Yankees Outslug Red Sox (9/13/81)

So much for the Boston Red Sox making a September run. The New York Yankees appear to be headed to the AL East title after defeating the Sox in a crucial game today. Frank Tanana (3-9, 4.49 ERA) has been a disappointment all season and today was no different. With essentially the season on the line, Tanana got lit up for 4 runs in just 1 1/3 innings. The Sox rallied off Yankees starter Ron Guidry to come lose but John Tudor got hammered in the fourth inning and the Sox couldn't recover. The Yankees pounded out 12 hits and 10 runs as they inched closer to the AL East crown with a 10-6 victory at Yankee Stadium.

                                              Jack Torrance doesn't like bad Sox pitching

Guidry cruised in the top of the first inning as Dwight Evans struck out to start. Dave Stapleton grounded out to third before Jim Rice struck out to end the inning. Willie Randolph led off the bottom of the first with a base hit to center but Jerry Mumphrey flied out to right. Dave Winfield also flied out to right but Randolph swiped second. Lou Piniella struck out to end the inning.

Boston tried to rally in the top of the second although Carl Yastrzemski grounded out to first to begin. Carney Lansford drew a walk and Tony Perez got a base hit to left. The rally ended as Gary Allenson flied out to center and Glenn Hoffman took strike three to end the inning. The Yankees came alive in the bottom of the second inning as Reggie Jackson singled to right to begin. Graig Nettles walked before Bob Watson singled home Jackson. Rick Cerone singled home Nettles to increase the lead before Larry Milbourne sacrificed both runners over. The move paid off as Randolph singled both men home and Sox manager Ralph Houk too no chances with the season on the line, getting Tanana out of there. Frank lasted just 1 1/3 innings and allowed 4 runs, yuck! Luis Aponte came in and got Mumphrey to force Randolph at second and Winfield flied out to center to end the inning but it was 4-0 Yankees.

                                                         Nice going Frank.

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the third as Rick Miller grounded back to the mound to start. Evans grounded out to first and Stapleton lined out to short to end the inning. John Tudor came in for the bottom of the third and dominated. Piniella went down swinging, Jackson took strike three and Nettles whiffed to end the inning.

The Sox fought back in the top of the fourth as Rice stroked a base hit to left to begin. The Yankees got a crucial out when Yaz singled to right and Rice got thrown out at third. Lansford got a base hit and Perez blasted his 6th home run of the year to cut the lead. If Rice didn't get thrown out, that would have been a grand slam. Allenson grounded out to third and Hoffman flied out to center to end the inning but the Sox were back in it 4-3.

                                                        Perez gets the Sox closer

Just as the Sox came close, the Yankees iced it in the bottom of the fourth. Watson walked and Cerone doubled him to third. Milbourne was plunked to load the bases and Watson scored on the ground out by Randolph, moving Cerone to third as well. Cerone scored on the sac fly by Mumphrey and Winfield iced it by crushing a 400,000 foot home run. Piniella grounded out to third to end the inning but the game was essentially over with the Yankees up 8-3.

                                                    "Its over...the season is over."

Miller grounded out to second to open the top of the fifth but Evans drew a walk. Stapleton popped up to short but Rice singled to left. Yaz grounded out to second to end the inning. The Yankees got to Tudor again in the bottom of the fifth although Jackson grounded out to second to begin. Nettles popped up to first but Watson annihilated a 30,000 foot home run to increase the lead. Cerone walked but Milbourne took strike three to end the inning with the Yankees up 9-3.

George Frazier came in for Guidry for the top of the sixth but the Sox weren't going quietly. Lansford walked to start and Perez got a base hit to center. Allenson drove home Lansford with a base hit to chase Frazier. Ron Davis came in and Sox manager Ralph Houk sent in Gary Hancock to pinch hit for Hoffman. The move backfired as Hancock banged into a double play, which made Miller's rbi single that scored Perez even more agonizing. Evans whiffed to end the inning but the Hancock double play killed the rally with the Sox down 9-5.

                                                                Thanks a lot Hancock

Julio Valdez came in to play short with Steve Crawford now on the mound for the bottom of the sixth. Randolph flied out to right but Mumphrey walked. Winfield forced Mumphrey at second before getting picked off by the alert Crawford to end the inning.

