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Orlando Cepeda homers off Sparky Lyle
for a walk-off Sox win
April 8, 1973
...
Orlando Cepeda hit a vicious line drive through a heavy north wind in
the ninth-inning, into the bleachers to give the Red Sox a 4 to 3 win
over the Yankees, before 12,754 fans at chilly Fenway Park. That made
it three straight over the New York Yankees. And what made it even
more pleasant was that Cepeda hit the home run off Sparky Lyle, who didn't pitch
a ball at Fenway last year, but tore through the American League everywhere
else.
The first two games were laughers, but today had a touch of class. John
Curtis started for the Red Sox and pitched admirably, once he gave up a run in
the first and a home run to Thurman Munson in the second inning. But his work
seemed to be in vain.
The Red Sox were getting their first look at Doc Medich and were blanked
until the sixth, when he left and Lyle came in. The bases had been loaded on
three singles by Doug Griffin, Tommy Harper and Mario Guerrero, who had replaced
Luis Aparicio when he got some dirt in his eye in the first inning.
Carl Yastrzemski tapped a ground ball to Horace Clarke's left and a run
scored while he was being tossed out. Reggie Smith was next and hit a long fly
to left, which carried enough to glance off-the-wall about half way up, and two
runs scored, making the score 3 to 2.
The one run lead looked good until the ninth-inning when the first two men
up, Felipe Alou and Munson both singled. Bob Veale came into pitch and he got
Ron Swoboda on a foul pop up. Gene Michael next hit a ground ball to Guerrero,
who fed over to Griffin smoothly enough for a force play at second. But as
Munson came barreling into the bag, Griffin threw high over Yastrzemski's head
at first, allowing the tying run to come across.
That brought Cepeda up to the plate to start the ninth inning with the game
tied 3-3. Lyle threw him a fastball down the middle. There was no doubt about
where it landed. |
