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JIM BURTON |
THE "GOLD DUST TWINS" AND
A SEASON TO REMEMBER
...
The Sox ambush the Tigers in 12
innings
June 16, 1975
...
Jim Burton's first major league victory almost happened in
front of friends and family, but a Detroit rally forced him out of
the game in the 10th inning and he didn't get the decision against
the veteran Mickey Lolich. The game moved into the 12th inning with a
6 to 2 triumph for Reggie Cleveland.
Burton was sensational against the team that drafted him eight years
ago. He retired the first seven batters before John Wockenfuss
homered in the third inning to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
The Sox tied the game in the fourth inning when Rice, Rico Petrocelli
and Dwight Evans singled.
Burton fired a six-hitter for 9 1/3 innings. He would have won 2 to 1
on Jim Rice's 10th inning solo homer, if the Tigers hadn't pushed
across a run against him in their half of the inning. Mickey Stanley
singled, took second on Wockenfuss' sacrifice and scored on a single
by Tom Veryzer. Cleveland came in and then held the Tigers hitless.
Rick Burleson's long sacrifice fly in the 12th won the game off
reliever Tom Walker, following a leadoff triple, by Juan Beniquez,
who had three hits, although the Sox scored three more times before
the inning ended. Carl Yastrzemski and Rice singled and then Walker
hit Fred Lynn, who had his hitting streak snapped, with a pitch to
end Walker's day by loading the bases. Petrocelli added a two-run
double to greet Bob Reynolds and Rick Miller drove in Petrocelli with
a squeeze bunt for the Sox sixth run.
Lolich gave up nine hits and got out out of as many jams. In the
first inning Beniquez started the game with a base hit. Burleson
followed with a double but Beniquez was thrown out at the plate. In
the second he walked Evans and put him on second with a wild pitch,
but two grounders got him out of that situation. In the seventh he
loaded the bases with one out and escaped.
In the ninth inning with the game tied and two outs, Burleson singled
and stole second. A passed ball by Wockenfuss put Burleson on third,
but he then picked him off. Walker then took over in the 10th inning. |
