Coleman Outduels Cleveland, Tigers Blank Sox (4/15/74)

Today's game between the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers was a wonderful pitcher's duel. Too bad the wrong team won. Joe Coleman pitched a complete game 3 hit shutout for the Tigers while the hard luck loser was Reggie Cleveland (0-1, 2.19 ERA) who pitched better than he did allowing 3 hits without a walk. The only run scored in the game was on a Norm Cash home run in the fifth inning, otherwise both starters went the distance. The Sox did get the tying run on in the ninth but a Dick McAuliffe double play put the kibosh on that one. The Tigers beat the Sox 1-0 at Fenway Park. How many runs did the Sox score Mr. Wonka?

Cleveland got the ball in the top of the first inning and Ed Brinkman singled to center to start. Aurelio Rodriguez hit a double play ball to Doug Griffin who flipped to Mario Guerrero who....threw the ball away for an error. Jim Northrup forced Rodriguez at second and Al Kaline flied out to right to end the inning. Coleman got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Tommy Harper flied out to right to start. Rick Miller singled to left but was forced at second by Cecil Cooper. Carl Yastrzemski flied out to right to end the inning.

Willie Horton led off the top of the second by grounding out to short before Bill Freehan flied out to center. Norm Cash grounded out to first to end the inning. Bob Montgomery walked to start the bottom of the second and Bernie Carbo was hit with a pitch. Dick McAuliffe dropped down a bunt to move the runners over but instead Montgomery was forced at third. Doug Griffin banged into a double play to end the inning.

Mickey Stanley singled to center to start the top of the third but Gary Sutherland flied out to right. Brinkman struck out swinging and Stanley was gunned down at second trying to steal to end the inning. Guerrero struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third before Harper popped up to second. Miller walked and stole second but Cooper flied out to left to end the inning.

Rodriguez lined out to second to start the top of the fourth before Northrup flied out to left. Kaline grounded out to short to end the inning. Yaz flied out to right to start the bottom of the fourth before Montgomery also flied out to right. Carbo walked and took second on a wild pitch before McAuliffe walked. Once again with two men on....Griffin flied out to center to end the inning.

The Tigers struck first in the top of the fifth as Horton flied out to right to start. Freehan popped up to short but Cash hit a home run all the way to Albuquerque to put Detroit on top. Stanley took strike three to end the inning with the Tigers up 1-0. 

                                                              Cash hits one out

Guerrero flied out to center to start the bottom of the fifth before Harper walked. Harper stole second but Miller flied out to center. Cooper struck out swinging to end the inning.

Sutherland hit a rocket but right to Cleveland to start the top of the sixth and Brinkman flied out to left. Rodriguez flied out to center to end the inning. Yaz grounded out to second to start the bottom of the sixth before Montgomery struck out swinging. Carbo flied out to left to end the inning.

Northrup grounded out to short to start the top of the seventh and Kaline grounded back to the mound. Horton struck out swinging to end the inning. McAuliffe flied out to center to start the bottom of the seventh before Griffin singled to left. Guerrero singled to right but Harper hit into a double play to end the inning.

Freehan lined out to short to begin the top of the eighth before Cash flied out to center. Stanley struck out swinging to end the inning. Miller took strike three to start the bottom of the eighth and Cooper grounded out to second. Yaz flied out to center to end the inning.

Cleveland came back to finish the job in the top of the ninth as Sutherland grounded out to third to start. Brinkman took strike three and Rodriguez grounded out to first to end the inning. Cleveland threw a complete game 3 hitter allowing no walks while striking out 5.

                                                             Reggie did all he could

Coleman came back to finish the job in the bottom of the ninth and Montgomery grounded out to short to start. Carbo was hit with a pitch but McAuliffe grounded into a double play to end the game. The Tigers had won it 1-0.

Jackass of the Night is a tough one since everyone failed at one point or another but Doug Griffin hit into a double play and flied out with two men on base each time.

                                                             Jackass Griffin

The Good:

Rick Miller was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.

Bernie Carbo got hit with a pitch twice and walked.

Mario Guerrero was 1 for 3.

One of the rare times the losing pitcher ends up on the good list but Reggie Cleveland tossed a complete game 3 hitter and the Cash home run was the only run allowed in the game.

The Bad:

Cecil Cooper was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 4.

The Ugly:

Tommy Harper was 0 for 3 but walked and stole a base.

Bob Montgomery was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.

Dick McAuliffe was 0 for 3 but walked.

Final Thoughts: 

That was a great game, only problem was the Sox didn't win it. Cleveland pitched very well and the Sox had men on base but couldn't get them in. They hit into way too many double plays and couldn't get that big home run when needed. The problem is Tommy Harper and Rick Miller just aren't hitting well and neither is Dick McAuliffe. Those three need to pick up the pace if the Sox have any hope of competing with anyone this year. Just cut down on the double plays, will ya? Sox manager Darrell Johnson should start doing more hit and runs. The Sox now travel to New York to play the Yankees and tomorrow afternoon Luis Tiant goes one on one with Mel Stottlemyre. The game begins at 2:05 PM at Shea Stadium....no that's not a typo.