It was good news all around for Boston sport fans. The Boston Bruins beat the St. Louis Blues in Game 1 of the NHL Semi-Finals and the Boston Red Sox got their first win of the season by beating the Cleveland Indians. The Sox scored all their runs in the second inning but it was enough to win as Sonny Siebert (1-0, 2.70 ERA) tossed 6 2/3 solid innings to keep the Sox on top. RBI singles by Danny Cater and Doug Griffin put the Sox on the board and Siebert himself drove in two runs to put the icing on the cake. After getting in trouble in the seventh inning, Ken Tatum came in and slammed the door shut on any hope for an Indians comeback. The Sox earned their first win of the season with a 4-2 victory over the Indians at Fenway Park.
Siebert got the ball in the top of the first inning and Del Unser grounded out to first to start. Eddie Leon walked and Alex Johnson hit a squibber in front of the plate. Duane Josephson made the play to retire Johnson at first but pulled a muscle and passed out on the field. He had to be carried out on a stretcher, loaded into an ambulance and rushed to Mass General's ICU. Bob Montgomery took over behind the plate and Graig Nettles grounded out to first to end the inning.
Dick Tidrow got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Tommy Harper lined out to center to start. Luis Aparicio took strike three and Carl Yastrzemski grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Indians struck first in the top of the second inning as Tommy McCraw hit a seeing eye single to left to start. Ray Fosse singled to left and Buddy Bell beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Frank Duffy popped up to first but Tidrow singled home McCraw to put the Indians on top. Unser singled to center to score Fosse and increase the lead. Leon grounded into a force to end the inning with the Indians up 2-0.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second as Reggie Smith walked to start. Rico Petrocelli singled to left and Danny Cater drove home Smith with a base hit to left. Doug Griffin singled to left to score Petrocelli and tie the game. Montgomery singled to left to load the bases and Siebert himself ripped a base hit to left to score Cater and Griffin to increase the lead. That was it for Tidrow as Vince Colbert came in to pitch and he promptly walked Harper. Aparicio forced Montgomery at home and Yaz banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-2.
Siebert cruised in the top of the third as Johnson grounded out to third to start. Nettles flied out to center and McCraw grounded out to first to end the inning. Smith flied out to center to start the bottom of the third before Petrocelli struck out swinging. Cater walked and took second on a passed ball before Griffin walked as well. Montgomery took strike three to end the inning.
Fosse grounded out to third to begin the top of the fourth before Bell also grounded out to third. Duffy doubled to left and John Lowenstein pinch hit for Colbert. Lowenstein walked and Unser flied out to center to end the inning. Ray Lamb came in to pitch the bottom of the fourth and Siebert grounded out to short to start. Harper struck out swinging and Aparicio grounded out to short to end the inning.
Leon popped up to first to start the top of the fifth before Johnson flied out to center. Nettles grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fifth as Yaz grounded out to second to start. Smith and Petrocelli both grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
McCraw flied out to center to start the top of the sixth before Fosse grounded out to short. Adolfo Phillips pinch hit for Lamb and took strike three to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the seventh with Ed Farmer now on the mound as Cater grounded back to the mound to begin. Griffin walked and Montgomery singled Doug to third, but Siebert took strike three. Harper flied out to left to end the inning.
Siebert returned briefly in the top of the seventh as Duffy took strike three to start. Lowenstein walked and took second on an Unser grounder to short before Leon walked. That was it for Siebert who allowed just 2 runs in 6 2/3 innings to put the Sox in position to win. Ken Tatum came in to pitch and Johnson grounded out to second to end the inning.
Farmer cruised in the bottom of the seventh as Aparicio grounded out to short to start. Yaz also grounded out to short and Smith took strike three to end the inning.
Tatum got Nettles to swing at air to open the top of the eighth but McCraw walked. Fosse banged into a double play to end the inning. Jack Brohamer took over at second for Leon with Steve Mingori now on the mound to begin the bottom of the eighth. Petrocelli struck out swinging but Cater reached on an error by Nettles. Griffin banged into a double play to end the inning.
Tatum returned to close out the top of the ninth and Brohamer ripped a base hit to center to bring the tying run to the plate. Lou Camili pinch hit for Duffy and grounded out to first to advance Brohamer to second. Lowenstein struck out swinging and Unser grounded out to second to end the game. The Sox had won their first game of the year 4-2.
Hero of the Night is Sonny Siebert. He allowed 2 runs in 6 2/3 innings and drove in the deciding runs himself.
The Good:
Danny Cater was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Doug Griffin was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored.
Bob Montgomery was 2 for 3.
Ken Tatum earned the save with 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Luis Aparicio was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Tommy Harper was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Reggie Smith was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Rico Petrocelli was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Duane Josephson caught the first two outs of the top of the first inning.
Final Thoughts:
Once again the offense was mostly asleep apart from one inning but the good news was Sonny Siebert and Ken Tatum were there to save the day. Siebert looked good in his season debut and Tatum was able to finish off the Indians to earn the save. Even though the offense was limited, the second inning rally was just enough to win. Its a shame Josephson got hurt so early but Montgomery stepped up with 2 big hits, one of them in that fourth inning. Good on Cater to get a big hit, they're gonna need more of that from him to justify trading Sparky Lyle (and George Scott really) for him. The offense will come around eventually, especially Harper in the leadoff spot. All in all it was a good win and hopefully the Sox can ride this momentum to a nice winning streak. The Sox look to win the rubber game against the Indians tomorrow afternoon when Marty Pattin (0-1) takes on Gaylord Perry of the Indians. The game begins at 1:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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