The Sox blew their last chance to get back in the game in the top of the seventh. Stapleton grounded out to short to start before Rice struck out swinging. Yaz doubled to right and Lansford walked....but Perez took strike three to end the inning. The Yankees wrapped up their scoring in the bottom of the seventh as Piniella singled to center to begin. Jackson flied out to left but Nettles beat out an infield single. Watson walked to load the bases and Cerone scored Piniella with a sac fly. Milbourne grounded out to second to end the inning but it was 10-5 Yankees.

Bobby Brown came in for the top of the eighth and Allenson walked to start. Allenson was doubled off first on the line drive by Valdez and Miller grounded out to short to end the inning. Chuck Rainey came in for the bottom of the eighth and Randolph doubled to right to begin. Mumphrey grounded out to third but Winfield singled Willie to third. Piniella hit into a double play to end the inning.

Dave LaRoche came in to close out the game in the top of the ninth although Evans walked to start. Stapleton flied out to left but Rice doubled Dwight to third. Yaz scored Evans with a grounder but Lansford grounded out to short to end the game. The Yankees took another step toward the AL East title with a 10-6 win.

Jackass of the Night is John Tudor. He allowed 5 big runs after the Sox clawed their way back in the game.

                                                             Jackass Tudor


The Good:

Jim Rice was 3 for 5.

Carl Yastrzemski was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.

Carney Lansford was 1 for 2 with 3 walks and 2 runs scored.

Tony Perez was 3 for 4 with a 3 run home run and 2 runs scored.

Gary Allenson was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.

Luis Aponte got the last two outs of the second.

Chuck Rainey pitched a scoreless 9th.



The Bad:

Dave Stapleton was 0 for 5.

Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.

Gary Hancock hit into a double play as a pinch hitter.

Julio Valdez hit into a double play in his only at-bat.

Frank Tanana got rocked for 4 runs in just 1 1/3 innings.



The Ugly:

Dwight Evans was 0 for 3 but walked twice and scored a run.

Rick Miller was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.

Steve Crawford allowed a run in 2 innings of work.




Final Thoughts:

This season was crazy anyway but the Sox just couldn't beat the Yankees when it counted. The problem is the Sox didn't have the pitching as usual. They sent out Frank Tanana and John Tudor up against the likes of Ron Guidry and the results are as expected. There are still 20 games to play but the Yankees are up so far there may not be enough time left. The Sox missed Carlton Fisk this year but they missed a dependable third starter more. Still, the Sox could go on a run but it doesn't look good. The loss dropped the Sox to 47-41, 5.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox now come home for a crucial homestand beginning with the Detroit Tigers. Mike Torrez goes for the Sox up against Dan Petry at 8:00 PM at Fenway Park.

Ojeda Shuts Down Yankees (9/12/81)

In a weird, doomed year for major league baseball and the Boston Red Sox, one silver lining has been some of the memorable games they have played. Today's afternoon game against the New York Yankees was an instant classic from start to finish. 23 year old rookie Bob Ojeda no hit the Yankees for 8 innings before the Yankees rallied in the ninth inning. Mark Clear slammed the door and the Sox had one last fun win as this miserable season draws to a close with a 2-1 victory over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

                                                Officer Fish approves of the win

Rick Reuschel got the start for the Yankees and Jerry Remy grounded out to second to begin. Dwight Evans grounded out to short and Jim Rice was frozen for strike three to end the inning. Ojeda got the ball in the bottom of the first and Willie Randolph grounded out to second to begin. Jerry Mumphrey was frozen for strike three on a changeup before Lou Piniella drew a full count walk. Reggie Jackson whiffed on a curveball to end the inning.

Carl Yastrzemski led off the top of the second inning by taking a borderline pitch on the inside corner for strike three. Carney Lansford flied out deep to center before Dave Stapleton launched his 7th home run of the season just into the left field bleachers to give the Sox the lead. Rich Gedman hit a bullet but right to Randolph to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 1-0.

                                                          Touch em all Dave

Bob Watson flied out deep to center to start the bottom of the second before Craig Nettles was frozen for strike three with a fastball on the outside corner. Barry Foote also flied out to deep center to end the inning.

Rick Miller led off the top of the third inning by lining out to short. Glenn Hoffman grounded out to short and Remy popped up to left to end the inning. Dennis Werth took strike three at the knees to begin the bottom of the third before Andre Robertson whiffed on a high curve. Randolph grounded out to short to end the inning.

Evans led off the top of the fourth inning by popping up to center to begin. Rice flied out to the left field wall but Yaz singled off the right field wall. Lansford hit a seeing eye single to second but Stapleton grounded into a force at third to end the inning. Ojeda got Mumphrey to pop up to right on a bad pitch before Piniella popped up to center. Jackson whiffed to end the inning.

