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WADE BOGGS' RECORD
BREAKING YEAR June 2, 1985 ... What happened in the Red Sox' 12-3 victory over the Texas Rangers would have been considered a miracle a week ago, when Boston was swept in Texas and came home with much of its spring training confidence left somewhere between the Fenway and the Mississippi River. But it was no miracle that the hard-luck Hurst turned himself around after eight straight winless outings or that the Red Sox exploded for a season-high 18 hits. Hurst knew three days ago that he might get a start, and he was in his best frame of mind in months. Although he gave up 10 hits, including a pair of home runs to Larry Parrish, he registered eight strikeouts (tying his career high) and went eight innings, which was fortunate for the Sox because they had only Mike Trujillo and Mark Clear available for long relief. The hitting revival that has led Boston to five victories in six games on this home stand was no accident, either. With Dwight Evans (day off) and Tony Armas (leg muscle pull) out of the lineup, manager John McNamara went with a predominantly left-handed hitting lineup that included Steve Lyons and Rick Miller, who had five hits and a walk between them. But they played second fiddle to Jim Rice, whose bat came alive (with a popping sound of its own) for four hits, including his 10th home run of the year. Hurst has been all too familiar with adversity since last August, when he had an 11-6 record and was considered by some one of the toughest left-handers around. And perhaps now he is over his slump and can regain his starting role. At least his curve ball today was "alive," he said, so "biting" that it kept Texas hitters off-balance all day. Hurst threw 137 pitches, which is a lot, and left after eight innings. But after a shaky start, he was strong with his fast ball, challenging hitters, nothing like the man who had gone 2-10 in his 19 previous starts and had a 6.30 earned-run average. But for a time, it appeared Hurst would remain in his same old rut. With two out in the first inning, Buddy Bell singled and Parrish hit the first of two home runs, a shot to left on a hanging curve ball. Boston tied the game off Dickie Noles in the bottom of the inning when Rice got his first hit, driving in Lyons (who had singled) and Wade Boggs (who had doubled). That made it 2-2. Texas regained the lead at 3-2 when Parrish hit a solo shot in the third. But Boston roared back, tying the game at 3-3 in the fourth inning and then putting it out of reach with four-run explosions in the fifth and sixth. Ten Red Sox batters went to the plate off loser Dave Rozema, who had replaced Noles in the fourth. Rozema had had a save and a victory last week in Texas. Yesterday, all he got was an Excedrin headache as Boston got to him for seven hits and seven runs. Boggs opened the fourth with a double off The Wall in left and went to third on a single to left by Rice. Texas got one out when Bill Buckner grounded to first and Boggs was tagged out by catcher Don Slaught on a controversial call by umpire Rocky Roe. But after that, the Sox took off. Easler doubled in two runs. Gedman, who had singled, stolen second and scored in the fourth, was given an intentional pass. But Marty Barrett came through with a clutch single, shooting the Sox to a 6-3 lead. Gedman then scored the seventh run on a single by Miller. Only nine men went to the plate in the sixth, but five of them got base hits. Glenn Hoffman had the big hit in the inning, a two- run double. Rice's 10th homer gave him his third RBI of the day, the first time he has had three in a game since May 10. Throwing good. Hitting good. Rich Gedman even stole the first base of his career. |
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