THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 9
BLEEPIN' BUCKY DENT'S HOME RUN ...
A 9th inning rally
extends the Sox streak
June 17, 1978
...
Carl Yastrzemski grounded a bases-loaded single through
a drawn-in infield, to finish a two-run, ninth inning rally and edge
the Seattle Mariners, 5 to 4. The win extended the Sox winning streak
to nine games.
The Mariners moved into a 4-3 lead on Leon Roberts' solo homer in the
eighth inning, but Butch Hobson opened the Sox ninth inning by lining
a single to center. With one out, Rick Burleson grounded his fourth
single of the game in right field and sent Hobson over to third base.
Jerry Remy then grounded to Julio Cruz, but the Mariners
secondbaseman threw wildly to the plate, trying to get Hobson, who
scored the tying run with Burleson moved over to third and Remy over
to second, on the throwing error. Jim Rice was walked intentionally
to load the bases before Yaz wrecked that strategy by grounding a
sharp single to right, bringing in Burleson with the walk-off run.
Bob Stanley, who relieved starter Allen Ripley at the start of the
ninth inning, collected his fifth victory in six decisions.
Seattle spotted the Sox single runs in the first two innings before
taking the lead, 3-2. The Sox pulled back into a tie when Dwight
Evans knocked out his 15th homer, a tremendous shot over the screen
onto Lansdowne Street. |