Sox Outlast Rangers (8/3/80)

Hahaaaaa! The Boston Red Sox have won a whopping TWO in a row? Time to play Stars & Stripes Forever because the Sox took down the Texas Rangers for the second straight day. The Sox broke out to a 6-0 lead on the back of Glenn Hoffman's 4 runs batted in. Mike Torrez (6-12 4.50 ERA) lasted just 5 innings but the bullpen managed to hold on just enough to preserve the victory. Skip Lockwood earned his second save of the season due some strange Don Zimmer managing and the Sox won the game 6-4 at Arlington Park.

                                                   Ted Kramer approves of the win

John Matlack got the start for Texas and Rick Burleson greeted him with a pop up to second base to start the top of the first inning. Dave Stapleton and Fred Lynn stroked back to back singles but Tony Perez popped up to second. Jim Rice grounded out to third to end the inning. Torrez got the ball in the bottom of the first and Mickey Rivers flied out to right to start. Bump Wills struck out and Al Oliver grounded out to second to end the inning.

Boston struck first in the top of the second as Carlton Fisk and Dwight Evans pounded back to back doubled to put Boston on top. Evans moved to third on the grounder by Gary Allenson. Glenn Hoffman hit his second home run of the year to cap off the inning. Burleson lined out to right and Stapleton grounded out to third to end the inning but the Sox were up 3-0.

                                                   Evans doubles in a run

Torrez kept the lead in the bottom of the second as Buddy Bell grounded out to third to start. Rusty Staub grounded out to short and Pat Putnam struck out to end the inning.

The Sox tried to rally in the top of the third as Lynn and Perez stroked back to back singles to start. Rice beat out a double play ball and Fisk walked to load the bases. Evans banged into a double play to end the inning. Torrez cruised in the bottom of the third as Johnny Grubb flied out to right to start. Jim Sundberg flied out to center and Pepe Frias struck out to end the inning.

Allenson got a base hit to left to start the top of the fourth before moving to second on the sacrifice bunt by Hoffman. Burleson grounded out to third and Stapleton grounded out to short to end the inning. Rivers got an infield single to third to start the bottom of the fourth but Wills flied out to left. Rivers was doubled off first on the line drive to first by Oliver to end the inning.

The Sox struck again in the top of the fifth although Lynn grounded back to the mound to start. Perez grounded out to short but Rice singled to left. Fisk and Evans stroked back to back base hits to load the bases and Allenson singled home Rice. Hoffman singled home Fisk to wrap up the scoring and chase Matlack. Charlie Hough came in and Burleson flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-0.

                                                          Allenson drives in a run

Torrez suddenly fell apart in the bottom of the fifth as Bell singled to left to start. Staub doubled him to third but Putnam struck out. Grubb singled home Bell but Staub was thrown out at home on a ground ball by Sundberg. Jim Norris pinch hit for Frias and doubled home Sundberg. Rivers grounded out to first to end the inning with the Rangers down 6-2. Torrez only went 5 innings but allowed just 2 runs.

                                                      Not great but it'll do

Dave Roberts took over at short for the top of the sixth and Stapleton grounded out to third to start. Lynn also grounded out to third and Jim Dwyer pinch hit for Perez only to ground out to first to end the inning. Dick Drago came in for the bottom of the sixth and threw up on himself. Wills singled to center and Oliver singled him to third. Bell beat out a double play ball to score Wills to cut the lead in half. Staub grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-3.

                                                        Nice going Drago, ugh!

The Sox did nothing in the top of the seventh as Rice grounded out to third to start. Fisk grounded back to the mound and Evans took strike three to end the inning. Drago got the Rangers to beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the seventh as Putnam grounded out to first to start. Grubb also grounded out to first but Sundberg grounded out to third to end the inning.

Allenson took strike three to start the top of the eighth but Hoffman walked. Hoffman swiped second but Burleson struck out. Stapleton grounded out to first to end the inning. Drago ran out of steam in the bottom of the eighth although Roberts struck out to start. Rivers singled to center but was forced at second by Wills. Oliver singled and Bell doubled home Wills to cut the lead and put the tying run at second. Richie Zisk pinch hit for Staub and Sox manager Don Zimmer countered by bringing in Tom Burgmeier to face him. Zisk lined out to short to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 6-4.

Lynn walked to begin the top of the ninth and John Henry Johnson came in to pitch to Dwyer. A wild pitch moved Lynn to second but Dwyer struck out. One and done for Johnson as Danny Darwin came in and got Rice to hit a fly out to center. Fisk was intentionally walked and Evans struck out to end the inning. Burgmeier returned for a crazy bottom of the ninth as Billy Sample pinch hit for Putnam and was hit with a pitch. John Ellis pinch hit for Grubb and banged into a double play. Sundberg singled to center and Zimmer pulled off the move of the century. The next batter was Roberts but Rivers was on deck. He wanted Burgmeier to face Rivers if it got to that point but didn't want him pitching to the righty hitting Roberts. Zimmer then had Burgmeier trot out to left field to take Jim Rice out of the game and brought in Skip Lockwood to face Roberts, praying he didn't hit the ball to left. Lockwood got Roberts to hit one up the elevator shaft to end the game. A bit of razzle dazzle by Zimmer worked and the Sox had won it 6-4.

Hero of the Night is Glenn Hoffman. He was 2 for 2 with a walk, a 2 run homer, a stolen base and 4 total runs batted in.

                                                        Hero Hoffman



The Good:

Fred Lynn was 2 for 4 with a walk.

Tony Perez was 1 for 3.

Carlton Fisk was 2 for 3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.

Dwight Evans was 2 for 5 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.

Gary Allenson was 2 for 4 with an rbi.

Mike Torrez got the win with 5 innings of 2 run ball.

Tom Burgmeier pitched a full scoreless inning.

Skip Lockwood earned his second save by retiring the last batter in the ninth inning.



