THE CARDIAC KIDS COME BACK TO REALITY ...
Andrews and Foy lead the Sox in a come-back win

July 3, 1968 ... Mike Andrews got his chance to play and made the most of it, with a long single off the left-field wall, that drove home Joe Foy in the 11th inning, to beat the Oakland Athletics, 4 to 3 in a wild contest at Fenway Park. It was the third straight win for the Sox over the slumping Oakland A's and the second night in a row where they came from behind in the late innings, to win the game.

Foy had tied the game at 3 to 3 in the eighth inning with a run-scoring single. Then in the 11th, he led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Elston Howard. Pinch-hitter norm Siebern flied out for the second out and it was up to Andrews. With the count at 2-2, Andrews hit relief pitcher Ken Sanders' next pitch off the wall just above lineup board and Foy walked home easily.

Sparky Lyle, with another fine relief effort, gained the victory to run his record to 4-1. He pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up just a single after coming in for starter Ray Culp in the ninth-inning.

Jim Nash started for Oakland, who used five pitcher,s trying to pull out the victory. Using their good speed, the Athletics got the jump with a run in the first inning. The Sox tied the game in the second when after one out, Rico Petrocelli got things moving with a double off the centerfield fence. Foy dumped a single into short right to score Rico and Elston Howard reached on a bad bounce single to left side.

Culp, with men on first and second, squared to bunt but the pitch hit him on the right forearm. It was ruled that it hit the bat and the first argument of the night started. Dick Williams roared out of the dugout and went added with Marty Springstead for a couple of minutes before he returned. The Sox manager had no sooner disappeared down the steps when he was flying back on the field for another debate. This one started one Culp bunted and Nash threw over to third-base to nail Foy on a very close play. Williams thought Foy was safe and charge third-base umpire Lou DiMuro. After some more words he left the field cutting across the diamond and offered some comment to the other umpires.

The inning continued with Mike Andrews singling to right, to load the bases. But now Nash got Dalton Jones on a pop up to end the inning.

With the score tied at 1 to 1 in the fourth inning, Culp hit a brief streak of wildness. He started the inning by walking two batters. Then with two out and runners still at first and second, he hung a curve to Jim Gosger who hit it on a line to the Red Sox bullpen for a triple, that made the score 3 to 1.

Nash was struggling in the first three innings but was sharp in the fourth and the fifth. But when he opening up the sixth, he made the mistake of tempting Petrocelli with an off spead curve. Rico excepted the challenge and slammed the ball off the upright hanging over the left-field wall, for his ninth home run of the year. Nash got through the inning, but was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

Diego Segui pitched the seventh for the A's, setting down the Red Sox in order. Ed Sprague was called to pitch the eighth. After one out, he ran into trouble when Reggie Smith's high fly ball dropped between two outfielders for a double. Petrocelli lined out to left-field, but Foy, with two outs, singled home Reggie from second, with the run that tied the game at 3 to 3.

The Athletics made a bold bid to take it in the ninth. With a runner on first, Rick Monday beat out a bunt for a hit. Bert Campaneris sacrificed the runners to second and third and Sparky Lyle was brought in at this point. His biggest pitch came on a three and two count to Ed Kubiak.. The runner on third broke for the plate with the pitch on a suicide squeeze attempt that failed when the pitch was fouled off for a strikeout. Then Lyle got Reggie Jackson to ground out and end the threat.

In the 10th inning, Carl Yastrzemski looped a checked swing single into left with one out. Then with relief pitcher, Ken Sanders, pitching to Ken Harrelson, Yaz stole second base. Harrelson was then intentionally passed and Reggie Smith followed with a long drive to deep center that was caught on the warning track for the second out. Sanders got out of the inning when Petrocelli popped up to the infield. With the score still tied, Lyle set down the A's in order at the start of the 11th inning.