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THE SUMMER OF "MORGAN'S
MAGIC" ... August 2, 1988 ... Yes, the Red Sox won again tonight, a 7-2 thumping of the Texas Rangers that was decided in a matter of minutes rather than innings. With some of the Fenway crowd of 35,462 (largest of the year) still milling about to find seats, Mike Greenwell smoked a Jeff Russell first-inning pitch into the visiting bullpen for his first career grand slam and a 4-0 lead. By the time he crossed home plate, Greenwell had helped the Sox: - Tie the team record for most consecutive wins at home, 21, set by the 1949 Sox. - Climb over the Yankees into second place in the American League East, still a game behind front-running Detroit. - Run their winning streak to six games. - Bring the club's record to 18-1 (.947) under the miracle man, Joe Morgan. For his own sake, Greenwell's shot reclaimed his hold on the American League RBI lead. The night before, with the Sox idle, Oakland's Jose Canseco had moved two RBIs ahead of Greenwell. The grand slam brought his total up to 88. There was little to say about the night after Greenwell's shot. The Sox had a 7-1 lead by the end of three. Jody Reed (3 for 4) opened the second with a single off Russell and eventually came around for a 5-0 lead on a Dwight Evans single. Evans, back after missing six games with a sore hamstring, went 2 for 3 and looked as if he'd never left the lineup. In the third, after Wes Gardner (5-1) gave up a Steve Buechele homer in the top of the inning, the Sox clicked for two more and chased Russell. Jim Rice, Reed and Rich Gedman (2 for 4) all singled with two out, and Wade Boggs met reliever Guy Hoffman with a two-run single to left. Gardner departed after seven innings, yielding to Dennis Lamp. The reliever skipped through the eighth without a problem and was on the mound when the Rangers' final run came across in the ninth. Ruben Sierra opened with a single and scored when Geno Petralli hit a Wall single and Boggs tossed a throw from Greenwell into right field in an attempt to cut down Petralli at second. If anything, it was only comic relief in a Red Sox laugher. There isn't a player in the Sox lineup who was born in 1949. There are few in the league who predate 1950, in fact. A group of the younger faces, such as Greenwell and Reed, have led the Sox' charge back into contention in the AL East and put some heat on their forefathers along the way. |
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