The Bad:

Rick Burleson was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.

Jim Dwyer was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.

Dick Drago allowed 2 runs in 2 1/3 innings.



The Ugly:

Dave Stapleton was just 1 for 5.

Jim Rice was just 1 for 5 with a run scored.




Final Thoughts:

Gice props for creativity to Zimmer for putting Burgmeier in left hoping Skip Lockwood could get Roberts to hit the ball anywhere but left field in the bottom of the ninth. Still, it was a good victory for the Sox who need to get hot real quick if they want to get anywhere close to the New York Yankees. Dwight Evans seems to be finding his groove and Glenn Hoffman had a hell of a game. The Sox pitching is still their achillies heel but they found a way to win this game. The win improved the Sox to 52-50, 12.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it three in a row when they start a series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Steve Renko (5-4) goes for the Sox against old pal Reggie Cleveland at 7:35 PM at Fenway Park.

Orioles Pound Torrez, Sox (6/28/80)

The Boston Red Sox needed to make a statement against the defending American League champion Baltimore Orioles in today's matinee. Instead they got their brains beat in by the champs. Scott McGregor held the Sox to 3 runs in 7 plus innings of work while the Baltimore bats had their way with the ineffective Mike Torrez (4-7, 4.47 ERA). The dirty bird lit up Mike for 7 runs in 6 2/3 innings and ran away with this one to put Boston further behind the New York Yankees in the AL East race with an 8-4 win at Fenway Park.

                                             "This is your fault Torrez"

Al Bumbry led off the top of the first inning with a double to left but Torrez came back to strike out both Pat Kelly and Ken Singleton. Eddie Murray grounded out to short to end the inning. McGregor held the Sox in check in the bottom of the first as Rick Burleson grounded out to short to start. Dave Stapleton grounded out to short and Fred Lynn struck out to end the inning.

John Lowenstein singled to open the top of the second before Dan Graham forced him at second. Doug DeCinces banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Tony Perez was retired on a swinging bunt in front of the plate to start. Butch Hobson struck out but Dwight Evans singled to left. Jim Dwyer flied out to right to end the inning.

Mark Belanger flied out to left to start the top of the third before Rich Dauer singled to center. Bumbry flied out to left and Kelly grounded out to first to end the inning. Glenn Hoffman tried to start a rally with a base hit to center to start the bottom of the third but was thrown out trying to steal. Gary Allenson singled to center but Burleson banged into a double play to end the inning.

The O's struck first in the top of the fourth inning although Singleton struck out to start. Murray and Lowenstein stroked back to back singles and Graham crushed a 80,000 foot home run into the Charles River to put the O's up big. DeCinces popped up to first in foul territory and Belanger flied out to right to end the inning but it was 3-0 O's.

Stapleton tried to start a rally with a base hit to center to begin the bottom of the fourth but Lynn grounded out to second, Perez struck out and Hobson flied out to right to end the inning.

Dauer singled to start the top of the fifth and a wild pitch moved him to second. Dauer moved to third on the grounder by Bumbry but Kelly popped up to short. Singleton grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Still nothing in the bottom of the fifth as Evans grounded out to short to start. Dwyer flied out to right and Hoffman flied out to center to end the inning.

Murray grounded out to third to begin the top of the sixth and Lowenstein followed with a ground out to second. Graham flied out to right to end the inning. Allenson walked to start the bottom of the sixth but Burleson banged into another double play. Stapleton singled to right but Lynn flied out to center to end the inning.

The O's finally got to Torrez in the top of the seventh although DeCinces grounded out to third to start. Belanger also grounded out to third but the wheels fell off. Dauer and Bumbry stroked back to back singles and Kelly walked to load the bases. Singleton walked and Sox manager Don Zimmer ran out of the dugout screaming at Torrez, chasing him into the bullpen. Torrez got lit up for 7 total runs in 6 1/3 innings. BOOOOOOOOO!!!

                                                       Terrible effort from Torrez

Zimmer didn't have anyone warming up in the bullpen so he spun around in a circle and pointed at Win Remmerswal, choosing the puzzled pitcher to come into the game ice cold. Naturally Win allowed back to back doubles to Murray and Lowenstein to ice the game. Zimmer ran out of the dugout with a 9 MM gun and started shooting at Win to get him off the mound before being led away by armed security. John Tudor came in to pitch and got Graham to strike out to end the inning with the O's up for good 8-0.

                                                     Tough to pitch in a situation like this

With the pressure off, NOW the Sox decided to rally. Perez led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to left but Hobson grounded out to third. Evans lined out to short but somehow Dwyer smashed his 6th home run of the season to cut the lead. Hoffman grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox down 8-2.

Tudor returned for the top of the eighth and struck out DeCinces to start. Belanger singled to center but Dauer took strike three. Bumbry grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox finally chased McGregor in the bottom of the eighth although Allenson flied out to left to start. Burleson walked and Stapleton singled to chase McGregor. O's manager Earl Weaver brought in Tim Stoddard and Lynn flied out to left, but Perez singled home Burleson with another run. Hobson grounded out to first to end the inning but the Sox were down 8-3.

                                                      Perez knocks in a run

Bill Campbell had mop up duty in the top of the ninth and Kelly singled to center to start. Singleton singled to right but Evans threw out Kelly at third. Murray singled to center but Lowenstein banged into a double play to end the inning. Carl Yaztremski pinch hit for Evans to lead off the bottom of the ninth only to strike out. Dwyer singled to left and Jerry Remy pinch hit for Hoffman, drawing a walk. Dave Rader pinch hit for Allenson and singled to right, scoring Dwyer. Burleson moved both runners over with a grounder but Stapleton popped up to second to end the game. The Orioles had won it 8-4.

Jackass of the Night is an easy one. Mike Torrez got lit up for 7 runs in just 6 1/3 innings. He allowed 9 hits and struck out just 3 batters.

