.69 ERA) on a Kirby Puckett double in the third inning. Mark Portugal pitched shutout ball for the Twins until the seventh when Tony Armas got an rbi single off George Frazier. Jim Rice knocked in Wade Boggs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game and Marty Barrett drove in Dave Henderson in the ninth to win it. The Sox had stunned the Twins for their seventh straight win 3-2 at Fenway Park.

                                                         Ava Fabian approves of the win

Boyd got the ball in the top of the first and Kirby Puckett led off by popping up to Marty Barrett to start. Roy Smalley flied out to center and Kent Hrbek flied out to the left field wall to end the inning. Portugal got the ball in the bottom of the first and Wade Boggs grounded back to the mound to start. Marty Barrett got a base hit to left but Bill Buckner flied out to center. Jim Rice got a base hit to right but Barrett was thrown out at home to end the inning.

                                                             Yerrrrr out!

Gary Gaetti led off the top of the second with a grounder to third before Tom Brunansky grounded out to short. Randy Bush flied out to right to end the inning. Don Baylor flied out to left to start the bottom of the second before Dwight Evans walked. Tony Armas popped up to third and Rich Gedman grounded out to third to end the inning.

The Twins struck first in the top of the third as Jeff Reed singled to left to start. Steve Lombardozzi struck out swinging but Greg Gagne singled in the hole at short. Reed fell down and damn near got thrown out at second, but Puckett cleared the bases with a double to the centerfield wall. Smalley took strike three and Hrbek grounded out to second to end the inning with the Twins up 2-0.

                                                            Puckett drives in a pair

Spike Owen led off the bottom of the third by grounding back to the mound, but Boggs doubled off the Monster. Barrett popped up to second and Buckner grounded out to second to end the inning.

Gaetti got a base hit to center to start the top of the fourth but Brunansky struck out swinging. Gaetti was thrown out trying to steal but Bush got a base hit to right. Reed flied out to left to end the inning. Rice flied out to right to begin the bottom of the fourth before Baylor grounded out to third. Evans flied out to center to end the inning.

Lombardozzi popped up to Boggs in foul territory to start the top of the fifth before Gagne struck out swinging. Puckett lined out to left to end the inning. Armas grounded out to third to open the bottom of the fifth before Gedman lined out to left. Owen popped up a bunt to second to end the inning.

Smalley beat out a roller to short to start the top of the sixth but Hrbek lined out to short. Gaetti flied out to left and Brunansky popped up to second to end the inning. Boggs led off the bottom of the sixth before Barrett flied out to center. Buckner grounded out to third to end the inning.

Bush led off the top of the seventh by grounding out to Buckner to start. Reed grounded out to second and Lombardozzi struck out swinging to end the inning. 

                                                        "Can you guys score now?" - Boyd

The Sox fought back in the bottom of the seventh with Billy Beane in for Bush in left. Rice grounded a base hit up the middle and Baylor was plunked. Evans hit a triple play ball to third but Gaetti threw the ball into right field for an error to move Baylor to third. That was it for Portugal as Twins manager Ray Miller came to get the ball, only for Portugal to yell at him on his way to the dugout. George Frazier came in to pitch and Armas drilled a base hit to left to score Baylor. Gedman grounded into a double play to end the inning but the Sox were down 2-1.

                                                         Baylor scores a run

Gagne grounded out to third to start the top of the eighth and Puckett flied out to left. Smalley struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox rallied again in the bottom of the eighth with LaSchelle Tarver pinch hitting for Owen to start. Tarver struck out swinging but Boggs doubled off the Monster. Barrett took strike three but Buckner drew a walk. Ed Romero pinch ran for Buckner and Rice hit a seeing eye single to left to score Boggs with the tying run. Baylor walked to load the bases but Evans flied out to center to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.

                                                    Boggs scores to tie it up

Boyd returned to finish the job in the top of the ninth with Pat Dodson now at first and Romero at short. Hrbek, Gaetti and Brunansky all struck out swinging in short order to begin and end the inning. Boyd went all 9 innings allowing 2 runs on just 6 hits while striking out 9.

