Tiant cruised in the top of the first inning as Dave Collins took strike three to start. Rusty Torres popped up to first before Dan Briggs grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time scoring in the bottom of the first as Rick Burleson led off with a walk. Denny Doyle singled Rick to third and he scored on the Fred Lynn sac fly. Carlton Fisk singled to left and both runners moved over on the Cecil Cooper grounder. Jim Rice grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Tiant mowed them down in the top of the second inning as Tony Solarita flied out to right to start. Bob Jones grounded out to second before Mario Guerrero flied out to center to end the inning. Rick Miller drew a walk but Bobby Darwin lined out to center. Butch Hobson forced Miller at second before Burleson grounded out to second to end the inning.
Tiant kept up the pace in the top of the third inning as Ron Jackson flied out to left to start. Dave Chalk popped up to third before Andy Etchebarren hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning. The Sox pounced on Kirkwood in the bottom of the third as Doyle singled to right to begin. Lynn popped up to third but a wild pitch moved Denny to second. Fisk whiffed but Cooper walked. Rice doubled home both runners to increase the lead and Miller singled home Rice, taking second on the throw home. Darwin took strike three to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 4-0.
The Angels threatened in the top of the fourth as Collins whiffed to start. Torres hit one up the elevator shaft but Briggs broke up the perfect game by drawing a walk. Solaita walked but Jones popped up to short to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fourth as Hobson singled to start. Hobson was thrown out trying to steal but Burleson singled to left. Doyle forced Burleson at second but Lynn doubled home Doyle to chase Kirkwood. Mike Overy took over on the mound and Fisk was plunked. Cooper whiffed to end the inning but the Sox were up 5-0.
Guerrero broke up the no hitter with a base hit to center to open the top of the fifth. Jackson whiffed but Chalk singled to left. Guerrero moved to third on the fly out by Etchebarren but Collins grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fifth as Rice whiffed to start. Miller flied out to center and Darwin flied out to right to end the inning.
Tiant cruised in the top of the sixth as Torres grounded out to second to begin. Briggs flied out to right and Solaita flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox got another run in the bottom of the sixth as Hobson whiffed to start. Burleson walked and Doyle singled him to second to chase Overy. Mickey Scott came in and Burleson moved to third on the fly out by Lynn. Fisk singled home Burleson to increase the lead. A bizarre play occured when Cooper lined one off of Fisk running to get credit for a hit but Fisk was out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-0.
Tiant preserved the shut out in the top of the seventh as Jones grounded out to first to start. Guerrero flied out to left before Jackson lined out to third to end the inning. The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the seventh as Rice singled to center to begin. Miller flied out to left but Darwin singled and Hobson walked to load the bases. John Verhoven came in to pitch and Burleson said hello with a base hit to score Rice and Darwin. The runners moved over on a grounder by Doyle and Lynn was intentionally walked to re-load the bases. Fisk flied out to center to end the inning but it was 8-0 Sox.
The Angels finally scored in the top of the eighth as Chalk walked to start. Etchebarren singled and Chalk moved to third on the fly ball by Collins. Torres popped up to first before Briggs walked to load the bases. Solaita doubled home Chalk and Etchebarren to get the Angels on the board. Jones popped up to third to end the inning but it was 8-2 Sox. That was it for Tiant who was masterful, allowing just the two runs in 8 innings of work.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the eighth as Cooper grounded out to first to start. Both Rice and Miller grounded out to short to end the inning.
Tom Murphy came in to close out the top of the ninth and Guerrero grounded out to short to start. Bruce Bochte pinch hit for Jackson and singled to right, but Chalk banged into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won the game 8-2.
Hero of the Night is Luis Tiant. He tossed 8 innings of 2 run ball, allowing just 4 hits and 4 walks while striking out 3.
The Good:
Rick Burleson was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Denny Doyle was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Fred Lynn was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Carlton Fisk was 2 for 4 with a hit by pitch and an rbi.
Jim Rice was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Butch Hobson was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Tom Murphy pitched a scoreless ninth.
The Bad:
None.
The Ugly:
Cecil Cooper was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Rick Miller was just 1 for 4 but walked and an rbi.
Bobby Darwin was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
This has been an awful season coming off the World Series last year but Tiant has been amazing. Where would the Sox be without him? Its a shame things turned out the way they did with Bill Lee getting hurt and Bowie Kuhn blocking the Rudi and Fingers trade. Who knows where the Sox would be with those two on the team? As it is, the season only has a month to go and the only thing left to play for is to gain respect back with a strong September. Games like this where everyone chipped in on offense helps. The win improved the Sox to 59-65, 16.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Kansas City Royals come to town for a set. Old friend Marty Pattin goes for the Royals up against Reggie Cleveland for the Sox at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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