                                                   Terrible Torrez the Jackass

The Good:

Dave Stapleton was 3 for 5.

Tony Perez was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

Dwight Evans was 1 for 3.

Jim Dwyer was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and 2 runs scored including a home run.

Glenn Hoffman was 1 for 3.

Jerry Remy walked as a pinch hitter.

Gary Allenson was 1 for 2 with a walk.

Dave Rader singled and drove in a run as a pinch hitter.

John Tudor tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Bill Campbell pitched a scoreless 9th inning.

The Bad:

Fred Lynn was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Butch Hobson was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Carl Yastrzemski struck out as a pinch hitter.

Win Remmerswaal allowed back to back doubles to the only batters he faced.

The Ugly:

Rick Burleson was 0 for 4 but walked and scored.

Final Thoughts:

That's not the way to start a crucial series against the defending AL champions. Yes the Yankees are the team to beat this year but beating a team like the Orioles is a must if the Sox hope to keep pace and they failed big time today. They couldn't touch McGregor and Torrez looked lost out there. Yeah the Sox scored some runs late but the game was out of reach by then. What a shame the Sox fell so far, so hard ever since they lost to the Yankees in 1978. The less said of today's disaster, the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 38-32, 7 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow night against the Orioles when Bob Stanley (6-5) goes up against Steve Stone at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.

Brewers Pulverize Red Sox (4/12/80)

Wow, what a massacre. It was bad news all around as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of their first round NHL playoff series and the Milwaukee Brewers absolutely crushed the Boston Red Sox. The Brewers hit not one but two grand slams in the bottom of the second inning along with another home run to end the game early. The Brewers ended up scoring 18 runs total on 14 hits. Not helping was the Sox committing 4 errors on defense and not being able to hit in the clutch against Lary Sorensen of Milwaukee. Mike Torrez (0-1, 45.00 ERA) got shelled for 6 runs to open the game and the Brewers pounded Chuck Rainey and Bruce Hurst for 12 runs as the Brewers ran away with an 18-1 victory over the Sox at County Stadium.

                                                             Look at the scoreboard

Sorensen got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jerry Remy grounded out to second to start. Rick Burleson walked but Fred Lynn flied out to center. Jim Rice grounded out to short to end the inning. The Brewers pounced on Torrez in the bottom of the first inning as Paul Molitor walked to start. Cecil Cooper hit a ball back to Torrez and he tried to field the ball in his hat for an error. Larry Hisle singled to left to score Molitor and Ben Oglivie hit another grounder to the mound...booted for another error to load the bases. Gorman Thomas popped up to second but Sixto Lezcano hit a sac fly to right to score Cooper. Don Money forced Oglivie at second to end the inning with the Brewers up 2-0.

                                                          Hisle starts the torture

Carl Yastrzemski grounded out to first to start the top of the second but Tony Perez singled to right. Butch Hobson and Dwight Evans both flied out to right to end the inning. Hobson apparently hurt himself flying out and had to be replaced by Jack Brohamer to start the bottom of the second. Robin Yount started the rally with a base hit to center before swiping second base. Buck Martinez walked and Molitor caught the Sox asleep with a bunt single to load the bases. Cooper got revenge on the team that traded him 3 years ago by belting a grand slam to Green Bay to ice the game. That was it for Torrez as Chuck Rainey came in to take a beating. Hisle walked and Oglivie doubled to right but Thomas struck out swinging. Lezcano was intentionally walked and Money made the Sox pay by swatting his own grand slam to turn the game into a laughter. Yount put the exclamation point on the inning with a home run all the way to Mount Rushmore to increase the lead. Martinez grounded out to short and Molitor took strike three to end the inning with the game over already 11-0 Brewers.

                                                               "Ay carumba!" - Torrez

Dave Rader tried to start a rally with a base hit to center to start the top of the third.  Remy forced Rader at second and Burleson banged into a double play to end the inning. Cooper hit one up the elevator shaft to start the bottom of the third before Burleson booted a grounder by Hisle for an error. Oglivie hit a grounder to Remy and he threw the ball into the centerfield bleachers for yet another error. Thomas struck out swinging and Lezcano forced Oglivie at second to end the inning.

Lynn grounded back to the mound to start the top of the fourth before Rice got a base hit to left. Yaz grounded out to first to move Jim to second but Perez flied out to left to end the inning. Money walked to start the bottom of the fourth to start but Yount flied out to left. Martinez flied out to center and Molitor grounded out to third to end the inning.

Brohamer singled to center to begin the top of the fifth before moving to third on the grounder to third by Evans. Rader grounded back to the mound and Remy grounded out to short to end the inning. The Brewers struck again in the bottom of the fifth as Cooper grounded out to second to start. Hisle grounded out to third but Oglivie was hit with a pitch. Thomas walked and Lezcano doubled home both runners to increase the deficit. Money forced Lezcano at third to end the inning with the Brewers up 13-0.

                                                              Lezcano drives in a pair

The Sox finally got on board in the top of the sixth inning as Burleson grounded out to third to start. Lynn singled to right but Rice struck out swinging. Yaz dropped a base hit to right and Perez drove in Lynn with a single to right. Brohamer flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox down 13-1.

                                                           Perez drives in a run

Bruce Hurst came in to take a beating in the bottom of the sixth as Yount walked to start. Martinez flied out to center but Molitor singled to left. Cooper doubled to right to score Yount but Hisle struck out swinging. Oglivie singled home both runners and Thomas smashed a two run home run to wrap up the scoring. Lezcano struck out looking to end the inning with the Brewers up 18-1.

                                                                   Thomas hits one out

Ned Yost took over behind the plate, Mark Brouhard took over for Cooper, Jim Gantner took over for Molitor and Bill Castro came in to pitch the top of the seventh. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt as Evans grounded out to third, Rader grounded out to first and Remy grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Tom Burgmeier came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Money walked to start.  Yount forced Money at second and Yost banged into a double play to end the inning.

