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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STRIKES OUT ... April 21, 1994 ... The Oakland Athletics were shocked like most of the crowd of 28,032 that saw Boston score two runs in the ninth inning for a 6-5 victory. The Red Sox pulled it out with clutch hitting by Scott Cooper, Andre Dawson and Otis Nixon. It wasn't just base hits, but the spectacular and dramatic manner in which each hit occurred. The single was by Cooper, normally a born lumberjack on the basepaths. He was the definite aggressor, and when Ruben Sierra bobbled the ball in right, Cooper made it to second, just under Scott Hemond's tag. Then came Dawson, hobbling badly on a sore right hamstring. With the poise of a classic veteran, he jumped on a high slider for a run-scoring double off loser Dennis Eckersley. With the score tied, it was left to Nixon, known more for his running than for his bat, to provide the winning blow. His double on a 1-1 pitch stunned the A's. Nixon pulled an Eckersley slider just inside first base for his third hit of the day. Not bad for one who started the afternoon on an 0-for-21 slide. The Eck has been bad before, but this was a nightmare he didn't expect. Many thought Cooper was crazy for what he did with one out in the ninth. He knew after an incident in the sixth inning, the A's might take him for granted. They did and paid a price. The Sox had waited for a game like this, one that completed a sweep over Oakland, a club Boston has beaten 10 straight since last July. The chances looked slim after Oakland jumped to a 5-0 lead off Joe Hesketh. Four of the five runs were unearned, and with Canton's Bobby Witt on the mound, the Sox simply couldn't generate much. But the complexion of the game turned in the sixth when Witt tired, yielding a walk to Mike Greenwell and hits to Mo Vaughn, Tim Naerhing and John Valentin. Steve Ontiveros took over and was greeted by a double by Cooper, who foolishly got the third out trying to take third on the throw home. Paul Quantrill and Scott Bankhead did a good job of keeping them close. Praise was also showered on Andre Dawson. He could hardly run. But was still able to lift a ball club. |
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