                                                           Boyd jumps for joy

Frazier returned for the bottom of the ninth and Armas led off with a swinging strikeout. Gedman grounded out to first but International League MVP Dodson got his first major league hit with a single off the glove of Lombardozzi. Boggs walked and Dave Henderson ran for Dodson with Keith Atherton in to pitch to Barrett. Marty ripped a base hit to right to score Henderson to win the game. The Sox had walked off the Twins 3-2.

                                                             Sox win

Hero of The Night is Marty Barrett. He knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

                                                         Hero Barrett

The Good:

Wade Boggs was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.

Jim Rice was 3 for 4 with an rbi.

Don Baylor walked, was hit with a pitch and scored a run in four plate appearances.

Pat Dodson got his first major league hit in his only at-bat.

Dave Henderson scored the winning run as a pinch runner.

Oil Can Boyd tossed a complete game 6 hitter allowing just 2 runs while striking out nine.

The Bad:

Rich Gedman was 0 for 4.

Spike Owen was 0 for 2.

LaSchelle Tarver struck out as a pinch hitter.

The Ugly:

Bill Buckner was 0 for 3 but walked.

Dwight Evans was 0 for 3 but walked.

Tony Armas was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.

Honorable Mention:

Ed Romero played short in the top of the ninth.

Final Thoughts:

What a win by the red hot Red Sox as they close in on the American League East title. The Sox looked a little shaky dropping 4 of 5 to end August but they've come out swinging in September. The Sox play Toronto in six out of seven games starting in two weeks but Boston has to get there first. Oil Can Boyd pitched a hell of a game and he's got a legitimate shot at 17 wins. The Sox need more starts like that to rest the bullpen for better days, especially if there is October baseball to be played. The Sox have been finding ways to win at the plate all year and this game was no different. Hopefully they can ride this momentum as long as they can to bring them their first AL East crown in 11 years. The win improved the Sox to 81-54, 5.5 games ahead of the Blue Jays for first place in the AL East with 27 games left to play. The Sox look to make it eight in a row and series sweep of the Twins tomorrow afternoon when Bruce Hurst takes on Neal Heaton of Minnesota. The game begins at 2:00 PM at Fenway Park.

Andujar, A's Defeat Sox (7/22/86)

The road trip from hell keeps going for the Boston Red Sox. Their slide continued as they were beaten once again by the Oakland A's. This time it was Joaquin Andujar that shut down the Boston attack. Playing without some of their regulars, the undermanned Sox were held to just two runs in 7 1/3 innings on a Rich Gedman home run. Tom Seaver (4-8, 4.10 ERA) was tagged for 4 runs in 6 2/3 innings and the Sox failed to get to the A's bullpen. Steve Ontiveros slammed the door and the A's beat the Sox 4-2 at Oakland Coliseum.

                                                        "Damn A's"

Andujar got the ball in the top of the first inning and Marty Barrett led off with a grounder to first. Wade Boggs grounded back to the mound but Bill Buckner doubled to center. Don Baylor grounded out to short to end the inning. Seaver got blasted in the bottom of the first as Tony Phillips grounded out to second to start. Dwayne Murphy walked but Jose Canseco popped up to short. Bruce Bochte singled to left and both runners moved over on a wild pitch. Dave Kingman drilled a base hit to center to score both runners and took off for second. Sox catcher Rich Gedman threw to the wrong base and Kingman made it to third on the error. Carney Lansford doubled to left to score Kingman with another run but Mike Davis grounded out to second to end the inning with the A's up 3-0.

                                                         Lansford drives in a run

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the second as Dwight Evans grounded out to short to start. Rich Gedman lined out to center and Mike Stenhouse flied out to left to end the inning. Jerry Willard walked to start the bottom of the second before Alfredo Griffin dropped down a bunt to move Willard to second. Phillips lined out to a running Evans and Murphy flied out to right to end the inning.