Dan Boitano came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Burleson walked to start. Lynn forced Rick at second but Rice singled him to third. Yaz struck out swinging and Perez flied out to left to end the inning. Gantner singled to right to start the bottom of the eighth but Brouhard forced him at second. Hisle singled to right to move Brouhard to third but Oglivie hit a fly ball to center. Brouhard was thrown at home trying to score on the play to end the inning.

Bob McClure came in to close out the top of the ninth and Glenn Hoffman pinch hit for Brohamer. Hoffman struck out swinging and Evans grounded back to the mound, then Carlton Fisk pinch hit for Rader. Fisk struck out swinging to end the game. The Brewers had won it 18-1.

Jackass of the Night is Mike Torrez. He got rocked for 6 runs in just 1 plus innings to take the loss.

                                                           Torrez the Jackass

The Good:

Jim Rice was 2 for 4.

Tony Perez was 2 for 4 with an rbi.

Jack Brohamer was 1 for 2.

Dave Rader was 1 for 3.

Tom Burgmeier tossed 2 scoreless innings.

The Bad:

Jerry Remy was 0 for 4 with an error.

Butch Hobson was 0 for 1 before leaving the game.

Glenn Hoffman struck out as a pinch hitter.

Dwight Evans was 0 for 4.

Carlton Fisk struck out as a pinch hitter.

Chuck Rainey got blasted for 7 runs in 4 innings.

Bruce Hurst allowed 5 runs in just 1 full inning.

The Ugly:

Rick Burleson was 0 for 2 with an error but walked twice.

Fred Lynn was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.

Carl Yastrzemski was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Final Thoughts:

Two games, two losses for the Red Sox. Not only that, they got smushed like a cigarette in this game. Rainey, Torrez and Hurst allowed 18 runs in six innings and the Brewers couldn't miss. The Sox were hoping Rainey and Hurst would be future stars but they didn't look good at all in this one. On the other side of the ball the Sox bats were held to just a single run and that was driven in by Perez. Its only the first two games of the season so there's no need to panic but its leaving a bad taste in the fans collective mouth. The Sox have plenty of time to figure things out but giving up 18 runs to the Brewers isn't a good look. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow afternoon against Milwaukee when Bob Stanley makes his season debut for the Red Sox against Moose Haas of the Brewers. The game begins at 2:30 PM Eastern time at County Stadium.

Brewers Walkoff Sox on Opening Day Grand Slam in Ninth (4/10/80)

Well so much for the 1980 season starting on a high note for the Boston Red Sox. The Milwaukee Brewers took a 5-3 over the Boston Red Sox on Opening Day heading into the ninth inning. Dennis Eckersley lasted just 4 1/3 innings and gave up 4 of the 5 runs to put the Sox in the hole they were in.  Suddenly home runs by Carl Yastrzemski and Butch Hobson tied the game to give Boston fans a glimmer of home. That hope was dashed when Sixto Lezcano clobbered a walkoff grand slam off Dick Drago (0-1, 54.00 ERA) to win the game for the Brewers 9-5 at County Stadium.

                                              Sox losing on a walkoff makes Flounder sick

Jim Slaton got the start for Milwaukee and Jerry Remy greeted him with a groundout back to the mound to start. Rick Burleson singled to right but Fred Lynn flied out to center. Jim Rice struck out to end the inning. Eckersley got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Paul Molitor grounded out to third to start. Old friend Cecil Cooper took strike three before Dick Davis flied out to right to end the inning.

The Sox struck first in the top of the second inning when Carl Yastrzmeski got the first hit of the season with a base hit to right. Tony Perez made his Red Sox debut with a base hit to right before a wild pitch moved both runners over. Butch Hobson drove in the first run of the season with a base hit to score Yaz to put the Sox on top. The rally ended as Dwight Evans struck out and Dave Rader banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.

                                                      First rbi of 1980 for Butch

Old buddy Ben Oglivie flied out to right to begin the bottom of the second inning before Gorman Thomas struck out. Sixto Lezcano hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.

The Sox added to the lead in the top of the third although Remy flied out to left. The hit parade was started when Burleson singled to center and Lynn singled to right. Rice singled home Burleson and Yaz singled home Lynn to put Slaton on the ropes. Unfortunately Perez banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.

                                                       Rice increases the lead

Don Money grounded out to third to start the bottom of the third before Robin Yount popped up to first. Charlie Moore singled to right but Molitor flied out to center to end the inning.

Hobson grounded out to short to begin the top of the fourth but Evans drew a walk. Evan moved to second on the grounder by Rader but Remy flied out to left to end the inning. Eckersley suddenly fell apart in the bottom of the fourth although Cooper took strike three. Davis flied out to center but Oglivie pounded a 50,000 foot home run to put the Brewers on the board. Thomas walked and Lezcano bashed a 300,000 foot home run to tie the game. Money walked but Yount flied out to right to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.

                                                Why'd the Sox get rid of him again?

The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Burleson flied out to center to start. Lynn struck out looking and Rice grounded out to third to end the inning. Moore grounded out to third to begin the top of the fifth but Molitor smashed a 5,000,000 foot home run into Lake Michigan to give the Brewers the lead. Cooper doubled to left and Sox manager Don Zimmer ran out of the dugout screaming his head off and tried to throw a roundhouse right at Eckersley. Eck ducked under it and hightailed it out of there as Steve Renko was brought into pitch. Eckersley lasted just 4 1/3 innings and gave up 4 runs off 3 homers, brutal. Davis struck out but Oglivie was intentionally walked. Thomas walked to load the bases but Lezcano grounded out to third to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 4-3.

