Sox Lose Eckersley, Game (8/19/82)

If the Boston Sox had any hope of catching the Milwaukee Brewers, those dreams went up in smoke in tonight's game against the California Angels. Dennis Eckersley was pitching well until pulling a muscle in his bicep and had to leave in the third inning. After he was gone the bullpen gave up 8 runs in his absence. The Sox got 5 quick runs off old pal Steve Renko but Bruce Kison tossed 6 shutout innings to give the game to the Angels 8-5 at Anaheim Stadium.

The Red Sox wasted no time pounding Renko in the top of the first inning. Jerry Remy singled and Dwight Evans hit a roller to the mound that Renko threw away to put runners at the corners. Jim Rice doubled home both men to give the Sox the lead. Carl Yastrzemski popped up to short and Carney Lansford flied out to left but Dave Stapleton singled home Rice. Rick Miller flied out to left to end the inning but it was 2-0 Sox.

                                                        Rice knocks in a pair

Eckersley started off well in the bottom of the first although Brian Downing singled to start. Rob Wilfong forced Downing at second and Rod Carew banged into a double play to end the inning.

The Sox did nothing in the top of the second as Rich Gedman grounded out to second to start. Glenn Hoffman flied out to right and Remy flied out to center to end the inning. Eck got Reggie Jackson to ground out to second to start the bottom of the second before Fred Lynn flied out to right. Don Baylor flied out to right to end the inning.

Renko got Evans to strike out to open the top of the third before Rice grounded out to short. Yaz flied out to left to end the inning. Disaster struck in the bottom of the third as Ron Jackson popped up to third to start. Tom Foli popped up to third but after Eck made the pitch he fell to the ground clutching his arm. Eck had to be carried out on a stretcher after just 2 2/3 innings. Bob Stanley came in and got Bob Boone to ground out to third to end the inning but Eck was gone.

                                                    Done with a pulled bicep muscle

The Sox struck again in the top of the fourth inning as Lansford began with a double. Stapleton doubled him home and Gedman singled in Stapleton. At this point it was 5-0 and the Angels were on the ropes but the Sox let them off the hook. Bruce Kison came in and dominated as Gedman flied out to right but Hoffman walked. Remy grounded out to first but both runners advanced. With a chance to hit a knockout punch, Evans struck out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-0.

                                                       Stapleton adds to the lead

Stanley got Downing to ground out to first to start the bottom of the fourth before Wilfong flied out to left. Carew grounded out to second to end the inning.

Kison got Rice to ground out to third to begin the top of the fifth before Yaz flied out to left. Lansford singled to center but Stapleton struck out to end the inning. The Angels began their comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning as Jackson walked to start. Lynn popped up to third but Baylor walked. Jackson beat out an infield single to load the bases but Foli beat out a double play ball to score Jackson. Boone flied out to left to end the inning but it was now 5-1 Sox.

Miller grounded out to second to start the top of the sixth before Gedman also grounded out to second as well. Hoffman singled to right but was foolishly thrown out trying to stretch a double to end the inning. The Angels inched closer in the bottom of the sixth although Downing grounded out to first to begin. Wilfong singled and Carew doubled before Jackson singled home both runners to chase Stanley. Mark Clear came in and walked Lynn but Baylor popped up back to Mark. Jackson walked to load the bases but Foli took strike three to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 5-3.

                                                         3 runs allowed, not good

The Sox did nothing in the top of the seventh as Remy flied out to left to start. Evans grounded out to third but Rice singled to center. Yaz lined out to first to end the inning. The Sox fell apart in the bottom of the seventh as Boone doubled to start. Bob moved to third on the grounder by Downing before Wilfong grounded to the mound. Carew and Reggie Jackson both walked to load the bases and chase Clear. Lynn singled home Boone and Carew to tie the game before Baylor singled to left. Rice fired home but Jackson beat the throw to give the Angels the lead. Both runners advanced before Ron Jackson hit a routine grounder to third. Lansford went OLE! and Lynn scored with Baylor moving to third. Foli singled home Baylor and Sox manager Ralph Houk had enough of Burgmeier. He came in with the bases loaded and allowed all the runners to score plus two of his own. Luis Aponte got Boone to fly out to center but the Angels put up 5 runs to take the lead for good, 8-5.

                                                        Clear takes the loss

Lansford tried to atone for his error with a walk to open the top of the eighth but Stapleton flied out to right. Miller banged into a double play to end the inning. Aponte held the fort in the bottom of the eighth as Downing popped to short to start. Wilfong and Carew hit back to back singles but Jackson flied out to left. Lynn flied out to center to end the inning.

Juan Beniquez came in to play first and Bobby Clark came in to play right in the top of the ninth. Gedman grounded out to short before Wade Boggs pinch hit for Hoffman. Boggs hit one up the elevator shaft and Remy grounded out to short to end the game. The Angels had come back to win the game 8-5.

Jackass of the Night is Tom Burgmeier. He came in with the bases loaded and the Sox still in the lead, allowed all 3 runs to score and 2 of his own to put the Sox behind to good.

                                             Burgmeier is Jackass


The Good:

Jim Rice was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.

Carney Lansford was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Dave Stapleton was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.

Glenn Hoffman was 1 for 2 with a walk.

Dennis Eckersley tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings before leaving with an injury.

Luis Aponte tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.



The Bad:

Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 4.

Rich Gedman was 0 for 4.

Wade Boggs popped up as a pinch hitter.

Bob Stanley allowed 3 runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Mark Clear took the loss with 3 runs allowed in 1 1/3 innings.



The Ugly:

Jerry Remy was just 1 for 5 with a run scored.

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

Rick Miller was just 1 for 4 with an rbi.




