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CONIGLIARO HOMERS |
THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 6 ...
"THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM"
The Sox batter
the Orioles and
Jim Lonborg wins #12
July
14, 1967 ... Jim Lonborg won his 12th game of
the year, had leads of 8 to 0 and 11 to 5, yet still needed help from
his bullpen. Dick Williams had to bring in John Wyatt in the seventh
inning to get the Orioles out and the Red Sox held on to win. The
Red Sox were smashing the ball all over the field against Vic Adamson, Wally
Bunker and Stu Miller. Jim Hardin finally had to be called upon to bring back
some order for Baltimore. In the inning and two thirds Adamson worked, he gave
up five runs. Bunker was hardly an improvement when he handed out three runs in
the fourth inning. Miller matched at three run gift in the sixth.
The game started off when Adamson walked Mike Andrews, who stole second with
two out and scored on Tony Conigliaro's 14th home run of the year. In the second
inning he walked Rico Petrocelli and Reggie Smith singled. Mike Ryan hit a
sacrifice fly to left-field, close enough to the wall, that Petrocelli could
score. A wild pitch moved Smith over to third and he scored on a nice squeeze
bunt by Jim Lonborg. After Andrews grounded out, Adamson walked Joe Foy and Yaz
singled to right, to score Lonborg, making it 5 to 0.
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REGGIE SMITH SCORES |
It looked as though Lonborg would have a very easy time when he got through
the first inning with only a base hit off him and then retired the next 14
batters. But in the sixth inning, he gave up three runs on two singles and a
triple by Brooks Robinson. Robbie scored on Reggie Smith's wild throw to third
base. Trying to get him out. Lonborg then allowed a single by Boog Powell and
hit Curt Motton with a pitch, before getting Dave Johnson on a ground ball out
to end the inning. But the score was cut to 8 to 3.
In the seventh, a single and two doubles produced two more runs for Baltimore
and with the 11 to 5 lead, Williams thought that he should bring in his closer
John Wyatt. Brooks Robinson was at the plate and Wyatt struck him out. Then with
the good lead, Williams decided to rest Conigliaro, Yaz, Joe Foy and Rico
Petrocelli.
Carl Yastrzemski hit his 20th home run off Stu Miller, into the Baltimore
bullpen, equaling his top home run production mark in his seven seasons of major
league ball. |
