Wednesday, April 8, 1987

Brewers Edge Sox Late (4/8/87)

It was bad news all around for Boston sports. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of their first round NHL playoff series and the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Boston Red Sox. Al Nipper started for the Sox and lasted just 5 1/3 innings while allowing 2 runs. The Sox offense managed to score 2 runs of their own against Bill Wegman of the Brewers, but Billy Jo Robidoux drove home Glenn Braggs to hang the loss on Wes Gardner (0-1, 6.75 ERA). After the Brewers scored to go ahead, the Sox offense went quiet the rest of the day. For the second game in a row the Boston bats were silent as Milwaukee took the game 3-2 at County Stadium.
                                                "Hello operator? The Sox offense sucks"

Wegman got the ball in the top of the first inning and Wade Boggs grounded out to second to start. Marty Barrett flied out to right and Bill Buckner flied out to left to end the inning. Nipper got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Paul Molitor doubled to right to start. Robin Yount moved Molitor to second with a grounder to Barrett and Glenn Braggs drew a walk. Greg Brock popped up to third and Billy Jo Robidoux grounded back to the mound to end the inning.

Jim Rice got a base hit to center to start the top of the second and Don Baylor drew a walk. Dwight Evans popped up to second, Dave Henderson flied out to right and Marc Sullivan flied out to left to end the inning. Rob Deer flied out to center to begin the bottom of the second but BJ Surhoff singled to center. Jim Gantner singled up the middle to move Surhoff to third but Dale Sveum banged into a double play to end the inning.

Spike Owen led off the top of the third with a ground out to short and Boggs also grounded out to short. Barrett flied out to right to end the inning. Molitor doubled to left to start the bottom of the third but Yount struck out swinging. Braggs went down hacking and Brock hit a routine grounder to Barrett...who went OLE! for an error. Robidoux struck out swinging to end the inning.

Wegman cruised in the top of the fourth as Buckner flied out to left to start. Rice took strike three and Baylor grounded out to short to end the inning. Nipper matched Wegman in the bottom of the fourth although Deer was plunked to start. Surhoff flied out to center, Gantner flied out to right and Sveum flied out to left to end the inning.

The Sox struck first in the top of the fifth as Evans singled to center to start. Evans moved to second on the Henderson grounder to second and scored on the double to left by Sullivan. Owen lined out to short but Boggs was intentionally walked. Barrett made the Brewers pay with a base hit to right to score Sullivan with another run. Buckner flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
                                                    RBI double for Sullivan

The Brewers answered in the bottom of the fifth as Molitor walked to start. Yount singled to left and Braggs walked to load the bases with nobody out. Brock grounded out to first to score Molitor and Robidoux also grounded out to first to score Yount to tie the game. Deer struck out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
                                                        Robidoux ties it up

Chuck Crim came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Rice struck out swinging to start. Baylor and Henderson both grounded out to third to end the inning. Nipper returned briefly for the bottom of the sixth and snuffed out a bunt by Surhoff to start. Gantner and Sveum stroked back to back base hits to chase Al after 5 1/3 innings and 2 runs allowed. Wes Gardner made his season debut and got Molitor to ground into a double play to end the inning. 
                                                          Nipper deserved better

Henderson grounded out to short to start the top of the seventh before Sullivan took strike three. Owen grounded out to second to end the inning. The Brewers took command in the bottom of the seventh as Yount grounded out to second to start. Braggs and Brock stroked back to back base hits and Robidoux singled home Braggs to give Milwaukee the lead. Deer took strike three and that was it for Gardner. Joe Sambito made his season debut by getting Surhoff to fly out to left to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 3-2.
                                                   Robidoux gives Milwaukee the lead

The Sox went quietly in the top of the eighth with Dan Plesac on the mound. Boggs flied out to left, Barrett grounded out to second and Buckner flied out to left to end the inning. Gantner took strike three to start the bottom of the eighth before Sveum struck out swinging. Calvin Schiraldi was brought in to pitch to Molitor and Paul grounded out to short to end the inning. 

Rick Manning took over in right to start the top of the ninth and Rice grounded out to short to start. Baylor grounded out to third and Henderson flied out to right to end the game. The Sox didn't have a baserunner after Barrett's hit in the fifth and the Brewers had won it 3-2.