Final Thoughts:

Well this game was a sucker punch to the balls. Not only did they lose Eckersley but the bullpen blew the game as well. Blowing a 5 run lead is almost hard to do especially since the bullpen has been one of the strong points this year. Stanley, Clear and Burgmeier combined to give up 8 runs between them against an Angels you can't afford to let get hot. If Eckersley is done for a month that could end the season for the Sox considering they're relying on the aging Mike Torrez and the spot starters like Chuck Rainey to carry them to the playoffs. As good as the offense has been, they don't have enough starting pitching. It was a tough loss but the Sox are now 65-54, 4 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the AL East. The Sox are back in action tomorrow night with a set against the Oakland A's in Oakland. Brian Kingman goes for the A's with Mike Torrez going for the Sox at a horrible 10:30 PM Eastern time start at the Oakland Coliseum.

Sox Late Rally Falls Short Against Brewers (6/27/82)

Close but no cigar. The Boston Red Sox fell behind the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 going into the eighth inning of tonight's game but ultimately fell short. Starter Mike Torrez (4-4, 6.22 ERA) continued to falter by allowing 6 runs in 5 innings to put the Sox in the hole. The Sox fought back in the eighth inning but a crucial double play by Dave Stapleton led the way for the Brewers to recover. The Brewers inched closer to the Sox with their 7-5 win at Fenway Park.

                                             Ex president Ford is angry

Torrez got the ball in the top of the first and Paul Molitor grounded out to first to begin. Robin Yount struck out and Cecil Cooper popped up to short to end the inning. Bob McClure got the start for Milwaukee and Jerry Remy greeted him by watching strike three go by to start the bottom of the first. Dwight Evans and Jim Rice stroked back to back singles but Tony Perez popped up to second. Stapleton popped up to third in foul territory to end the inning.

Torrez cruised in the top of the second inning as Ted Simmons and Ben Oglivie both grounded out to first. Gorman Thomas grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Glenn Hoffman struck out to start. Gary Allenson flied out to left before Wade Boggs grounded out to third to end the inning.

Roy Howell struck out to begin the top of the third inning before Ed Romero popped up to second. Charlie Moore hit a routine grounder to Hoffman who dove on top of it and swam on it for an error. More swiped second before Molitor flied out to left to end the inning. Reid Nichols flied out to left to open the bottom of the third before Remy grounded out to third. Evans struck out to end the inning.

The Brewers struck first in the bottom of the third as Yount and Cooper stroked back to back singles to start. Simmons singled in Yount and sent Cooper to third to give the Brewers the lead. Oglivie struck out but Thomas drove in Cooper with a sac fly. Howell doubled but Romero grounded out to third to end the inning with the Brewers up 2-0.

The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fourth as Rice flied out out to center to begin. Perez struck out and Stapleton grounded out to first to end the inning.

The Brewers struck again in the top of the fifth inning as Moore walked to start. Molitor popped up to second but Yount tripled home Moore. Cooper scored Yount with a sac fly and Simmons flied out to left to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 4-0.

The Sox fought back in the bottom of the fifth as Hoffman walked to start. Allenson lined out to short but Boggs singled to center. Nichols hit one up the elevator shaft but Remy singled in Hoffman to put the Sox on the board. Evans struck out to end the inning with the Sox down 4-1.

                                                      Remy drives in a run

Torrez returned for the top of the sixth but was immediately chased. Oglivie smashed a 400,000 foot bomb and Thomas responded with a 90,000 foot home run to go back to back. Sox manager Ralph Houk had seen enough and pulled Torrez after allowing 6 runs in 5 plus innings. He's been terrible this year.

                                                             Torrez stinks again

Tom Burgmeier came in and Howell grounded back to the mound before Romero grounded out to short. Moore popped up to Burgmeier to end the inning. The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the sixth as Rice flied out to center to start. Perez flied out to left and Stapleton hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.

Burgmeier got the Brewers to beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the seventh inning. Molitor and Yount both grounded out to third before Cooper grounded out to first to end the inning. McClure cruised in the bottom of the seventh as Hoffman struck out to begin. Allenson grounded out to short and Boggs popped up to third to end the inning.

The Brewers got a key insurance run in the top of the eighth inning. Simmons flied out to left and Oglivie flied out to center but Thomas belted his second home run of the game. Howell flied out to left to end the inning but it was 7-1 Brewers.

Somehow the Sox exploded in the bottom of the eighth. Nichols singled to start before Remy walked. Evans singled Nichols in and sent Remy to third. Rice doubled home Remy and Perez singled Evans home and sent Rice to third to chase McClure from the game. The tying run came to the plate but Dwight Benard got Stapleton to bang into a double play. Rice scored but there were two outs, the bases empty and the Sox were still down 2. Hoffman grounded out to third to end the inning but it was 7-5 Brewers.

                                                             Thanks a lot Dave

Burgmeier returned for the top of the ninth and Romero looked at strike three to start. Moore singled to right but Molitor grounded out to third. Yount beat out an infield single to third before Cooper struck out to end the inning. Rick Miller pinch hit for Allenson and looked at strike three to begin. Boggs grounded out to short and Carl Yastrzemski pinch hit for Nichols only to strike out to end the game. The Brewers had won 3 in a row against the Sox and this game 7-5.

Jackass of the Night is Mike Torrez. He got lit up for 6 runs in just 5 innings to take the loss.

                                                             Jackass Torrez


The Good:

Jerry Remy was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.

Dwight Evans was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

Jim Rice was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

Reid Nichols was 1 for 3 with a walk.



The Bad:

Dave Stapleton was 0 for 4.

Gary Allenson was 0 for 3.

Rick Miller struck out as a pinch hitter.

Carl Yastrzemski struck out as a pinch hitter.



The Ugly:

Tony Perez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.

Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 3 with an error but walked and scored.

Wade Boggs was just 1 for 4.

Tom Burgmeier allowed a run in 4 innings of work.




