|
“DIARY OF A WINNER”
|
THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 6 ... September 20, 1967 ... The Red Sox exploded once again in the ninth-inning, for the third time in a row. Tonight it was a last inning win over the Cleveland Indians, 5 to 4. The game was tied at four apiece as Mike Andrews drew a base on balls to start the ninth. Jerry Adair, trying to bunt, hit it too hard back to the box and started a doubleplay. But then Carl Yastrzemski, who was been a part in all three ninth-inning rallies, lined a single to left-center. George Scott took a couple of pitches for strikes and then shortened up on his bat and watched Indians pitcher, George Culver, throw four pitches off the plate and putting him on first. One of the pitches was in the dirt allowing Yaz to move over to second. Reggie Smith, who may be the best rookie in the major leagues right now, took a low strike and then fouled off a high pitch. But when Culver tried to throw another fastball by him, Reggie hit it on a line to right for a single that scored Yaz, putting the Red Sox up 5 to 4. The rally ended there because Rico Petrocelli grounded out, but Rico was one of the three hitters that hit home runs off starter Sam McDowell. It was Rico, who in the bottom of the ninth, took a softly hit a ground ball by Joe Azcue to start a fast doubleplay that ended the game. The rush onto the field, which is been a regular seen the season with the Red Sox, broke out again, with John Wyatt being mobbed. Rico Petrocelli has not made an error in his last 177 chances at shortstop. Yastrzemski had four hits in the night, three singles and his 41st home run, a 415 foot shot to left-center. It was a fifth homer Yaz has hit off a left-handed pitcher and he is now two behind Ted Williams' season mark of 43 home runs. In his last 12 games, Yastrzemski has batted .366 In the fifth inning the Indians had gone ahead 2 to 0, when Larry Brown hit a home run off Jim Lonborg with Max Alvis on base. But the Red Sox bounced back in the sixth. After Yaz homered, George Scott singled to right and Rico Petrocelli slammed his 17th home run of the year, putting the Red Sox up 3 to 2. Lonborg got through the sixth without a problem, but in the seventh Tony Horton drilled a home run to left-center and Max Alvis followed him with another one that tied up the game. Lonborg finished the inning but in the eighth he was yanked for a pinch-hitter. Sparky Lyle came in his his replacement and got Vic Davalillo on strikes the start off the eighth. Then John Wyatt came in from the bullpen and got the next two batters out. In the ninth with one out, Max Alvis lined a single to center but was out on the game ending double play hit into by Azcue. George Thomas was in right field, replacing Ken Harrelson who has been 0 for 11. The victory was the 87th of the season, the highest yearly total since 1951. |
 CLICK TO VIEW SCORECARD |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
 |
 |