 |
|
CARL YASTRZEMSKI |
THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 6 ...
"THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM"
Five run 9th gives the Sox a split in KC
May
9, 1967 ... Carl Yastrzemski slammed a
bases-loaded double in the ninth-inning of the second game, that gave
the Red Sox a 5 to 2 victory and a split of a twilight doubleheader
in Kansas City. It looked for sure like the Sox were going down to
a double defeat as the Athletics, heading into the final inning of the second
game, were leading 2 to 0, with their relief ace, Jack Aker on the mound. But
the Sox blasted him for five runs with Yastrzemski delivering the key hit, a
three run double with the score tied at 2 to 2 and two out.
Earlier, Lew Krausse picked up his first win of the season by beating the Red
Sox in the first game, 4 to 3, on an unearned run. The Sox lost the first game
when their relief pitcher, Don McMahon, hit a wild streak and walked in the
winning run in the eighth-inning.
But the A's responded with the same problem, as Aker walked three men in the
ninth inning of the second game, before Yastrzemski rifled a double into the
left-field corner off Bob Duliba, who relieved Aker. Chuck Dobson had baffled
the Sox with three hits over seven innings.
Jim Gosger helped the A's build up a 2 to 0 lead in the second game. He
belted a home run off José Santiago in the second inning and in the seventh
scored again, as he singled and scored on a double by catcher, Phil Roof. That
was it heading into the ninth, with Aker, who came in the eighth to get Dobson
out of the jam.
Tony Conigliaro, who accounted for all the Sox runs in the first game, with a
three run homer, started the rally with a walk. Rico Petrocelli singled and Mike
Andrews moved them both up with a sacrifice bunt. Bob Tillman then singled to
right and scored Conigliaro, sending Rico over to third. Don Demeter was sent up
to pinch-hit and rolled out to Aker, allowing Tillman to take second while
Petrocelli stayed on third. Aker looked as if he was going to get out of it, but
then he walked José Tartabull to load the bases and then walked Joe Foy to force
in a run and tie up the game. Duliba then came in to relieve Aker, and with a
and two count, Yaz lined a double that scored three runs.
In the first game, Krausse had a 3 to 0 lead going into the seventh after his
mates had knocked out Jim Lonborg earlier in the game. Gosger drove in the first
run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning and in the third they added two
more on a double by Bert Campaneris, a triple by Rick Monday and a nice squeeze
bunt by Danny Cater.
However, Yastrzemski and George Scott reached Krausse for singles, before
Conigliaro slammed a homer over the left-field fence, to tie up the game in the
seventh. After Galen Cisco held Kansas City scoreless through the middle
innings, Don McMahon came on to pitch in the eighth.
The A's clinched the game when Ed Charles led off with a single. Al Lewis ran
for him and stole second, when Mike Andrews dropped the throw for an error.
McMahon got the next two hitters out, but then walked Dick Green, Ted Kubiak and
Campaneris, to force in the winning run. Aker, with the aid of a great fielding
play by Green in the ninth, robbed Dalton Jones of a hit to preserve the first
game.
Reggie Smith, who was been battling a slump, was benched for both games.
However he was used as a pinch-hitter in both games and struck out each time. It
was his 12 strikeout in his last 23 times at bat.
The Red Sox need to cut a player by midnight to get down to the 25 man limit. |