Final Thoughts:

Looks like the Brew Crew are for real. They just took 3 games in a row from the Sox and are looking for the sweep tomorrow. The Sox lead in the AL East has dwindled and their lack of a third starter is killing them. Their offense isn't good enough like Milwaukee's to bop their way back into games started by Mike Torrez or whoever else isn't Dennis Eckersley. The bullpen can't bail them out EVERY game. The Sox need to do something about Torrez because he's just getting hammered. The loss dropped the Sox to 42-28, 2 games ahead of the Brewers for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to avoid a sweep when they send Chuck Rainey to the mound up against Pete Vuckovich at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.

Indians Walk Off in 14 (6/20/82)

In a heartbreaking loss for the Boston Red Sox, the Cleveland Indians rallied in the 8th inning to send the game into extras where they won in the 14th. Mark Clear couldn't slam the door after a decent Bruce Hurst start and Luis Aponte couldn't slam the door in the fourteenth inning. It was a hard fought game but the Indians took it 5-4 in the 14th inning at Cleveland Stadium.

                                             This game makes George Bailey mad

Len Barker got the start for the Indians and he cruised in the top of the first inning. Jerry Remy struck out before Dwight Evans grounded out to first. Carney Lansford grounded out to short to end the inning. Hurst got the ball in the bottom of the first and the Indians immediately tagged him. Miguel Dilone grounded out to third but Toby Harrah smashed a 400,000 foot bomb to put the Indians on top. Mike Hargrove and Andre Thornton both whiffed to end the inning but the Indians were up 1-0.

The lead stayed the same in the top of the second as the Sox beat the ball in the dirt. Carl Yastrzemski grounded out to second, Rich Gedman grounded out to third and Dave Stapleton also grounded out to second to end the inning. The Indians struck again in the bottom of the second as Evans dropped a routine pop up by Alex Bannister to start. Rick Manning caught the Sox asleep with a bunt to put runners at first and third. Von Hayes grounded out to second to score Bannister and move Manning to second before Chris Bando flied out to center. Mike Fischlin tripled into the gap to score both runners. Dilone hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning but it was 3-0 Indians.

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the third as Glenn Hoffman and Reid Nichols both flied out to left to start. Rick Miller singled to left but Remy flied out to left to end the inning. Hurst got in trouble in the bottom of the third by walking the bases loaded. Harrah, Hargrove and Thornton all walked but Bannister hit a ground ball to third. Lansford gunned it home to nail Harrah at home before Gedman fired to first to get Bannister for the double play. Manning struck out to end the inning.

The Sox struck back in the top of the fourth as Evans walked to start. Lansford hit one up the elevator shaft but Yaz cracked his 9th home run of the year to cut into the lead. Gedman stuck out and Stapleton grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.

                                                               Yaz hits one out

Hurst recovered in the bottom of the fourth as Hayes grounded out to second to start. Bando grounded out to short but Fischlin bunted his way on. Dilone lined out to right to end the inning.

Barker cruised in the top of the fifth inning as Hoffman struck out to start. Nichols grounded out to third and Miller grounded out to second to end the inning. Hurst kept pace in the bottom of the fifth although Harrah walked to start. Hargrove lined out to right but Thornton singled. Bannister and Manning both flied out to center to end the inning.

The Sox took command in the top of the sixth as Remy started the rally with a single. Evans lashed a double to left that Dilone bobbled, allowing Remy to score the tying run and advancing Dwight to third. A wild pitch by Barker scored Evans to give the Sox the lead but both Lansford and Yaz flied out to right. Gedman singled to right and Stapleton singled to center but Nichols flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-3.

                                                           Evans gives the Sox the lead

Hurst cruised in the bottom of the sixth as Hayes grounded out to second to begin. Bando grounded out to short and Fischlin struck out to end the inning. That was it for Hurst who turned in a solid effort, throwing 6 innings of 3 run ball to put himself in line for the win.

                                                               Good work Hurst

Barker cruised in the top of the seventh as Miller lined back to the mound to start. Remy popped up to left and Evans struck out to end the inning. Mark Clear was summoned for the bottom of the seventh and Dilone grounded out to first to start. Harrah looked at strike three and Hargrove grounded out to short to end the inning.

Barker returned for the top of the eighth and Lansford grounded out to first to begin. Yaz struck out before Gedman grounded out to first to end the inning. The Indians got to Clear in the bottom of the eighth as Thornton walked and was sacrificed to second by Bannister. Manning struck out but Hayes tied the game with a double. Bando looked at strike three to end the inning but the game was tied 4-4.

                                                        Thanks a lot Clear

Ron Hassey took over behind the plate for the top of the ninth and Stapleton popped up to first to begin. Hoffman lined out to right and Nichols struck out to end the inning. The Indians almost won it in the bottom of the ninth when Fischlin singled to start. Dilone looked at strike three but Harrah singled. Hargrove walked to load the bases but Thornton looked at strike three. Karl Pagel pinch hit for Bannister but Clear froze him for strike three to end the inning.

Jack Perconte came in to play second in the top of the tenth with Barker still on the mound. Miller beat out an infield single and was sacrificed to second by Remy, but Evans grounded out to third. Yaz flied out to center to end the inning. Tom Burgmeier came in to pitch the bottom of the tenth and Manning grounded out to first to start. Hayes lined out to second but Hassey singled to center. Fischlin grounded out to third to end the inning.

Dan Spillner came in to pitch the top of the eleventh and Yaz struck out to begin. Gedman grounded out to second and Stapleton looked at strike three to end the inning. The Indians almost won it in the bottom of the eleventh when Dilone singled to start and was sacrificed to second by Harrah. Dilone swiped third and Hargrove was plunked. Thornton was intentionally walked and Jerry Dybzinsky pinch hit for Percone....only to bang into a double play to end the inning.

Dybzinsky moved to short with Fischlin taking over at second to open the top of the 12th inning. Wade Boggs pinch hit for Hoffman and flied out to right to start. Nichols looked at strike three before Miller grounded out to short to end the inning.