Gedman grounded out to second to begin the top of the fifth before Miller grounded out on a comebacker to the mound. Hoffman grounded out to short to end the inning. Ojeda cruised in the bottom of the fifth inning as Watson popped up to right to begin. Nettles grounded out to second and Foote grounded out to short to end the inning.

Reuschel got Remy to line out to Watson to start the top of the sixth inning before Evans grounded out to third. Rice whiffed on a foul tip into the mitt to end the inning. Ojeda kept the no-no going in the bottom of the sixth as Werth grounded out to third to begin. Robertson flied out to left and Randolph flied out to right to end the inning.

Yaz led off the top of the seventh inning by striking out swinging. Lansford popped up to a running Randolph but Stapleton hit a routine fly to right. The ball dropped and skipped away from Jackson which allowed Stapleton to make it to third. Gedman made Jackson pay with a base hit to right to score Stapleton with the insurance run. Miller grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.

                                               Jackson "I got it, I got it....I don't got it"

Ojeda went back to work in the bottom of the seventh inning and Mumphrey whiffed badly to begin. Piniella grounded out to short and Miller sprinted to rob Jackson of a bloop single to end the inning. Ojeda was six outs away from a no-hitter.

Hoffman and Remy both grounded out to short to start the top of the eighth inning before Evans also grounded out to short to end the inning in short order. Ojeda came back for the bottom of the eighth inning and Watson knocked his glove off with a comebacker. Ojeda quickly picked the ball up barehanded and threw it to first for the out. Nettles popped up to second but Stapleton caught it for the second out. Foote flied out to right to end the inning and he was 3 outs away from becoming the first pitcher to no-hit the Yankees since Hoyt Wilhem did it in 1958.

The sad part was Reuschel pitched a hell of a game himself and he got Rice to ground out to third to begin the top of the ninth. Yaz lined a base hit to left but was thrown out trying to stretch a double. Lansford dumped a single to center but Stapleton grounded out to short to end the inning.

                                                          YERRRR OUT!

Suddenly the Yankees came alive in the bottom of the ninth against the exhausted Ojeda. Rick Cerone pinch hit for Werth and hit a rocket just out of reach of Evans for a double to break up the no-no. Sox manager Ralph Houk immediately had Mark Clear warm up as Dave Winfield pinch hit for Robertson. Winfield lined a double to left to score Cerone and chase Ojeda from the game. Ojeda went from throwing a no-no to leaving with the tying run at second. Still, he left after 8 innings of 1 run ball while allowing just two hits, earning a standing ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd.

                                                            Standing O for Ojeda

Now Mark Clear had to deal with the tying run on second with nobody out. Randolph squared to bunt but was rung up for strike three on a borderline pitch. Mumphrey whiffed on a fastball before Oscar Gamble pinch hit for Piniella. Gamble walked but Jackson popped up to right to end the game. The Sox held on to win it 2-1.

                                                   Big win for the Sox


Hero of the Night is Bob Ojeda. He tossed 8 no-hit innings before settling for the victory.

                                                     The rookie Hero



The Good:

Carl Yastrzemski was 2 for 4.

Carney Lansford was 2 for 4.

Dave Stapleton was 2 for 4 with a solo home run and 2 runs scored.

Rich Gedman was 1 for 3 with an rbi.

Mark Clear earned his 8th save with a scoreless 9th inning.



The Bad:

Jerry Remy was 0 for 4.

Dwight Evans was 0 for 4.

Jim Rice was 0 for 4.

Rick Miller was 0 for 3.

Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 3.



The Ugly:

None



Final Thoughts:

As the season comes to a close, this was a nice preview of the future with Ojeda doing well. The Sox haven't had a good lefty since Bill Lee left town 3 years ago and Ojeda could be the answer. Dennis Ecksersley and Mike Torrez haven't been the same since 1978 so Ojeda could be the next ace. The Sox have some talent heading into next year offensively but they definitely need more pitching to match the Yankees. As for this game, it was a lot of fun. Ojeda had to be perfect because the Sox offense mustered little against Reuschel. It was a damn good, hard fought win even if Ojeda didn't get the no-no. The win improved the Sox to 47-40, 4.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox look to inch further closer in the standings when they play the Yankees again. Ron Guidry goes for the Yankees opposite Frank Tanana (3-8) of the Sox at 2:00 PM at Yankee Stadium.