Tiant took the mound in the top of the first inning and Pete Rose led off by grounding out to second to begin. Joe Morgan lined out softly to Denny Doyle at second before Johnny Bench popped up to right to end the inning. Gullet took the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Dwight Evans greeted him with a single to left. Denny Doyle dropped down a bunt to advance Evans to second and Carl Yazstremski walked. Carlton Fisk popped up to second but Fred Lynn hit an infield single that Morgan bobbled but Evans foolishly tried for home and was easily thrown out to end the inning.
Tony Perez led off the top of the second by flying out to right to begin. George Foster lined out sharply to Cecil Cooper at first before Dave Concepcion flied out right in front of the left field wall to end the inning. The Sox looked to rally in the bottom of the second when Rico Petrocelli walked to start and Rick Burleson singled down the left field line to advance Petrocelli to third. The rally ended as Cooper whiffed on a high fastball, Tiant himself whiffed and Evans popped up to right to end the inning.
Ken Griffey grounded out to second to start the top of the third before Cesar Geronimo flied out to center. Gullet himself flied out to left to end the inning. Gullet cruised in the bottom of the third as Doyle grounded out to second to start. Yaz grounded out to short before Fisk flied out to the left field wall to end the inning.
Rose led off the top of the fourth with a ground out to second but Morgan singled. It looked like Tiant had Morgan picked off but a balk was called to advance Morgan to second. Sox manager Darrell Johnson bolted out of the dugout screaming like a banshee for an explanation and had to be restrained by third base coach Don Zimmer from attacking the umpire. When play resumed Bench hit one up the elevator shaft and Perez looked at strike three on the outside corner to end the inning. The Sox couldn't score in the bottom of the fourth as Lynn popped up to short to start. Petrocelli flied out to deep center before Burleson singled to right past the diving Morgan. The rally ended when Burleson was thrown out trying to steal by a mile to end the inning.
Tiant kept up the pace in the top of the fifth inning as Yaz made a great cutoff catch to hold Foster to a single. Concepcion whiffed before Foster moved to second on the Griffey grounder. Geronimo was intentionally walked and Gullet popped up to third to end the inning. The Sox threatened in the bottom of the fifth although Cooper whiffed to start. Tiant somehow drew a walk but Evans popped up to second. Doyle singled to right but Yaz grounded out to first to end the inning.
Tiant got Rose to line out to a running Evans in right to open the top of the sixth but Morgan doubled down the right field line. Bench grounded out to third but Perez whiffed to end the inning. The Sox killed their own rally in the bottom of the sixth. Fisk grounded out to short to start but Lynn singled up the middle. Petrocelli doubled into the right field corner and Burleson was intentionally walked to get to Cooper. Cecil lined out to a running Geronimo but Lynn foolishly tried for home. Lynn was thrown out by a mile to end the inning.
Tiant got in trouble when Foster singled under the glove of Burleson to begin the top of the seventh. Concepcion hit a blooper into left and the 36 year old Yaz dove to make the catch. It was the Reds' turn to run into an out as Fisk gunned down Foster at second trying to steal. It was a clutch throw by Fisk because Griffey doubled into the right field corner. Geronimo was intentionally walked to get to Gullet and Tiant got Don to line out to a running Doyle to end the inning. The Sox finally got to Gullet in the bottom of the seventh and it was Tiant himself who got the party started with a base hit in the hole at third. Tiant almost killed himself at second when Evans dropped down a bunt and the throw almost took his head off. He got up and damn near got doubled off of second. Doyle popped a bunt foul and ending up lining a base hit to left to load the bases. Yaz dumped a single to right but Tiant missed the plate and had to make a mad dash out of the dugout to touch it to count the first run. That was it for Gullet as Clay Carroll relieved him only to walk Fisk to force home Evans. One and done for Carroll as Will McEnaney came in to strike out Lynn. Petrocelli iced the game with a base hit to left to score Doyle and Yaz. Burleson singled home Fisk then took second on the throw home, Petrocelli going to third. Cooper hit a sac fly to the right field warning track to score Petrocelli and move Burleson to third. Tiant popped up to first to end the inning but now he had a 6 run lead to work with, the Sox leading 6-0.
Tiant came out for the top of the eighth and got Rose to line out to center to begin. Morgan flied out to right and Bench grounded out to short to end the inning. Curt Gowdy on commentary said the Reds were shut out just 5 times all season and they were 3 outs away from a 6th time. The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the eighth as Evans grounded out to second to begin. Doyle drew a walk but was double off first on a scorching liner to first by Yaz to end the inning.
Tiant returned to finish his work in the top of the ninth and Lynn made a great running catch to rob Perez of a hit to start. Foster popped up to second and Petrocelli made a great stab and throw to get Concepcion at first to end the game. Tiant had pitched a 5 hit shutout to give Game 1 to the Sox by a score of 6-0
Hero of the Night is Luis Tiant. In his World Series debut he pitched a complete game 5 hit shutout while striking out 3 and walking just two batters. Not only that, he singled and scored the only run he needed on offense.
The Good:
Denny Doyle was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Fred Lynn was 2 for 4.
Rico Petrocelli was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Rick Burleson was 3 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Dwight Evans was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Carl Yastrzemski as jut 1 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored.
Carlton Fisk was 0 for 3 but walked, drove in a run and scored.
Cecil Cooper was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
That was a great start by the Red Sox and huge to take the first game at home. Not only was Tiant outstanding but the Sox proved they could hit Don Gullet who the Reds are banking on to guide them to the championship. The offense only scored in one inning but made it count. The Sox need to clean up their baserunning because they ran into at least four outs on the basepaths. When the games get more tighter as the series goes on, those are crucial outs they can't afford to give away. Still a shutout win is a shutout win and the Sox are three wins away from breaking their 57 year drought. Tomorrow the Sox look to put a strangehold on the series when they send Bill Lee to the mound with the Reds countering with Jack Billingham. Game 2 begins tomorrow at 1:00 PM at Fenway Park.
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