Julio Valdez took over at short for the bottom of the 12th and Manning singled to right to begin. Manning was sacrificed to second by Hayes and he moved to third on the grounder by Hassey. Fischlin popped up to first to end the inning.

Remy grounded out to second to start the top of the 13th but Evans drew a walk. Lansford looked at strike three before Yaz popped up to third to end the inning. Luis Aponte came in for the bottom of the 13th and Dilone grounded out to short to start. Harrah flied out to left and Hargrove watched strike three go by to end the inning.

Gedman singled to start the top of the 14th and Gary Allenson pinch ran for him. Stapleton singled and Valdez dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. They never moved as Nichols flied out to right and Miller flied out to center to end the inning. The end mercifully came in the bottom of the 14th when Thornton singled to start. Dybzinsky sacrificed him to second but for some reason Sox manager Ralph Houk had Manning intentionally walked. Hayes walked to load the bases and Hassey singled home Thornton to end the game. It took 14 innings but the Indians had won it 5-4.

Jackass of the Night is Reid Nichols. He was 0 for 6 including 2 strikeouts and failed to get two men in scoring position in during the crucial top of the 14th inning.

                                                             Nice clutch hitting Jackass



The Good:

Rich Gedman was 2 for 6.

Dave Stapleton was 2 for 6.

Julio Valdez dropped down a perfect bunt in the top of the 14th inning.

Rick Miller was 2 for 6.

Bruce Hurst tossed 6 innings of 3 run ball to keep the Sox in the game. Only 1 run was earned, he walked four and struck out 4.

Tom Burgmeier tossed 3 shutout innings of relief.



The Bad:

Carney Lansford was 0 for 6 with a strikeout.

Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Wade Boggs flied out as a pinch hitter.



The Ugly:

Jerry Remy was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.

Dwight Evans was just 1 for 4 with an error but walked twice and scored 2 runs.

Carl Yastrzemski was just 1 for 6 but the one hit was a 2 run home run.

Mark Clear blew the lead in the bottom of the 8th but pitched scoreless 7th and 9th innings.

Luis Aponte took the loss in the bottom of the 14th but pitched a clean top of the 13th.



Honorable Mention:

Gary Allenson ran for Gedman in the top of the 14th and caught the bottom of the 14th.




Final Thoughts:

This game was a sucker punch to the gonads. As mediocre as the Sox offense was against Barker today, they still had a chance to win if Clear didn't blow it. Still, they had 2 on and 1 out in the top of the 14th but couldn't get the clutch hit they needed. The Indians are a perfectly mediocre 31-32 and the Sox blew a big chance to gain a game in the AL East standings by dropping this one. The less said of this unmitigated disaster, the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 39-25, 2 games in front of the Detroit Tigers for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox are back home against the Tigers with a chance to put some distance from them in the East standings. Dan Petry goes for the Tigers up against John Tudor (5-5) of the Red Sox at 7:00 PM at Fenway Park.

Royals Pound Tudor, Snap Streak (4/28/82)

It was bad news all around as the Washington Bullets defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of their second round NBA playoff series and the Kansas City Royals snapped the Boston Red Sox 8 game winning streak. John Tudor (3-1, 4.18 ERA) got shelled in the first two innings, allowing eight runs and not making it out of the second. The Sox bats tried to fight back with 5 early runs against Royals starter Dennis Leonard. Thanks to the pitching of Tom Burgmeier, Luis Aponte and Mark Clear, the Royals didn't score another run. Unfortunately Leonard also settled down to toss a complete game without allowing another run himself. It all added up to an 8-5 Royals win at Fenway Park.

                                                        Sox fans aren't taking the loss too well

Tudor crapped his pants immediately in the top of the first as UL Washington singled to center to start. Washington got picked off and John Wathan lined out to right. Suddenly George Brett doubled to right, Amos Otis walked and Hal McRae hit a home run all the way to Billings, Montana to put the Royals on top. Jerry Martin singled to center, Frank White singled to right and Dennis Werth singled to right to score Martin. Greg Pryor singled to right to score White but Washington flied out to center to end the inning. The Royals scored five runs with two outs and led 5-0.

                                                         Pryor helps the Royals

The Sox struck back in the bottom of the first against Leonard as Jerry Remy walked to start. Dwight Evans singled to left and Jim Rice singled to right to score Remy. Evans moved to third on the hit and he scored on the Glenn Hoffman force at second. Dave Stapleton banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox down 5-2.

                                                               Hoffman drives in  run

The Royals finished off Tudor in the top of the second as Wathan grounded out to short to start. The floodgates opened as Remy booted a routine grounder by Brett and Otis singled to left. McRae doubled home Brett but Martin flied out to right. White singled to left to score McRae and FINALLY Sox manager Ralph Houk pulled Tudor. John didn't have it today as he allowed 8 runs in just 1 2/3 innings. Tom Burgmeier came in and Werth flied out to right to end the inning with the Royals up 8-2.

                                                                Tudor gets shelled

The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the second as Tony Perez singled to left to start. Wade Boggs popped up to second but a wild pitch moved Perez to second. Rick Miller doubled to center to score Perez and Gary Allenson doubled to left to score Miller. Remy grounded out to third and Evans  took strike three to end the inning with the Sox down 8-4.

                                                         Miller drives in a run

Burgmeier settled things down in the top of the third although Pryor singled to center to start. Washington popped up to second but Wathan banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the third as Rice singled to left to start. Hoffman singled to right to move Jim to third and Rice scored on the sac fly by Stapleton to cut the lead. Perez struck out swinging and Boggs grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox down 8-5.

                                                       Stapleton drives in a run

Brett singled to right to start the top of the fourth but Otis forced him at second. McRae banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox offense was done for the day in the bottom of the fourth as Miller flied out to left to start. Allenson struck out swinging and Remy grounded out to short to end the inning.

