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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 9 April 26, 1986 ... The Sox' bats came out of their slump at the expense of baseball's best young pitchers. Boston hitters jumped all over World Series hero Bret Saberhagen in an 11- hit assault that carried the Red Sox to a 6-1 victory over the Royals. Boston scored twice in the first inning off Saberhagen and never looked back in winning for the first time this year in Royals Stadium. Dwight Evans had his second three-hit game of the year to lead the Sox. He singled to lead off the first inning and scored on a double by Wade Boggs. Boggs then scored on a double by Jim Rice. Boggs drove in two runs, also scoring Marty Barrett in the fifth inning on a clutch single. Bill Buckner, the designated hitter, clubbed his first home run of the year in the third inning. Saberhagen lasted only 4 1/3 innings, his shortest stint since May of last year. Meanwhile, Boston starter Al Nipper survived a shaky start and settled down to get a complete-game, four-hit victory and even his record at 2-2. Scoring runs had been a problem for the Red Sox in their last 15 innings, and the prospect didn't look good last night against Saberhagen. Nonetheless, Boston jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and made it look easy. Evans got it started with a single to right. When Darryl Motley muffed the ball for an error, Evans wound up on second. From there he scored easily as Boggs doubled to the gap in right-center. It was Boggs' fifth hit in 10 at- bats against Saberhagen. The Sox didn't stop there. Boggs went to third on a grounder to second by Buckner. Then, with the infield pulled in, Rice rifled a double past third, scoring Boggs and putting Boston ahead, 2-0. Kansas City came right back in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of a botched double-play ball. After Rudy Law singled, Willie Wilson hit a routine grounder to second. Barrett made a nice feed for one out, but Ed Romero's throw to first was late. With two out, Wilson stole second. Then he scored as Frank White singled to right on a 3-2 pitch, and the lead was cut to 2-1. It took until the third inning for Boston to get that run back, when Buckner connected for his first home run of the season. The solo shot off Saberhagen was his fifth career blast against Kansas City and put Boston in front, 3-1. Don Baylor led off the fourth with a single. Then Tony Armas not only hit into a double play, but he also pulled up lame running to first. He was replaced by Steve Lyons. Later it was reported that Armas suffered a pulled left thigh muscle. Boston chased Saberhagen in the fifth inning, putting together three singles and a sacrifice bunt. Barrett led off with a base hit to right and was sacrificed to second by Romero. When Evans and Boggs singled, Boston had a 4-1 lead and the Royals made a pitching change. Dick Howser brought in left-hander Danny Jackson to face Buckner. As Buckner struck out on a 3-2 pitch, Jackson caught Boston gambling on a double steal, and Evans was thrown out at third. In the sixth inning, Baylor walked with one out and moved to second on a single to right by Rich Gedman. From there, Baylor scored on a single past short by Barrett, giving Boston a four-run cushion. Only a great stop and throw by George Brett at third on a shot by Romero prevented further damage. Boston pushed across another run in the seventh inning off reliever Steve Farr. Baylor walked and came around on singles by Gedman and Barrett to give the Sox a 6-1 lead. Buckner came up with a sore elbow last night, and swapped places with designated hitter Baylor, who played first base for the first time since 1983. |
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