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THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 6 ...
"THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM"
1967
WORLD SERIES, GAME #5
The Sox rebound behind Lonborg
October 9,
1967 ... Jim Lonborg has clearly been the key
to the Red Sox success. Two weeks ago when the Twins were about to
bury the Red Sox, Lonborg beat them and moved his team into the World
Series. Then he went out and beat the Cardinals and flirted with a
no-hitter. Today, with a elimination on the line, Lonborg beat St.
Louis in front of a packed house at Busch Stadium, 3 to 1. He allowed only three
hits and the Cardinals couldn't get a man to third base until the last inning,
when Roger Maris stung one of his pitches into the right-field seats for a home
run with two outs. And so the Red Sox come home to Fenway Park.
The Cardinals brought out southpaw Steve Carlton to face the Red Sox. He had
good speed and a great curve, by his defense cracked on him today in the third
inning. Joe Foy was back at third-base and in the third inning lined a single to
left field with one out. Mike Andrews tried to bunt him over and Carlton was
slow moving after the ball as it rolled down the third-base line. He obscured
third baseman Mike Shannon's vision, and when Shannon finally got to the ball he
bobbled it for an error.
After Carl Yastrzemski took a called third strike and muttered at umpire Ed
Runge, Ken Harrelson slammed a ground ball into the hole between third and short
for a base hit that scored Foy with the first run. George Scott flew out to
right to end the inning.
Lonborg kept the Cardinals' batters at bay throughout the game and in the
seventh inning saw his team get another chance to score. Ray Washburn was now on
the mound for St. Louis and Yastrzemski lined a double to left. But then Ken
Harrelson grounded out to end the threat.
Leading 1 to 0, in the ninth-inning, the Red Sox got an additional two runs
to help their pitcher. It started off when Ron Willis, who had come in when
Washburn was lifted for a pinch-hitter, walked George Scott. Reggie Smith lined
a double down the left-field line and the bases were loaded when Rico Petrocelli
was given an intentional walk. After Willis threw one ball to Elston Howard,
Jack Lamabe came in to pitch for the Cardinals.
Howard blooped a single to right that scored both Scott and Smith. The ball
landed about a yard in front of the Maris and Roger threw to the plate as Scott
ducked under McCarver's leap. The ball bounced off the catcher's glove and
rolled about 5 feet to his left. While McCarver reached for the ball, Reggie
slid in for the second run of the inning.
With Petrocelli on third Lonborg tried to bunt on the third strike and fouled
it off. Then Joe Foy struck out as Howard and Petrocelli were working a double
steal. McCarver threw down to Javier, who cut the throw and threw to Shannon at
third, who threw out Rico at the plate.
In the bottom of the ninth Lonborg got the first two men out and his
teammates were at the top step of the dugout waiting to mob their pitcher. Maris
had other ideas and lined Lonborg's pitch over the right-field fence. Cepeda
grounded out to end the game and the Red Sox players came out to congratulate
Lonborg on his second World Series win. His effort established a record for the
fewest hits allowed in two consecutive World Series starts.
For Red Sox fans, the format is familiar. The Red Sox have to win the last
two games at Fenway Park to establish themselves as the most miracle team since
the 1914 Boston Braves. |
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