Martin doubled to left to start the top of the fifth and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by White. Both Werth and Pryor grounded out to short to end the inning. Evans struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Rice doubled to left. Hoffman grounded out to third and Stapleton grounded back to the mound to end the inning.

Washington singled to center to start the top of the sixth but Wathan hit into a double play. Brett grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Perez grounded out to second to start. Boggs flied out to left and Miller grounded out to first to end the inning.

Otis grounded out to third to start the top of the seventh and McRae grounded out to third as well. Marti doubled to left and White singled him to third. Werth forced White at second to end the inning. Allenson grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the fourth before Remy was called out on interference for dropping down a bunt. Evans grounded out to third to end the inning.

Mark Clear came in to pitch the top of the eighth as Pryor grounded out to short to start. Washington flied out to left but Wathan beat out a roller to third. Brett popped up to second to end the inning. Rice singled to left to start the bottom of the eighth but Hoffman banged into a double play. Stapleton grounded out to third to end the inning.

Luis Aponte came in to pitch the top of the ninth as Otis flied out to left. McRae grounded out to third and Martin struck out swinging to end the inning. Leonard returned for the bottom of the ninth and Perez struck out swinging to start. Boggs grounded out to first and Miller flied out to left to end the game. The Royals had won it 8-5.

Jackass of the Night is John Tudor. He put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of by allowing 8 runs.

                                                                  Jackass Tudor

The Good:

Jim Rice was 4 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

Tom Burgmeier tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings.

Mark Clear tossed a scoreless innings.

Luis Aponte pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

Gary Allenson was 1 for 3 and drove in a run.

The Bad:

Wade Boggs was 0 for 4.

The Ugly:

Jerry Remy was 0 for 3 but walked and scored a run.

Dwight Evans was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.

Glenn Hoffman was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.

Dave Stapleton was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.'

Tony Perez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.

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

Final Thoughts:

All good things must come to and end and the winning streak was snapped. Tudor had absolutely nothing and got shelled for the first time all season. The bullpen was outstanding to not allow a run the rest of the game but the Sox couldn't crack Leonard after the third inning. They got to him for five runs then nothing the rest of the way. Its a shame because they had him on the ropes but couldn't finish him off. They had chances to score but couldn't cash in. One thing is for sure if the bullpen can pitch this good the rest of the season, all they need is good starting pitching and they'll be right there in the pennant race as the season progresses. Unfortunately that's two bad starts in a row first by Dennis Eckersley and now by John Tudor. They need to bounce back next time because the Sox are on a roll and this kind of game could stop the momentum. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action Friday night at home against the Texas Rangers. Mike Torrez (1-1) gets the start for the Sox against Charlie Hough of the Rangers. The game begins at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.

Sox Outslug Jays (4/24/82)

That was a little too close for comfort for the Boston Red Sox. The Sox took leads of 6-0 and 8-3 but nearly blew the game against the scrappy Toronto Blue Jays. The Sox offense came alive to pound Blue Jays pitching for 10 hits and 8 runs but still had to hold on to survive against them. Mike Torrez (1-1, 4.50 ERA) earned the win although he was knocked out in the sixth inning. Bob Stanley and Tom Burgmeier failed to hold the Jays down and it took Luis Aponte to save the day in the ninth inning. Carl Yastrzemski hit a three run homer in the fifth inning to pace the offense as the Red Sox defeated the Blue Jays 8-7 at Exhibition Stadium.

                                                    The Midnight Rider approves of the win

Dave Stieb got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jerry Remy grounded out to first to start. Dwight Evans walked but Jim Rice struck out swinging. Carl Yastrzemski grounded out to second to end the inning. Torrez got the ball in the bottom of the first and Damaso Garcia grounded out to second to start. Rance Mulliniks grounded out to second and Lloyd Moseby took strike three to end the inning.

The Sox struck first in the top of the second as Carney Lansford walked to start. Dave Stapleton struck out swinging and Glenn Hoffman took strike three, but Carney stole second base. Rick Miller lashed a base hit to right to score Lansford to put Boston on top. Gary Allenson grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.

                                                        Miller drives in a run.

Al Woods singled to right to start the bottom of the second but Hosken Powell banged into a double play. John Mayberry struck out swinging to end the inning.

Remy flied out to left to start the top of the third but Evans struck out swinging. Rice grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Ernie Whitt flied out to center to open the bottom of the third before Wayne Nordhagen grounded out to short. Alfredo Griffin popped up to third to end the inning.

The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth as Yaz struck out swinging to start. Lansford watched strike three go by and Stapleton popped up to short to end the inning. Garcia singled to center to open the bottom of the second but Mulliniks grounded into a double play. Moseby grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Sox exploded in the top of the fifth as Hoffman singled to center to begin. Miller singled to right and Allenson doubled to left to score Hoffman. Remy also doubled to left to score Miller but Evans grounded out to short. Rice hit a ground ball to third and Allenson was thrown out at home but Yaz capped the rally with a three run blast to increase the lead. That was it for Stieb as Dale Murray came in to pitch to Lansford and Carney grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 6-0.

                                                               Yaz with a bomb

Torrez cruised in the bottom of the fifth as Woods flied out to left to start. Powell grounded out to short and Mayberry grounded out to first to end the inning.

The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the sixth inning as Stapleton grounded out to short to start. Hoffman grounded out to third and Miller also grounded out to short to end the inning. All of a sudden Torrez lost it in the bottom of the sixth although Whitt grounded out to first to start. Nordhagen and Griffin drew back to back walks then scored on the double to right by Garcia. Mulliniks singled to center to score Nordhagen and chase Torrez. Mike cruised through five but allowed 3 runs in just 5 1/3 innings. Bob Stanley came in to pitch and Moseby lined out to Remy but Woods singled to center. Powell struck out swinging to end the inning with the Jays down 6-3.