Jackass of the Night is Wes Gardner. He allowed the go-ahead run to score in the seventh inning.
                                                          Jackass Gardner


The Good:

Marc Sullivan was 1 for 3 with an rbi and a run scored.

Al Nipper tossed 5 1/3 innings of 2 run ball. He allowed 7 hits and 3 walks.

Joe Sambito tossed a full scoreless inning.

Calvin Schiraldi retired the only man he faced.



The Bad:

Bill Buckner was 0 for 4.

Dave Henderson was 0 for 3.

Spike Owen was 0 for 3.



The Ugly:

Wade Boggs was 0 for 3 but walked.

Marty Barrett was just 1 for 4 with an error but drove in a run.

Jim Rice was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Don Baylor was 0 for 3 but walked.

Dwight Evans was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.




Final Thoughts:

That wasn't as bad as Opening Day but still frustrating. The offense hasn't been there the first two games of the season and hopefully that's just opening weekend rust. The Sox barely had time to recover with just 3 months off after the World Series so they may come out of the gate slow as molasses. They better wake up soon because now everyone in the American League is gunning for them. The Brewers have outplayed them in every phase of the game the past two games and the Sox look to be stuck in the mud. Wegman only lasted 5 innings but the Milwaukee bullpen tossed 4 scoreless innings and retired 13 in a row to end the game. Hopefully the Sox can bounce back soon and get some key pieces healthy because right now, they're in trouble and its only two games into the season. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow night when Jeff Sellers makes his season debut against Mike Birkbeck of the Brewers. The game begins at 2:05 PM Eastern time at County Stadium.

Tuesday, April 7, 1987

Off-Day News (4/7/87)

Tomorrow night the Boston Bruins begin their first round NHL playoff series with the Montreal Canadiens. Good luck to the Bruins in that series.
                                                   Good luck to the B's



On this day in Boston Red Sox Basebawful History:






The Sox are back in action tomorrow evening against the Milwaukee Brewers. Al Nipper makes his season debut against Bill Wegman of Milwaukee. The game begins at 7:05 PM Eastern time at County Stadium.

Monday, April 6, 1987

Brewers Defeat Sox on Opening Day (4/6/87)

After the horrendous end of the 1986 season for the Boston Red Sox, the bitter feelings and lousy vibe followed them into the 1987 season. Roger Clemens wasn't ready for primetime so Bob Stanley (0-1, 5.79 ERA) was asked to start Opening Day against Teddy Higuera of the Milwaukee Brewers. It went as well as expected with the Brewers clobbering Stanley for 3 runs and knocking him out in the fifth inning. Steve Crawford got tagged for another two runs as the Brewers had no problems getting on base. Meanwhile Higuera tossed 7 shutout innings and the Sox offense never got anything going. The Sox got a lucky run in the top of the ninth but that was it as the Brewers took Opening Day 5-1 at County Stadium.
                                                      Not the best way to start the season

Higuera got the ball in the top of the first and Wade Boggs dropped a base hit to right to start. Marty Barrett popped up to second, Bill Buckner popped up to third in foul territory and Jim Rice was rung up for strike three to end the inning. The Brewers got to Stanley instantly in the bottom of the first as Paul Molitor tripled to right and Robin Yount lined a base hit to center to put Milwaukee up for good 2 batters into the game. Glen Braggs banged into a double play but Greg Brock walked. Billy Jo Robidoux grounded out to second to end the inning with Milwaukee ahead 1-0.
                                                       Brewers take the lead

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the second as Don Baylor popped up to first to start. Dwight Evans doubled into the left field gap but Dave Henderson hit one up the elevator shaft. Marc Sullivan took strike three to end the inning. The Brewers threatened in the bottom of the second as Rob Deer beat out an infield single back to Stanley to start. Bill Schroeder banged into a double play but Jim Gantner singled to left. Dale Sveum singled Gantner to third but Molitor grounded out to short to end the inning.