                                                         Not Eck's best work

Boston failed to respond in the top of the sixth as Yaz flied out to left to start. Perez and Hobson both grounded out to short to end the inning. The homer parade continued as Money homered off Renko to start the bottom of the sixth. Yount grounded out to short, Moore took strike three and Molitor flied out to center to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 5-3.

                                                          Nice relief Renko

Slaton cruised in the top of the seventh as Evans flied out to left to start. Rader flied out to center and Remy grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Renko kept pace in the bottom of the seventh as Cooper struck out to start. Davis grounded out to short and Oglivie grounded out to first to end the inning.

The Sox looked defeated in the top of the eighth as Burleson grounded out to short to start. Lynn grounded out to first and Rice flied out to center to end the inning. Renko got in trouble in the bottom of the eighth as Thomas led off with a double to left. Lezcano and Money both flied out to center but Yount walked. Moore struck out to end the inning.

With their backs to the wall, the Sox somehow rallied in the top of the ninth. Yaz led of with his first home run of the season to cut the lead but Perez grounded out to third. Hobson stepped up by jacking his first home run of the season to tie the game and chase Slaton. Old pal Reggie Cleveland came in and Evans grounded back to the mound. Rader flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox tying it up 5-5.

                                                   Yaz & Hobson tie it up

Dick Drago came in to preserve the tie in the bottom of the ninth and failed miserably. Molitor singled to right and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Cooper. Davis popped up to first and Oglivie walked to set up a force. The move backfired as Thomas walked and Lezcano ended it with a grand slam all the way into the Gulf of Mexico to end the game. The Brewers had won it 9-5.

                                                            Dammit


The Brewers had won it 9-5 to spoil Opening Day for the Sox.

Jackass of the Night is Dick Drago. He allowed the walkoff grand slam to lose the game.

                                                          Drago the Jackass



The Good:

Rick Burleson was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Carl Yastrezmski was 3 for 4 with 2 total rbis, 2 total runs scored including a solo home run.

Butch Hobson was 2 for 4 with a solo home run.

Steve Renko allowed a run in 3 2/3 innings of work.



The Bad:

Jerry Remy was 0 for 4.

Dave Rader was 0 for 4.

Dennis Eckersley allowed 4 runs in just 4 1/3 innings. He allowed 5 hits including 3 home runs.



The Ugly:

Fred Lynn was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.

Jim Rice was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.

Tony Perez was just 1 for 4.

Dwight Evans was 0 for 3 but walked.




Final Thoughts:

This is going to leave a bad taste in Boston fans' mouths. Eckersley didn't look good at all and as usual the Sox could bop their way back in the game but found a way to lose anyway. The stench of 1979 carried over to 1980 and the Sox are gonna have to make a few moves to avoid a fate worse than last season. Still, its only one game and there's 161 of these to go.....good lord. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action Saturday against the Brewers in the second game of this series. Mike Torrez makes his season debut for the Sox against Lary Sorensen of the Brewers at 2:40 PM at County Stadium

Sox Outslug Twins (8/15/79)

If the Sox hope to catch the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East crown, they're going to need to pitch a lot better the last two months of the season. Sox starter Mike Torrez held the mediocre Minnesota Twins to two runs in 7 innings of work. Then Torrez fell apart in the eighth inning and the Twins tied it against Tom Burgmeier to make the fans groan. Carl Yastrzemski stepped up with a 2 run bomb to give the Sox the lead back and Dick Drago (9-3, 3.00 ERA) slammed the door in the ninth inning. The Sox needed to outslug the Twins to win the game 9-5 at Fenway Park.

                                                       Dorothy Mays approves of the win

The Twins struck first in the top of the first inning as Butch Wynegar and Roy Smalley Jr struck back to back singles to start. Wynegar got caught in a run-down but Rob Wilfong tripled home Smalley. Mike Cubbage scored Wilfong with a sac fly to increase the lead before Ken Landreaux grounded out to second to end the inning with the Twins up 2-0.

                                                         Damn you Smalley

Twins starter Roger Erickson got the ball in the bottom of the first and Rick Burleson singled to start. Burleson moved to second on the Carlton Fisk grounder then to third on the Fred Lynn grounder. Jim Rice flied out to center to end the inning.

The Twins beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the second as Glenn Adams grounded out to first to start. Danny Goodwin grounded out to second and Hosken Powell grounded out to short to end the inning. Carl Yastrzemski lined out to right to start the bottom of the second before Bob Watson singled to right. Watson took second on a balk and Butch Hobson singled him to third, but Jack Brohamer hit into a double play to end the inning.

Ron Jackson popped up to third to start the top of the third before Wynegar singled to right. Smalley Jr forced Wynegar at second and Wilfong singled to right. Cubbage grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox fought back in the bottom of the third as Dwight Evans grounded out to short to start. Burleson struck out but Fisk doubled to left. Lynn singled home Fisk to cut the lead and moved to second on another balk. Rice lined out to right to end the inning but the Sox were on the board trailing 2-1.

                                                         Lynn drives in a run

Landreaux singled to center to start the top of the fourth but Adams struck out. Goodwin beat out an infield single to short but Powell grounded into a double play to end the inning. Yaz singled to right to start the bottom of the first but Watson struck out and Hobson banged into a double play to end the inning.

Jackson doubled to left to start the top of the fifth and moved to third on the Wynegar ground out. Smalley struck out but Wilfong walked. Cubbage popped up to short to end the inning. The Sox roared back in the bottom of the fifth although Brohamer flied out to left to start. Evans popped up to second but Burleson singled. Fisk hit a routine grounder to Cubbage who went OLE! and everyone was safe. Lynn singled home Burleson to tie the game and Rice pulverized his 32nd home run of the season to give the Sox the lead. Yaz flied out to center to end the inning but it was 5-2 Red Sox.