                                                              Not great but it'll do

Allenson popped up to short to start the top of the seventh and Remy grounded out to first. Evans ripped a base hit to left but Rice lined out to short to end the inning. Mayberry grounded out to first to begin the bottom of the seventh and Whitt flied out to left. Nordhagen took strike three to end the inning.

The Sox poured it on in the top of the eighth as Yaz singled to start. Lansford was plunked and Stapleton dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners over. Hoffman delivered with a base hit to center to score both runners but was forced at second on a grounder by Miller. Miller was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning with the Sox now ahead 8-3.

                                                              Hoffman drives in a pair

The Jays exploded in the bottom of the eighth as Griffin beat out a roller to third to start. Stanley threw a pickoff throw over the CATCHER'S head for an error but Garcia walked. Mulliniks walked to load the bases and that was it for Stanley. Sox manager Ralph Houk brought in Tom Burgmeier to face Moseby but Jays manager Bobby Cox pinch hit Jesse Barfield for Lloyd. Barfield ended up pulverizing a grand slam all the way to Newfoundland to cut the lead. Woods struck out swinging and Bobby Bonnell pinch hit for Powell only to pop up to Burgmeier. Mayberry popped up to short to end the inning with the Jays down 8-7.

                                                     Grand slam Barfield

Roy Lee Jackson came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Allenson struck out swinging to start. Remy beat out a roller to first but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Evans grounded out to short to end the inning. Luis Aponte came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Garth Iorg pinch hit for Whitt to start. Iorg struck out swinging but Nordhagen singled to right. Tony Johnson pinch ran for Nordhagen and Otto Velez pinch hit for Griffin only to take strike three. Garcia struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox had held on to win 8-7.

Hero of the Night is Glenn Hoffman. His two run single in the eighth ended up being the difference in the game.

                                                                  Hero Hoffman

The Good:

Jerry Remy was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.

Carney Lansford walked, was hit with a pitch, stole a base and scored two runs.

Rick Miller was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

Luis Aponte earned his second save with a scoreless ninth inning.

The Bad:

Dave Stapleton was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

Bob Stanley was charged with 3 runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Tom Burgmeier allowed a grand slam in one full inning.

The Ugly:

Dwight Evans was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked.

Jim Rice was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.

Garry Allenson was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.

Mike Torrez got the win but allowed 3 runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Final Thoughts:

Don't look now but the Sox are on a winning streak. They finally got some clutch hits but now the pitching faltered. They can't win every game ten to nothing but once in a while would be nice. Torrez falling apart in the sixth inning and the Barfield grand slam were the only hiccups in the game. Torrez cruised through the first five innings and Aponte slammed the door in the ninth. Kudos to Yaz and Hoffman for leading the charge on offense and a steal by Lansford plus a sacrifice bunt by Stapleton paid dividends in the end. Its better to be on a win streak than a losing streak so not much to complain about apart from the shoddy pitching. The Sox look to make it five wins in a row tomorrow afternoon against the Blue Jays. Bob Ojeda gets the start for the Red Sox against Luis Leal of the Jays at 1:35 PM at Exhibition Stadium.

Sox Hang On To Beat Jays (4/23/82)

It was good news all around as the Boston Bruins defeated the Quebec Nordiques in Game 6 of their second round NHL playoff series and the Boston Red Sox survived a late inning rally by the Toronto Blue Jays. John Tudor (3-0, 2.05 ERA) threw seven shutout innings while the Sox built a three run lead. Jim Rice hit a two run home run in the top of the eighth to seemingly put the game away. All of a sudden the Jays rallied for 3 runs off Tudor and Luis Aponte in the bottom of the frame. The Jays loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth against Tom Burgmeier and Mark Clear when Al Woods dropped a base hit to right. Tony Johnson scored but Dwight Evans gunned down Alfredo Griffin at the plate to end the game. The Sox squeaked out a 5-4 win over the Jays at Exhibition Stadium.

                                                      Keith Crowder approves of the win

Jim Clancy got the ball for the Jays to start the top of the first and the Sox wasted no time scoring. Jerry Remy led off with a walk but Dwight Evans popped up to second. Jim Rice walked and Carl Yastrzemski singled to center to score Remy to put Boston on top. Carney Lansford banged into a double play to end the inning but the Sox led 1-0.

                                                               Yaz with an rbi single

Tudor got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Damaso Garcia grounded out to third to start. Garth Iorg singled to right but Barry Bonnell popped up to second. Wayne Nordhagen grounded out to first to end the inning. 

Dave Stapleton flied out to right to open the top of the second and Rich Gedman grounded out to first and Glenn Hoffman lined out to second to end the inning. Otto Velez flied out to center to begin the top of the third and Jesse Barfield struck out swinging. Buck Martinez grounded out to short to end the inning. 

Rick Miller singled to left to start the top of the third but Remy forces him at second. Evans forced Miller at second and Rice flied out to right to end the inning. Willie Upshaw walked to begin the bottom of the third and Alfredo Griffin dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second. Garcia whiffed and Iorg watched strike three go by to end the inning. 

The Sox struck again in the top of the fourth although Yaz struck out swinging to begin. Lansford cracked his first home run of the season to increase the lead but Stapleton grounded out to short. Gedman took strike three to end the winning with the Sox up 2-0.

                                                                Lansford hits one out

Bonnell hit a routine grounder to Hoffman who threw himself on the ball and wrestled with it for an error to begin the bottom of the fourth. Nordhagen singled to center but Velez flied out to center. Both runners moved over on the grounder to first by Barfield but Martinez flied out to center to end the inning. 

Hoffman struck out swinging to begin the top of the fifth but Miller got a base hit to right. Remy grounded into a double play to end the inning. Tudor got Upshaw to freeze for strike three to start the bottom of the fifth but Griffin beat out a roller to the mound. Garcia hit into a double play to end the inning. 