Spike Owen led off the top of the third with a grounder to short before Boggs also grounded out to short. Barrett grounded out to third to end the inning. Stanley matched Higuera in the bottom of the third as Yount flied out to left to start. Braggs grounded out to second and Brock also grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Sox blew a rally in the top of the fourth as Buckner dropped a base hit to center to start. Rice doubled into the right field corner but the slow footed Buckner was thrown out at home. Baylor walked but Evans flied out to center. Henderson grounded out to second to end the inning.
                                                      Yerrrrrrr out!

Stanley cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Robidoux lined out to Owen to start. Deer flied out to right and Schroeder grounded out to short to end the inning.

Sullivan tried to start a rally with a seeing eye single to left to start the top of the fifth. Owen then bunted too hard to first and it turned into a double play. Boggs grounded out to second to end the inning. Stanley ran out of gas in the bottom of the fifth as Gantner singled to left to start. Sveum advanced Gantner to second with a grounder to Barrett and Molitor popped up to right. Yount doubled home Gantner and Braggs singled past Owen to score Yount. Brock singled off the glove of Buckner to put runners at the corners and that was it for Stanley. He battled for 4 innings but ran out of gas in the fifth, allowing 3 runs. Steve Crawford came in and got Robidoux to ground into a force to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 3-0.
                             "He's done, Skip" - Sullivan   "Who asked you?" - Stanley

Higuera cruised in the top of the sixth as Barrett grounded out to short to start. Buckner popped up to third and Rice struck out swinging to end the inning. The Brewers iced it in the bottom of the sixth although Deer took strike three to start. Schroeder doubled to the left field wall and Gantner singled up the middle to score him. Sveum struck out swinging but Molitor doubled to right to score Gantner. Yount struck out swinging to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 5-1.
                                                        Molitor doubles in a run

The Sox blew a rally in the top of the seventh as Baylor flied out to the left field warning track to start. Evans singled to center and Henderson walked before both runners moved over on the Sullivan grounder to first. Owen grounded out to short to end the inning. Crawford got Braggs to ground out to third to start the bottom of the seventh and Brock struck out swinging. Robidoux struck out swinging to end the inning.

Old buddy Mark Clear came in to pitch the top of the eighth with Rick Manning in left and Juan Castillo at second. Boggs grounded out to first, Barrett lined out to Clear and Buckner grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Crawford returned for the bottom of the eighth and Deer struck out swinging to start. Schroeder lined out to center and Manning lined out to second to end the inning.

Dan Plesac came in for the top of the ninth and the Sox finally rallied. Rice grounded out to second but Baylor lined a base hit off the glove of Sveum. Evans walked and Henderson hit a double play ball to third. Evans was out at second but Castillo threw the ball away to allow Henderson to score. Sullivan lined out to center to end the game. The Brewers had won it 5-1.
                                                     Brewers win



Jackass of the Night is Steve Crawford. He turned a 3-0 game into 5-0 to put the game out of reach.
                                                Jackass Crawford


The Good:

Don Baylor was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Dwight Evans was 2 for 3 with a walk.



The Bad:

Marty Barrett was 0 for 4.

Spike Owen was 0 for 3.

Bob Stanley took the loss by allowing 3 runs in just 4 1/3 innings.



The Ugly:

Wade Boggs was just 1 for 4.

Bill Buckner was just 1 for 4.

Jim Rice was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Dave Henderson was 0 for 3 but walked.

Marc Sullivan was just 1 for 4.




Final Thoughts:

Not much you can do when you have a relief pitcher start Opening Day for you. With Oil Can Boyd and Roger Clemens both on the shelf, it would have made more sense to start Bruce Hurst or Al Nipper but that would have made too much sense for John McNamara. Stanley did well through four innings but ran out of gas in the fifth. The problem was the Sox bats did nothing all game and Buckner getting thrown out at the plate was the only realistic chance the Sox had to score until the ninth inning. Crawford could have made the final score a lot better but the Sox had no chance to win this one. The Sox lost Opening Day last year and look how that season turned out.....wait a minute, disregard that comment. After an off-day tomorrow, the Sox are back in action Wednesday night against the Brewers when Al Nipper makes his season debut opposite Bill Wegman of the Brewers. The game begins at 7:05 PM Eastern time at County Stadium.