                                                           3 run bomb for Rice

Landreaux grounded out to first to start the top of the sixth before Adams singled to right. Adams moved to second on another balk and Goodwin walked. Powell hit into another double play to end the inning. Watson flied out to right to begin the bottom of the sixth before Hobson popped up to second. Brohamer got a hit to center but Evans lined out to short to end the inning.

Torrez cruised in the top of the seventh as Jackson hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Wynegar took strike three and Smalley Jr grounded out to short to end the inning. Mike Bacsik took over on the mound for the bottom of the seventh and Burleson's bunt attempt was snuffed out by the catcher to start. Fisk struck out and Lynn grounded out to first to end the inning.

The walls closed in on Torrez in the top of the eighth although Wilfong grounded out to second to start. Cubbage singled, Landreaux doubled and Adams singled home both runners to cut the lead and chase Torrez. Jose Morales pinch hit for Goodwin and Dave Edwards pinch ran for Adams as Tom Burgmeier was brought in. Edwards moved to third on the Morales grounder and Powell singled him home to tie the game. Dick Drago came in and Jackson flied out to left to end the inning with the game tied 5-5.

                                                  Why didn't Zimmer take him out after 7?

The Sox got the lead back instantly in the bottom of the eighth as Rice singled to left and Yaz crushed his 20th home run of the season to give the Sox the lead back. Mike Marshall came in to pitch and Watson flied out to right. Hobson lined out to right but Brohamer singled. Evans doubled Brohamer to third and Burleson scored both runners with a double to ice the game. Fisk grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-5.

                                                            Burleson ices it

Drago returned for the top of the ninth to close out the game. Wynegar grounded out to first but Smalley Jr and Wilfong drew back to back walks. Cubbage singled to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate but Landreaux popped up to center. Willie Norwood pinch hit for Edwards and struck out to end the game. The Sox had survived to beat the Twins 9-5.

Hero of the Night is Carl Yastrezmski. His 2 run homer in the eighth gave the Sox the lead they wouldn't give up.

                                                                 Yaz the Hero

The Good:

Rick Burleson was 3 for 5 with 2 rbis and a run scored.

Fred Lynn was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.

Jim Rice was 2 for 4 with 2 total runs scored and a 3 run home run.

Jack Brohamer was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Dick Drago tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.

The Bad:

None

The Ugly:

Carlton Fisk was just 1 for 5 but scored 2 runs.

Bob Watson was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Butch Hobson was just 1 for 4.

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

Mike Torrez cruised through 7 innings but was charged with 5 runs in 7 1/3 innings.

Tom Burgmeier allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in 1/3 of an inning.

Final Thoughts:

Good win but holy moly the Sox have pitching woes. Its bad enough Dennis Eckersley is having a down year compared to last year but what's with Torrez falling apart in the eighth inning? Still, if he was running out of gas, why didn't Sox manager Don Zimmer pull him sooner? Still, no sense being grouchy when the offense stepped up to win the game. Everyone pitched in one way or another and the Sox managed to score 9 runs. The rbis from Lynn and Burleson were just as important as the Yaz and Rice homers to put the Twins away. Hopefully the Sox can ride this momentum into a long winning streak so they can catch the Baltimore Orioles. The win improved the Sox to 73-44, 5 games behind the Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to continue their winning ways when they welcome the Chicago White Sox to Fenway for a set. 25 year old rookie John Tudor makes his ML debut tomorrow up against Mike Prolly of the ChiSox. The game begins at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.

Error Leads to Angels Win Over Sox (7/10/79)

Yet another game this year has been decided by an error. The Boston Red Sox had a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the eighth against the California Angels but a blunder by Jim Dwyer led the way for a stunning 4-3 victory by the Angels, denying the Sox to gain ground on the Baltimore Orioles. The loss in Anaheim Stadium was costly in more ways than one.

                                                             "Dwyerrrrrrrrr'

The Sox wasted no time scoring in the top of the first inning. Rick Burleson was hit by Jim Barr to begin the game and was moved to second on the Jack Brohamer ground out. Fred Lynn slammed a single to score Burelson with the game's first run. Jim Rice singled and Carl Yastrzemski hit a routine grounder to Dickie Thon at second but he booted it, everyone was safe. Bob Watson made Dickie pay by doubling home both Lynn and Rice to give the Sox a three run lead just like that. Butch Hobson failed to score Yaz when his pop up to right was too shallow and Dwight Evans whiffed to end the inning. The Sox had 3 runs on 3 hits.....and would have just two more hits the rest of the game.

                                           Lynn gets the rally started

Unfortunatey Bob Stanley (10-6, 3.38 ERA) couldn't keep the Angels off the board in the bottom of the first inning. Old pal Rick Miller singled but Stanley picked him off first. Carney Lansford and Dan Ford hit back to back singles but Don Baylor beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Willie Aikens walked to load the bases then Brian Downing was apparently hit on the belt, forcing in a run. Sox manager Don Zimmer sprinted out of the dugout screaming like a banshee that the ball never hit Downing and when the umpire told him to go away, Zimmer started tearing his clothes off and had to be carried out by the police before he caused further ruckus. When action resumed Joe Rudi grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-1.

                                        "I've had it up to HEREEEEE WITH YOU!" - Zim

Gary Allenson led off the top of the second inning by popping up to first. Burleson struck out but Brohamer walked. Lynn flied out to left to end the inning. The Angels struck again in the bottom of the second inning. Jim Anderson doubled to start and Thon sacrificed him to third. Miller singled home Anderson but Lansford hit into a double play to end the inning with the Sox up by just one, 3-2.

Both pitchers settled into a groove as Rice lined out to center to start the top of the third inning. Yaz hit a comebacker to the mound and Watson grounded out to short to end the inning. Ford grounded out to second to start the bottom of the third, but Baylor singled. Aikens banged into a double play to end the inning.

Hobson hit a comebacker to the mound to open the top of the fourth before Evans grounded out to third. Allenson popped up to third to end the inning. The Angels beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fourth as Downing, Rudi and Anderson all grounded out to short to begin and end the inning.

