THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 9
BLEEPIN' BUCKY DENT'S HOME RUN ...
Fenway Park wins the game
for the Sox home opener
April 14, 1978
...
Claudell Washington lost three fly balls to the sun and wind
in Fenway Park's right field. The last was a slicing line drive off
the bat of Jim Rice. It ended the game because Butch Hobson was on
third base at the time, with two outs and the score tied.
Washington came in three steps and then started backward as fast as
he could. The ball landed near the 380 sign on the Red Sox bullpen.
It allowed Dennis Eckersley and Dick Drago to vindicate themselves at
wintry and blustery Fenway Park.
Eckersley, in his first start for the Sox, struggled at times, but in
control most of the time. He worked 9 2/3 innings before giving way
to Drago. He had allowed 10 hits, one of them a home run from Jim
Sundberg. |