The good news was the Boston Celtics defeated the New York Knicks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Finals series but the bad news was the Cleveland Indians beat the Boston Red Sox with speed and shut down pitching. Marty Pattin (0-2, 3.46 ERA) was game but Indians ace Gaylord Perry damn near threw a complete game 5 hitter to shut down the Boston bats. Not only that but two of the Indian runs came off stolen bases and they stole FOUR total off of Sox catcher Bob Montgomery. Nobody besides Doug Griffin is hitting through the first few games this season and once again Pattin was the hard luck loser as the Indians took the game 3-1 at Fenway Park.
Pattin got the ball in the top of the first inning and Del Unser ripped a base hit to start. Eddie Leon struck out looking and Alex Johnson banged into a double play to end the inning. Perry cruised in the bottom of the first as Tommy Harper led off by taking strike three to start. Luis Aparacio grounded out to third and and Carl Yastrzemski flied out to left to end the inning.
The Indians struck first in the top of the second inning as Graig Nettles grounded out to second to start. Tommy McCraw singled and stole second, but Ray Fosse popped up to short. Buddy Bell hit a bullet to Aparicio who knocked the ball down but then dryland swam on it for an error to score McCraw from second. Bell swiped second but Frank Duffy grounded out to first to end the inning with the Indians ahead 1-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the second as Reggie Smith grounded out to first to start. Rico Petrocelli flied out to center and Danny Cater struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Indians threatened in the top of the third as Perry himself struck out swinging to start. Unser walked but Leon flied out to center before Johnson lined a base hit up the middle to move Unser to third. Nettles flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the third as Doug Griffin singled to right to start. Bob Montgomery made up for his two stolen bases allowed with a base hit to center and Pattin beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Griffin then was foolishly thrown out at home on a grounder to third by Harper but Aparicio atoned for his error by walking to load the bases. Yaz....grounded out to first to end the rally and the inning.
The Indians struck again in the top of the fourth as McCraw singled and stole second again. Fosse then hit a bullet off the Monster that scored McCraw easily but Yaz gunned him down at second. Bell singled to right but Duffy banged into a double play to end the inning with the Indians up 2-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fourth as Smith grounded out to second to start. Petrocelli took strike three and Cater grounded out to second to end the inning.
Pattin settled down in the top of the fifth as Perry took strike three to start. Unser was retired on a squibber in front of the plate and Leon flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fifth as Griffin walked to start. Montgomery flied out to center and Pattin sacrifice bunted Griffin to second. Harper ripped a base hit to right to score Griffin but Aparicio grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox down 2-1.
Pattin dominated the top of the sixth as Johnson lined out to right to start. Nettles grounded out to short and McCraw took strike three to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Yaz grounded out to second to start. Smith flied out to left but Petrocelli walked. With a chance to tie the game....Cater lined out to right to end the inning.
The Indians got a big insurance run in the top of the seventh as Fosse singled to left and Bell singled him all the way to third. Duffy popped up to short but Perry scored Fosse with a sac fly to center. Bell stole second for Cleveland's FOURTH steal of the day but Unser grounded out to second to end the inning. That was it for Pattin who allowed just 2 earned runs in 7 innings but 3 total, leaving trailing 3-1.
Griffin opened the bottom of the seventh by grounding out to third but Montgomery singled to center. Rookie Ben Oglivie made his season debut by flying out to right and Harper forced Montgomery at second to end the inning.
Luis Tiant made his season debut in the top of the eighth by allowing a base hit up the middle to Leon. Johnson struck out swinging, Nettles flied out to left and McCraw struck out swinging to end the inning. Aparicio popped up to second to start the bottom of the eighth before Yaz grounded out to second. Smith singled to right but Petrocelli forced him at second to end the inning.
Tiant returned for the top of the ninth and Fosse grounded out to short to start. Bell struck out swinging but Duffy walked. Perry took strike three to end the inning. The Sox caught a break in the bottom of the ninth when Nettles botched a routine grounder by Cater to start. Cater moved to second on the grounder to the mound by Griffin and Montgomery walked to put the tying run on. Sox managed Eddie Kasko sent in Bob Burda to pinch hit for Tiant only for Indians manager Ken Aspromonte to counter by relieving Perry with Steve Mignori. Kasko countered by pinch hitting Burda with Phil Gagliano and having rookie Rick Miller celebrate his 24th birthday by pinch running for Montgomery. Gagliano made his season debut by watching strike three go by which begs the question if Burda would have done better. Harper forced Miller at second to end the game. The Indians had won it 3-1.
Jackass of the Night is Danny Cater. He was 0 for 4 including striking out with the tying run on in the sixth inning.
The Good:
Doug Griffin was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Luis Tiant tossed 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Ben Oglivie flied out as a pinch hitter.
Phil Gagliano struck out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Tommy Harper was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but drove in the only run the Sox scored.
Luis Aparicio was 0 for 3 with an error but walked.
Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but gunned down Ray Fosse at second to stop an Indians rally.
Reggie Smith was just 1 for 4.
Rico Petrocelli was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Bob Montgomery was 2 for 3 with a walk but allowed FOUR stolen bases, two of which came around to score.
Marty Pattin took the loss by allowing 3 runs but lasted 7 innings and only 2 of those runs were earned.
Honorable Mention:
Rick Miller pinch ran in the ninth inning.
Bob Burda "pinch hit" for Luis Tiant in the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
Another game with no offense by the Red Sox. Its only four games but the Sox have looked completely lost out there. The Sox are definitely missing George Scott's bat right about now but again, its only four games. Pattin again pitched well but got no run support, they're not going to be able to compete with the Baltimore Orioles with no offense. The Sox feel Pattin is the pitcher they needed to compliment Sonny Siebert and Ray Culp and so far he's been good, just not getting any runs. Aparicio and Harper are supposed to be the table settles but neither one of them have been doing well, but that doesn't matter anyway because Yaz, Petrocelli and Smith aren't hitting either. Its way to early to write off the Sox but as of right now, their offense is offensive. Sox manager Eddie Kasko is addressing the catching situation by bringing up 24 year old Carlton Fisk to start Friday's game against the New York Yankees. Montgomery was good at the plate today but teams are going to run all over the Sox if he has to start for any length of time. Kasko was quoted to saying "At least Fisk can throw." Why not? Maybe his bat that's been prolific in the minors will spark the Sox sagging offense. The sad part is with both the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics as serious contenders for world championships, no one is coming to Fenway. Only 9,735 people showed up today's game and it doesn't look like things will improve if the team continues to hit like this. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox remain home to face the Yankees on Friday night. Ray Culp (0-1) takes the ball for Boston against Mel Stottlemyre of New York at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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