The Sox got another run in the top of the sixth as Evans tripled to left to start. Rice got a base hit to right to score Evans with another run but Yaz struck out swinging. Lansford walked but Stapleton forced him at second to put runners at the corners. Gedman grounded out to short to end the inning but the Sox led 3-0.

                                                            Rice drives in a run

Iorg flied out to center to open the bottom of the sixth before Bonnell flied out to right. Nordhagen struck out swinging to end the inning. 

The Sox did nothing in the top of the seventh as Hoffman flied out to right to start. Miller grounded out to second and Remy flied out to right to end the inning. Tudor got Velez to ground out to first to start the bottom of the seventh and Barfield popped up to short. Martinez doubled to left but Upshaw flied out to right to end the inning.

The Sox scored again in the top of the eighth as Evans singled to center to start. Rice belted his first home run of the season to chase Clancy from the game. Joey McLaughlin came in to pitch and Yaz singled to right. Lansford ripped a base hit to right but Stapleton banged into a double play. Gedman popped up to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-0.

                                                           Rice with a home run

The wheels almost fell off in the bottom of the eighth as Griffin doubled to left to start. Garcia singled to left to move Griffin to third and that was it for Tudor. He'd be charged with 2 runs in 7 plus innings of work. Luis Aponte came in and Rance Mulliniks pinch hit for Iorg. Mulliniks forced Garcia at second and Al Woods pinch hit for Bonnell. Woods singled to right to score Griffin and Hosken Powell pinch hit for Nordhagen. Powell doubled home both runners and that was it for Aponte. Tom Burgmeier came in and John Mayberry pinch hit for Velez. Mayberry flied out to right and Barfield popped up to Burgmeier to end the inning with the Jays down 5-3.

                                          Time to start biting your nails John

Hoffman grounded out to short to start the top of the ninth but Miller got a base hit in the hoke at second. Remy then grounded into a double play to end the inning. Burgmeier came back to close out the bottom of the ninth but Martinez singled to left to start. Tony Johnson pinch ran for Martinez but Upshaw took strike three. Griffin singled to right to chase Burgmeier and Mark Clear came in to close out the game. Garcia blooped a base hit to right to load the bases but Mulliniks struck out swinging. Woods dropped a base hit to right and Johnson scored easily but Griffin came around third. Evans came up throwing and...YERRR OUT! Griffin was out to end the game  the Sox had survived to win 5-4

Hero of the Night is Dwight Evans. He gunned down Griffin at the plate to preserve the victory.

                                                                     Evans the Hero

The Good:

Jim Rice was 2 for 3 with a walk, a 2 run home run and 3 total rbis.

Carl Yastrzemski was 2 for 4 with an rbi.

Carney Lansford was 2 for 3 with a walk and a home run.

Rick Miller was 3 for 4.

John Tudor was charged with 2 runs in 7 innings to earn the win. He allowed 6 hits and struck out 5.

The Bad:

Dave Stapleton was 0 for 4.

Rich Gedman was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Luis Aponte allowed a run in 1/3 of an inning.

Tom Burgmeier was charged with a run in an inning of work.

The Ugly:

Jerry Remy was 0 for 4 but walked and scored a run.

Mark Clear earned his second save but allowed 2 hits and had to be bailed out by Evans.

Final Thoughts:

That was too close for comfort but a win is a win. Tudor was cruising through six innings and the game looked over when Rice hit the home run. Just goes to show you can never measure heart and the Jays refused to give up. It took a tremendous throw from Dwight Evans to prevent the Jays tying the game in the ninth so kudos to Toronto for fighting back. The Sox once again did enough to win offensively with big hits from the heart of their order. The bottom of the order stepped it up the last few games and this time it was Rice, Yaz and Lansford that delivered the goods. Tudor once again looked sharp and the Sox may have FINALLY found their stopper behind Dennis Eckersley they've lacked since Mike Torrez aged before our eyes and Luis Tiant shuffled off to New York. Maybe it would be unfair to expect Tudor to win 20 games this season but that could be what the Sox need to win their first division title since 1975. The bullpen fell apart after being solid for most of the season but they won anyway. That was the Sox third straight win and they look to make it four in a row tomorrow afternoon against the Jays. Speaking of Torrez (0-1), he starts tomorrow against Dave Stieb of the Blue Jays. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Exhibition Stadium.

White Sox Sweep Red Sox (4/15/82)

The good news was the Boston Bruins defeated the Quebec Nordiques in Game 1 of their second round NHL series but the bad news was the Chicago White Sox swept the Boston Red Sox out of Fenway Park with a decisive win. The ChiSox smacked around Bob Ojeda (0-2, 12.00 ERA) for five runs and another three off Bruce Hurst in relief. The Red Sox did manage to score 4 runs off of Dennis Lamp but thirty-nine year old 1969 World Series hero Jerry Koosman slammed the door the rest of the way. The White Sox offense pounded out 15 hits and 8 runs as they swept the Sox 8-4 out of Fenway Park.

                                               "THEY GOT SWEPT BY CHICAGO!!!"

Ojeda got the ball in the top of the first inning and got the White Sox to beat the ball in the dirt. Ron LeFlore grounded out to short, Tony Bernazard grounded out to second and Steve Kemp grounded out to third to end the inning. Dennis Lamp got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jerry Remy singled to left to begin. Dwight Evans banged into a double play but Jim Rice got a base hit to center. Carl Yastrzemski drew a walk but Carney Lansford grounded out to short to end the inning.

The White Sox struck first in the top of the second as Greg Luzinski and Tom Paciorek stroked back to back base hits to start. Somehow Ojeda struck out Carlton Fisk and Harold Baines hit a routine grounder to Glenn Hoffman. Hoffman flipped to second to force Paciorek but Remy then turned and threw the ball into the Red Sox bullpen for an error to score Luzinski. Jim Morrison struck out swinging to end the inning but it was 1-0 White Sox.

