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Orlando Cepeda ruins Nolan Ryan
May 29, 1973
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Nolan Ryan lost to the Boston Red Sox and Bill Lee, 2 to 1, before
12,691 at Fenway Park. Orlando Cepeda's two run home run in the
second inning, made the difference. Lee went 7 2/3 innings and left
Bob Bolin in a tight spot with three Angels baserunners on. But Bolin got out of
the jam and Lee now has five wins and only one loss, while Ryan is 6-5.
It took 2 1/2 hours to play the game and only about five seconds for Ryan to
lose it. He was ahead 1 to 0 in the first inning when the Angels reached Lee for
three singles.
When Ryan, who already had pitched a no-hitter this year, threw a third
strike past Rick Miller in the Red Sox half of the inning, it didn't look
bright. But Cepeda, who hadn't hit a home run since May 2nd, came to the plate
in the second inning after Reggie Smith had walked. He spotted one of Ryan's
fastballs on the outside part of the plate and lofted it over the fence into the
Red Sox bullpen. From that point on the Red Sox looked like a lot of guys
holding onto a ledge for dear life. Ryan was blazing fast throughout the whole
game and struck out 10 batters, including six of the last nine.
Reggie Smith saved the game when he threw a perfect one hop to the plate in
the seventh inning to get Ken Berry. Berry had singled to right to open the
inning and Rudy Meoli moved him along with a sacrifice bunt. Jeff Torborg hit a
line single to right-center and Berry took one step back toward second, as
though he felt the ball might be caught, and then he headed for third.
Smith's throw was on a line to Danny Cater, substituting for Carl Yastrzemski
at first base, who made a fake cut off play and let the ball go through. Carlton
Fisk had Berry in front of him and as Berry tried to slide on the inside part of
the plate, Fisk tagged him and kept the mitt on him as Berry went past.
Lee had given up 11 hits and left Bolin in a nice fix. With one out he walked
Frank Robinson, the Angels designated hitter. Bob Oliver flew out and Mike
Epstein singled to right and then he walked Alan Gallagher. Eddie Kasko came out
and brought in Bolin. Bob got Tom McCraw on a soft pop fly to left to get out of
the jam and got through the ninth. |
