The Boston Red Sox have fallen off a cliff lately losing 5 of their last 7 games including tonight's disaster against the Texas Rangers. Fergie Jenkins tossed a complete game 8 hitter, allowing just 1 measly run in the second inning. Dick Drago (5-7, 3.75 ERA) was the hard luck loser, also pitching a complete game 8 hitter. Only rbi singles from Jim Spencer and Cesar Tovar was the difference in the game. Carl Yastrzemski hit a solo home run but that was all the Sox got as the Rangers won the game 2-1 at Arlington Stadium.
Jenkins got the ball in the top of the first inning and Rick Miller grounded out to second to start. Cecil Cooper also grounded out to second and Dwight Evans lined out to third to end the inning. Drago got the ball in the bottom of the first and Cesar Tovar tripled to center to start. Dave Nelson grounded out to short, Lenny Randle struck out swinging and Mike Hargrove grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second as Carl Yastrzemski belted his 11th home run of the season to put Boston on top. Bernie Carbo took strike three, Rico Petrocelli flied out to left and Dick McAuliffe grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Jim Spencer singled to right to start the bottom of the second before Tom Grieve walked. Toby Harrah flied out to left but Joe Lovitto walked to load the bases. Duke Sims forced Spencer at home with a grounder to first and Tovar forced Sims at second to end the inning.
Rick Burleson got a base hit to left to open the top of the third before Tim Blackwell popped up to short. Miller singled to center but was thrown out in a rundown to move Burleson to third. Cooper struck out swinging to end the inning. The Rangers struck back in the bottom of the third as Nelson grounded out to short to start. Randle walked but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Hargrove doubled to center and Spencer got a base hit to center to score Mike. Grieve forced Spencer at second to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Jim Fregosi came in for Randle to start the top of the fourth and Evans walked to start. Yaz flied out to center but Evans stole second base. Carbo struck out swinging and Petrocelli grounded out to short to end the inning. Burleson booted a grounder by Harrah to start the bottom of the fourth and Toby moved to second on a grounder to short by Lovitto. Sims flied out to center and Tovar grounded out to third to end the inning.
McAuliffe watched strike three go by to start the top of the fifth and Burleson also froze for strike three. Blackwell got a base hit to center but Miller grounded out to second to end the inning. Nelson was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to start the bottom of the fifth before Fregosi grounded out to third. Hargrove was hit with a pitch and Spencer got a base hit to left, but Grieve took strike three to end the inning.
Cooper grounded out to first to start the top of the sixth before Evans grounded out to short. Yaz doubled to right but Carbo took strike three to end the inning. The Rangers took command in the bottom of the sixth as Harrah walked to start. Harrah moved to second on the Lovitto grounder to third and to third on the fly ball to center by Sims. Tovar got a base hit to left to score Harrah to put the Rangers up for good. Nelson grounded out to third to end the inning with the Rangers up 2-1.
Harrah scores a run
Petrocelli popped up to first to start the top of the seventh before McAuliffe grounded out to first. Burleson got a base hit to left but Blackwell forced him at second to end the inning. Fregosi flied out to right to start the bottom of the seventh before Hargrove got a base hit to left. Spencer flied out to center and Grieve struck out swinging to end the inning.
Larry Brown took over for Fregosi to start the top of the eighth and Miller grounded out to first to start. Cooper flied out to left and Evans struck out swinging to end the inning. Harrah flied out to left to start the bottom of the eighth and Lovitto did the same. Sims walked and Tovar got a base hit to right, but Nelson forced Cesar at second to end the inning. Drago went the distance allowing just 2 runs off 8 hits and 5 walks. Too bad the Sox couldn't score a run.
Jenkins returned to close out the top of the ninth as Yaz flied out to left to start. Carbo got a base hit to center and Tommy Harper ran for him. Naturally Harper was thrown out at second trying to steal and worse, Petrocelli got a base hit to left. Terry Hughes pinch ran for Petrocelli but McAuliffe flied out to left to end the game. The Rangers had won it 2-1.
Jackass of The Night is a tough one but I'll go with Dick McAuliffe. He was 0 for 4 with a strikeout including making the last out with the tying run on.
The Good:
Carl Yastrzemski was 2 for 4 with a home run
Rick Burleson was 2 for 3.
Tim Blackwell was 1 for 3.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the good list but Dick Drago pitched a complete game 8 hitter allowing just 2 runs off 8 hits.
The Bad:
Cecil Cooper was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Tommy Harper was thrown out trying to steal as a pinch runner.
The Ugly:
Rick Miller was just 1 for 4.
Dwight Evans was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Bernie Carbo was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Rico Petrocelli was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Terry Hughes pinch ran in the top of the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
That was a tough loss but Fergie Jenkins is a tough pitcher. Yeoman's effort by Drago to hold the Rangers to just 2 runs but Jenkins kept the Sox in check. The Sox had men on base so it wasn't like they didn't have their chances. Tommy Harper getting thrown out in the ninth certainly didn't help. This was the kind of loss that's going to haunt the Sox in the end. They're still in first place over the Baltimore Orioles but not by much. The Sox desperately need to go on a winning streak if they want to distance themselves from Baltimore down the stretch. Losing 2-1 to Fergie Jenkins isn't going to help. The loss dropped the Sox to 49-43, 1/2 game in front of the Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night against the Rangers when Luis Tiant (13-7) takes on Jackie Brown of Texas. The game begins at 10:05 PM Eastern time at Arlington Stadium.
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