The Sox combined good pitching by Bill Lee,
good defense and clutch hitting to beat the Twins, 3 to 1 on "T"
Shirt Day. Carl Yastrzemski and Fred Lynn whacked run-scoring singles
in the eighth inning to win the game.
Bernie Carbo opened the inning with a single and pinch runner Rick
Miller took second on a wild pitch and third on a sacrifice bunt,
that went for a base hit by Rick Burleson. Yastrzemski then singled in Miller with to
go-ahead run, before Lynn provided the insurance run with a base hit
that plated Burleson .
Lee pitched superbly with the only run off him coming on a bizarre
fourth inning.
The Twins took a 1-0 lead when Rod Carew grounded a
single up the middle and Larry Hisle got an infield hit. Tony Oliva
fouled out but Bobby Darwin hit a high wind-blown single to deep
right. Carew and Hisle had to hold up and eventually managed to move up
a
base. But Darwin decided to take second on Evans throw and was thrown out
in a rundown when he realized Carew was still on the base.
Then Carew was struck on the right elbow when Lee tried to pick him
off of second. Dan Ford scored Carew when he beat out a slow grounder
to Bob Heise at third, who was playing him too deep.
Minnesota starter Ray Corbin pitched well, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the
fourth inning and blanked the Sox until the sixth. Then, with one
out, Lynn drilled his ninth home run into the center field bleacher
to tie the score at 1-1. He established a team season high, hitting
safely in his 11th straight game, with 18 hits in 42 times at bat for
a .361 BA.
Lee was tagged for eight
hits, including three by Hisle, but went the distance for his eighth
win in 13 decisions. He was helped by two doubleplays as the Sox
posted their fourth consecutive victory.
Doug Griffin turned in the web gem of the game diving face down to
make a spectacular grab of a low line drive by Luis Gomez in the
eight inning. But Lynn also made a great play, ranging a long way to
grab a fly ball from Oliva.