Rey Quinones grounded out to second to start the top of the third before LaSchelle Tarver grounded out to first. Barrett dumped a base hit to left and Boggs grounded out to second to end the inning. Canseco's bunt attempt was snuffed out by Seaver to start the bottom of the third before Bochte grounded out to first. Kingman grounded out to third to end the inning.

The Sox struck back in the top of the fourth as Buckner flied out to center to start. Baylor cracked a single to right and moved to second when the Andujar pickoff throw went wide. Evans grounded out to short but Gedman crushed his 6th home run of the season to cut the lead. Stenhouse flied out to the right field wall to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.

                                                         Sox are back in it

Seaver settled down in the bottom of the fourth as Lansford grounded out to third to start. Davis grounded out to first and Willard grounded out to second to end the inning.

Quinones led off the top of the fifth with a ground out to second before Tarver struck out swinging. Barrett flied out to right to end the inning. Griffin flied out to left to start the bottom of the fifth before Phillips grounded out to second. Murphy struck out swinging to end the inning.

Boggs grounded back to the mound to start the top of the sixth before Buckner flied out to left. Baylor popped up to short to end the inning. Canseco flied out to right to start the bottom of the sixth but Bochte doubled to right. Kingman and Lansford both grounded out to short to end the inning. 

Evans got a base hit off the glove of Griffin to start the top of the seventh but Gedman grounded into a double play. Stenhouse walked but Quinones struck out swinging to end the inning. The ChiSox chased Seaver in the bottom of the seventh as Davis singled in the hole at short to start. Willard singled to center to move Davis to third and Mike scored on the Alfredo sac fly to left. Phillips took strike three but Murphy walked to chase Seaver. He didn't have his best stuff, allowing 4 runs in 6 2/3 innings off 6 hits and 3 walks. Bob Stanley punched out Canseco swinging with the A's leading 4-2.

                                       "Yeah you're out, Tom. Now beat it!" - McNamara

The Sox blew a rally in the top of the eighth as Tarver got a base hit to center to begin. A wild pitch moved Tarver to second but Barrett flied out to center. Boggs walked to chase Andujar and Dave Von Ohlen came in to pitch to Buckner. Bill flied out to center and Steve Ontiveros came in to pitch to Baylor. Baylor struck out swinging to end the inning. Bochte popped up to second to start the bottom of the eighth before Kingman grounded out to third. Lansford flied out to right to end the inning.

Ontiveros returned to close out the top of the ninth and Evans flied out to right to start. Gedman grounded out to short and Stenhouse grounded out to third to end the game. The A's had won it 4-2.

                                                          A's win

Jackass of the Night is Tom Seaver. He put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of, allowing 4 runs in 6 2/3 innings.

                                                               Jackass Seaver

The Good:

LaSchelle Tarver was 1 for 3.

Bob Stanley tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

The Bad:

Rey Quinones was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

The Ugly:

Marty Barrett was just 1 for 4.

Wade Boggs was 0 for 3 but walked.

Bill Buckner was just 1 for 4.

Don Baylor was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.

Dwight Evans was just 1 for 4.

Rich Gedman was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a 2 run home run.

Mike Stenhouse was 0 for 3 but walked.

Final Thoughts:

Going back to just before the All-Star break the Sox have now lost 6 of their last 7, 7 out of 9 and 3 in a row. Losing 3 out of 4 to Seattle was embarrassing but now dropping the first two games in Oakland is inexcusable. To be fair, Jim Rice, Tony Armas and Ed Romero didn't play but still. Andujar isn't the same pitcher as he was the last few years in St. Louis and they still couldn't touch him. Seaver didn't really pitch that bad but without run support, he was doomed for a loss. The Sox clearly weren't ready to play coming out of the break but hopefully they snap their funk soon before their lead in the AL East is gone. The loss dropped the Sox to 57-36, 4 games in front of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to avoid a series sweep tomorrow afternoon against the A's when Al Nipper takes on Dave Stewart of Oakland. The game begins at 3:05 PM Eastern time at Oakland Coliseum.