Burleson flied out to center to start the top of the fifth before Brohamer grounded out to first. Lynn grounded out to second to end the inning. Thon grounded out to third to open the bottom of the fifth before Miller lined out to short. Lansford grounded out to short to end the inning.

The Sox got their first hit since the first inning when Rice singled to lead off the top of the sixth. They couldn't capitalize as Yaz lined out to center, Watson flied out to center and Hobson flied out to right to end the inning. The Angels continued to fall victim to Stanley's sinker in the bottom of the sixth as both Ford and Baylor grounded out to short. Aikens flied out to left to end the inning.

The Sox failed to score in the top of the seventh inning as Evans grounded out to short to start. Allenson flied out to center but Burleson somehow singled. Rick swiped second but Brohamer grounded out to third to end the inning. Downing flied out to right to begin the bottom of the seventh before Rudi hit a routine grounder to Hobson. Butch fired to first and Watson dropped the ball, allowing Joe to reach. All of a sudden the enraged Zimmer ran half naked from the clubhouse onto the field screaming at Watson, chasing Bob all the way into the clubhouse, forcing Jim Dwyer to take over at first. Anderson singled and Willie Davis pinch hit for Thon only to beat out a double play ball. With runners at the corners, Stanley got Miller to hit a comebacker to end the inning with the lead intact.

                                               Stanley keeping the Sox in front

Anderson moved to second base with Bert Campaneris now taking over at short to begin the top of the eighth. Lynn walked but Rice banged into a double play. Yaz grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox pissed the game away in the bottom of the eighth inning. Stanley froze Lansford for strike three before Ford and Baylor stroked back to singles. All of a sudden Zimmer escaped the clutches of the police, grabbed a bat and ran on the field to attack Stanley. Stanley wouldn't back down and ended up chasing Zimmer all the way into the clubhouse, leaving no one to pitch. Tom Burgmeier ran out of the bullpen before anyone could make a real decision. Aikens hit a routine grounder to first but Dwyer went OLE! and Ford scored all the way from second with the tying run. Had he made the play, it could have been an inning ending double play. Butch Hobson then picked Dick Drago's name out of Burleson's hat so Dick came in to pitch. Right on cue Downing slammed a single to score Baylor with the go-ahead run. Rudi popped up to third and Anderson grounded out to third to end the inning but the Angels now led 4-3.

                                              This guy manages better than Zimmer

The Sox had one last chance to take the game in the top of the ninth against closer Mark Clear. Dwyer at least drew a walk to somewhat make up for his error but the idiotic Zimmer decided to have the man that hit 40 homers in 1977 (Hobson) drop down a bunt to advance Jim to second. Evans grounded out and even though Dwyer was on third, there was now 2 out. Allenson went to bat but Zimmer tackled him to the ground and demanded Tom Poquette pinch hit. No one knew why this was a good idea and sure enough, Poquette flied out to right to end the game. The Angels had won it 4-3.

Jackass of the Night is Jim Dwyer for allowing the error in the eighth.

                                                       Dwyer you Jackass



The Good:

Rick Burleson was 1 for 3 with a stolen base, a run scored and was hit with a pitch.

Fred Lynn was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.

Jim Rice was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Bob Watson was 1 for 3 with 2 rbi's.



The Bad:

Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 4.

Butch Hobson was 0 for 3.

Dwight Evans was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Gary Allenson was 0 for 3.

Tom Poquette made the last out.

Dick Drago allowed the go-ahead run to score.



The Ugly:

Jack Brohamer was 0 for 3 but walked.

Bob Stanley went 7 2/3 innings and look the loss allowing 4 runs, but the final 2 runs were due to an error and the bullpen. He really should have had his 11th win.

Tom Burgmeier faced one man and he reached, but only because Dwyer couldn't make the play.




Final Thoughts:

That was a sucker punch to the go-nads after how well Stanley had pitched in this game. The lunatic Zimmer cost them another game by taking away Bob Watson's bat only for Jim Dwyer's glove to let them down. This all coming after that outburst in the first inning just makes it seem like this team wins in spite of Zim more often than not. He can't blame Bill Lee, Jim Wiloughby, Fergie Jenkins or Lee's other cronies anymore, its all on him now. The worst part about the loss is that the Orioles lost too meaning the Sox could have gained a game on the O's had they won. As it is the Sox are 52-32, still 3 games behind the Orioles for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox go after the Angels once again as Dennis Eckersley goes one on one with Dave Frost at 7:30 PM at Anaheim Stadium.

Disco Denny Lit Up By Yankees, Remy Lost (7/1/79)

Dennis Eckersley may very well be the ace of the Boston Red Sox but he pitched like absolute garbage this afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Reportedly Eckersley was spotted at the infamous Studio 54 last night so its possible he wasn't his sharpest. Eck allowed FIVE...yes FIVE home runs to the New York Yankees as the Yankees knocked off the Sox 6-5. What's worse, Jerry Remy was injured on a collision at the plate and had to be carried out.

                                  Who thought THIS would be the downfall of the Sox today

Things went bad right from the start as Jerry Remy tripled to open the game, but Randolph made a great diving catch to rob Rick Burelson of a hit. Remy broke for home and collided with catcher Jerry Narron. Remy was hurt and had to be carried out on a stretcher as a sign of what was to come. Fred Lynn popped to short to end the inning but losing Remy was not good.

                                                         Poor Remy

The Yankees pounced on the shaken up Sox and starter Eckerseley in the bottom of the first inning with Jack Brohamer moving to second with Butch Hobson taking Remy's spot in the order while playing third. Roy White flied out but Randolph pounded a home run to give the Yankees the lead. Graig Nettles flied out to center and Reggie Jackson grounded out to second to end the inning, although it was 1-0 Yankees.