                                                               Dammit Jerry!

The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the second as Dave Stapleton singled to center to start. Rich Gedman singled to center to move Dave to third but Glenn Hoffman banged into a double play. Stapleton scored but that was two big outs the White Sox needed. Rick Miller lashed a base hit to center but Remy grounded into a force at second to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.

                                                      Stapleton scores a run

The White Sox took command in the top of the third as Bill Almonj grounded out to short to start. LeFlore also grounded out to short but Bernazard ripped a base hit to right. Bernazard took second on a passed ball but Kemp hit a home run all the way to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio to put Chicago up for good. Luzinski lined out to third to end the inning with Chicago up 3-1.

                                                                Home run Kemp

Boston failed to respond in the bottom of the third as Evans struck out swinging to start. Rice and Yaz both flied out to center to end the inning.

Chicago poured it on in the top of the fourth although Paciorek grounded out to third to start. Who else but Fisk drew a walk to start the rally and Baines singled to left. A wild pitch moved the runners over and they both scored on the double to left by Morrison to ice the game. Almon walked and both runners moved over on a passed ball but LeFlore took strike three. Bernazard flied out to center to end the inning and that was it for Ojeda. Bob got blasted for 5 runs in just 4 innings and left trailing 5-1.

                                                         "I sucked today" - Ojeda

It was Boston's turn to beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fourth as Lansford grounded out to short to start. Stapleton grounded out to third and Gedman grounded back to the mound to end the inning.

Bruce Hurst made his season debut in the top of the fifth and he got tagged too. Kemp walked and Luzinski doubled him home to increase the lead. Paciorek walked and Fisk beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Baines singled to right to score Luzinski and advance Fisk to third before he swiped second base himself. Morrison hit a rocket but right to Hoffman who doubled off Fisk at third to end the inning with Chicago ahead 7-1.

                                                    Yerrrrr out Fisk!

Hoffman lined out to short to begin the bottom of the fifth before Miller grounded out to short. Remy atoned for his earlier error with a base hit to center but Evans flied out to center to end the inning.

Chicago scored AGAIN in the top of the sixth although Almon grounded out to third to begin. LeFlore doubled to left and Bernazard singled him home to wrap up the scoring for Chicago. Kemp banged into a double play to end the inning but the White Sox now led 8-1.

                                                             Hurst allowed 3 runs in 2 innings

Somehow the Red Sox sprang to life in the bottom of the sixth with Rudy Law replacing LeFlore in center. Rice grounded out to third but Yaz singled to center. Lansford ripped a base hit to left and Stapleton cracked his first home run of the season to cut the lead in half. That was it for Lamp as Jerry Koosman came in to pitch to Gedman. Rich singled to left but Hoffman struck out swinging. Miller grounded out to third to end the inning with Boston down 8-4.

                                                                3 run bomb by Dave

Hurst got in trouble in the top of the seventh although Luzinski hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Paciorek singled in the hole at second but Fisk singled to left. Baines struck out swinging and Morrison lined out to third to end the inning. Remy caught the White Sox asleep with a bunt single down the third base line to open the bottom of the seventh but Evans struck out swinging. Rice grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Hurst once again got in a jam in the top of the eighth as Almon and Law stroked back to back singles to start. Almon was thrown out trying to steal third by the alert Gedman but Law swiped second on the play. Hurst had Law picked off but rolled the ball like it was a bowling ball to second for an error that advanced Rudy to third. Hurst recovered to strike out both Bernazard and Kemp swinging to end the inning. Yaz grounded back to the mound to begin the bottom of the eighth and Lansford flied out to center. Stapleton grounded out to first to end the inning.

Tom Burgmeier came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Luzinski flied out to right to start. Paciorek doubled to right and the pain in the ass Fisk was intentionally walked. Baines and Morrison both flied out to center to end the inning. Mike Squires came in to play first to start the bottom of the ninth with Gary Allenson pinch hitting for Gedman. Allenson grounded out to short and Hoffman struck out swinging. Tony Perez pinch hit for Miller and also struck out swinging to end the game. The White Sox had won it 8-4.

                          

Jackass of the Night is Bob Ojeda. Even if Hurst didn't give up a run the Sox still would have lost because Bob gave up 5 runs in just 4 innings to take the loss.

                                                            Jackass Ojeda

The Good:

Jerry Remy was 3 for 4.

Carl Yastrzemski was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Dave Stapleton was 2 for 3 with a 3 run home run and 2 total runs scored.

Rich Gedman was 2 for 3.

Rick Miller was 1 for 3.

Tom Burgmeier pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

The Bad:

Dwight Evans was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Gary Allenson grounded out as a pinch hitter.

Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Tony Perez struck out as a pinch hitter.

Bruce Hurst allowed 3 runs in 4 innings.

The Ugly:

Jim Rice was just 1 for 4.

Carney Lansford was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.

Final Thoughts:

The Red Sox are still paying for letting Fisk walk to the White Sox. No, he wasn't the one hitting the home runs or driving in the runs today but he was right there in the middle of Chicago's scoring chances. I'm sure Rich Gedman will be an all-star someday but Fisk should still be catching for Boston if the ownership situation wasn't a complete joke. Still, can't blame Fisk for Ojeda and Hurst stinking up the place. The offense scored 4 runs but not much you can do if the pitching gives up 8. The Red Sox have two young lefties in Ojeda and Hurst for the first time ever and neither one of them have shown they can pitch well. Still, its only one game for both of them and hopefully they can learn from their mistakes. Good on Stapleton for carrying the offense in this one, too bad it was to no avail. The Sox now welcome the Toronto Blue Jays in for a four game set beginning tomorrow afternoon. Dennis Eckersley (1-0) gets the ball for Boston against Luis Leal of Toronto. The game begins at high noon at Fenway Park.