Gullet got the ball in the top of the first inning and the Sox immediately tagged him. Juan Beniquez hit a routine grounder to second to begin but Denny Doyle tripled into the right field corner. Carl Yastrzemski scored Doyle with a sac fly to put the Sox on top. Ironically the Sox would have just 4 hits the rest of the game. Carlton Fisk looked at strike three on the outside corner to end the inning but the Sox were up 1-0.
Sox strike first
Cleveland got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Pete Rose greeted him by poking a base hit to right. Ken Griffey was rung up on a check swing for strike three but Joe Morgan singled Rose to third. Morgan swiped second when Johnny Bench lofted a fly ball to left field. Beniquez fired home and Rose was OUT AT THE PLATE! Great play by Beniquez to end the inning with the Sox still ahead.
Fred Lynn popped up to third to begin the top of the second before Rico Petrocelli whiffed. Dwight Evans lined a broken bat liner to left to end the inning. Cleveland cruised in the bottom of the second inning as Tony Perez whiffed. George Foster hit one up the elevator shaft before Dave Concepcion grounded out to short to end the inning.
Rick Burleson popped up to second and Morgan called off the entire infield to make the catch to open the top of the third inning. Cleveland struck out swinging before Beniquez lined out to a running Morgan to end the inning. Cesar Geronimo led off the bottom of the third by popping up to center. Gullet whiffed but Rose walked. Doyle made a leaping grab to rob Morgan of a base hit to end the inning.
Gullet continued his dominance in the top of the fourth inning as Doyle was retired on a chopper in front of the plate to start. Yaz lined out to a running Geronimo before Fisk whiffed to end the inning. The Reds struck back in the bottom of the fourth inning although Morgan popped up to right to begin. Bench hit an absolute rocket but right to Petrocelli for the out. Perez hit another bullet but this one went over the left field fence for a home run to tie the game. Foster popped up to first to end the inning but the game was tied 1-1.
Perez ties it up
Gullet continued to cruise in the top of the fifth inning as Lynn whiffed to start. Petrocelli popped up to center before Evans flied out to the centerfield warning track to end the inning. The Reds took command in the bottom of the fifth although Concepcion grounded out to third to begin. Geronimo grounded out to second but somehow Gullet lined a base hit up the middle. Rose made Cleveland pay by doubling down the left field line to score Gullet with the go-ahead run. Griffey popped up to third to end the inning but the Reds now led 2-1.
Reds take the lead
Gullet got Burleson to fly out to right to begin the top of the sixth before Cleveland himself struck out. Beniquez broke up the streak of 15 in a row set down by Gullet by drawing a walk. Doyle grounded out to first to end the inning. The Reds iced the game quickly in the bottom of the sixth as Morgan walked on a borderline full count pitch to start. Bench singled Morgan to third and Perez crushed his second homer of the game to put the game out of reach. That was it for Cleveland who made two mistakes to Perez but left after allowing 5 runs in 5 plus innings.
Cleveland gets hammered
Jim Willoughby came in and Foster lined one back to him to start. Concepcion was plunked on the hands and swiped second before moving to third on the grounder by Geronimo. Gullet whiffed to end the inning but the game was all but over 5-1.
Gullet cruised in the top of the seventh inning as Yaz popped up to first in foul territory to start. Fisk lined out to left before Evans popped up to center to end the inning. Willoughby matched Gullet in the bottom of the seventh as Rose flied out to left to begin. Griffey hit a routine grounder to Doyle who gloved it over the head of Yaz at first, technically a single by Ken. Morgan hit a rocket but right to Burleson who flipped it to first to double off Griffey to end the inning. The Sox defense came to play tonight, unfortunately so did Tony Perez.
Gullet carried his one hitter into the top of the eighth inning and Petrocelli flied out to center to start. Evans somehow singled up the middle but Burleson popped up to center. Doug Griffin pinch hit for Willoughby and lined out to a running Morgan to end the inning. Dick Pole came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and managed to walk both Bench and Perez. Sox manager Darrell Johnson had seen enough and brought in Diego Segui to pitch to Foster. George flied out to right but Bench tagged up and moved to third. Concepcion scored Bench with a sac fly to wrap up the scoring for the Reds. Geronimo flied out to center to end the inning with the Reds up 6-1.
Gullet came out to finish his job but the Sox refused to go quietly in the top of the ninth. Beniquez whiffed and Doyle grounded out to second but Yaz lined a single to right past Morgan. Fisk poked a single to right which brought out Reds manager Sparky Anderson. The crowd booed expecting Sparky to take out Gullet but surprisingly he left him in. Lynn made Sparky pay by lining a double down the right field line to score Yaz. How big was the 3 run bomb now? Finally Anderson pulled Gullet for Rawly Eastwick to close out the game. Petrocelli whiffed to end the game and send the Reds one win away from the championship with a 6-2 win over the Sox.
Jackass of the Night is Reggie Cleveland. He got lit up for 5 runs in 5 plus innings to take the loss.
Reggie Jackass
The Good:
Carl Yastzremski was 1 for 3 with an rbi and a run scored.
Dwight Evans was 1 for 3.
Jim Willoughby tossed 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Rico Petrocelli was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Rick Burleson was 0 for 3.
Doug Griffin was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Dick Pole allowed a run by walking 2 batter
The Ugly:
Juan Beniquez was 0 for 3 but walked.
Denny Doyle was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Carlton Fisk was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Fred Lynn was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Deigo Segui allowed an inherited runner to score in an inning of work.
Final Thoughts:
If this is the end, the Red Sox better go down swinging in Game 6. The Sox have fought bravely against a team of all-stars but they may not be good enough. After Luis Tiant an Bill Lee, the rest of the pitchers haven't been able to shut down the Big Red Machine. Both Cleveland and Rick Wise faltered as did reliever Dick Drago. Rose, Bench, Perez and Morgan could be in the Hall of Fame someday and the Sox just can't match their talent without Rice. Tonight's game was proof as they couldn't crack Gullet. Still, the series is not over and Fenway Park will be where the series is decided. After an off-day tomorrow, Game 6 is this Saturday afternoon where Bill Lee goes for the Sox up against Jack Billingham at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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