The Sox struck back in the top of the second inning as Rice was hit with a pitch and he scored on the double by Carl Yastrzemski. Bob Watson walked but was stranded as Brohamer flied out to right. Evans whiffed and Bob Montgomery popped up to second to end the inning, but it was tied 1-1.

                                                         Yaz ties it up

Eckersley ran into some trouble in the bottom of the second inning as Chris Chambliss singled to start the inning. Jim Spencer whiffed but Bobby Murcer singled. Narron struck out and Bucky Dent grounded to short to end the inning.

The Sox threatened in the top of the third inning but could not score. Hobson flied out to right but Burelson doubled. Lynn flied out to center but Rice walked. Yaz struck out to end the inning, what a waste. White grounded out to open the bottom of the third but Randolph singled. The alert Eck picked off Randolph and got Nettles to ground out to first to end the inning.

The Sox surged ahead in the top of the fourth inning although Watson struck out to begin. Brohamer clobbered a solo home run off Yankees starter Catfish Hunter to give the Sox the lead. Evans grounded out to short and Montgomery lined out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 2-1.

                                                    Jack makes it 2-1 Sox

The Yankees immediately tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Jackson grounded out to first and Chambliss struck out, but Spencer blasted a solo home run to tie the game. Murcer popped up to left but it was now 2-2.

The Sox fought back in the top of the fifth inning although Hobson flied out to center to start. Burelson grounded out to second but Lynn belted a solo home run to give the Sox the lead back. Rice flied out to left to end the inning but it was now 3-2 Sox.

                                                  Lynn gives the Sox the lead back

The Yankees struck back in the bottom of the fifth inning as Narron worked a leadoff walk. Dent flied out to right but White clobbered a 2 run home run to put the Yankees back on top. Randolph flied out to left and Nettles struck out but it was now 4-3 Yankees.

Once again the Sox battled back in the top of the sixth inning although Yaz flied out to start. Watson singled but Brohamer lined out to second. Evans walked to chase Hunter as Ron Davis was brought in only for Montgomery to single home Watson to tie the game. Hobson singled in Evans to give the Sox the lead back. Burelson struck out but it was 5-4 Sox.

                                     Hobson comes off the bench and puts Boston in front

As usual Eckersley coughed up the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Jackson pounded a home run, New York's fourth, to tie the game immediately. Eck recovered to get Chambliss to ground out to second, Spencer to fly out to left and Murcer to strike out to end the inning with the game tied 5-5.

This time the Sox failed to answer in the top of the seventh as Lynn popped to short to start. Rice struck out and Yaz lined out to second to end the inning. Eckersley returned for the bottom of the seventh and guess what Narron did....he homered to give the Yankees the lead. Dent popped up to short but Red Sox manager Don Zimmer stumbled out of the dugout, beer cans falling out of his pocket to make the pitching change. Tom Burgmeier replaced Eck and got White to fly out. Randolph watched strike three go by to end the inning but the Yankees led 6-5, nice going Eck.

                                         Juror Number 3 dislikes blown leads

The Sox tried to fight back in the top of the eighth inning when Watson singled to put the tying run on. Jim Dwyer pinch ran for Watson but Brohamer flied out. Evans walked to chase Davis and put the go-ahead run on first. Tom Poquette was going to pinch hit for Montgomery, but when the Yankees brought in Jim Kaat, Sox manager Don Zimmer sat Poquette in favor of Carlton Fisk. Both Fisk and Hobson popped up to first to end the inning. Nice going fellas. Gary Allenson took over behind the plate with Dwyer now at first to open the bottom of the eighth. Nettles hit a routine grounder to Dwyer who tossed his glove away and tried to catch it bare handed, instead the ball went off his hands and rolled away for an error. Jackson singled and Chambliss sacrificed them into scoring position. Lou Pinella pinch hit for Spencer and was intentionally walked to load the bases. Rookie Chuck Rainey was brought in to pitch to pinch hitter Thurman Munson and somehow got him to bang into a double play to end the inning.

Kaat remained in the game to close it out in the top of the ninth. Burelson hit a comebacker to the mound but Lynn walked. Lynn was erased on the force by Rice and with the tying run on....Yaz grounded out to end the game. The Yankees held on to win it 6-5.

Jackass of the Night is Dennis Eckersley. He allowed not one, not two, not three, not four but FIVE home runs in this game. I'm sure Catfish Hunter would have taken him deep as well if there was no DH. The Sox put runs on the board so shame on Eck for being flat as a pancake today.

                                 Disco Denny didn't have it, the Jackass



The Good:

Jerry Remy was 1 for 1 before leaving the game.

Bob Watson was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Dwight Evans walked twice in 4 plate appearances and scored a run.

Bob Montgomery was 1 for 3 with an rbi.

Tom Burgmeier pitched a full scoreless inning.

Chuck Rainey got the final two outs in the bottom of the eighth.



The Bad:

Jim Dwyer committed an error in the 9th inning.

Carlton Fisk was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.



The Ugly:

Butch Hobson was 1 for 4 with an rbi after coming in for Remy.

Rick Burelson was just 1 for 5.

Fred Lynn was just 1 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored.

Jim Rice was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.

Carl Yastzremski was just 1 for 5 but walked and drove in a run.

Jack Brohamer was just 1 for 4 but scored a run and drove one in.



Honorable Mention:

Tom Poquette was penciled in to pinch hit for Montgomery before he was replaced by Fisk.

Gary Allenson caught the ninth inning.




Final Thoughts:

Maybe Eckersley should stay in his hotel room and watch Barnaby Jones instead of going out and doing the boogie woogie before a huge game against the Yankees. The team is reeling with a serious world series hangover and the Sox NEED to win these games to get closer to Baltimore in the division standings. Hopefully the Sox can come back tomorrow. The loss dropped the Red Sox to 47-28, 5.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow Joel Finch of the Red Sox takes on Tommy John of the Yankees.