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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 9 May 17, 1986 ... Charlie Hough had not lost a game since returning to the Texas Rangers' roster after breaking a finger on March 24, but the Red Sox needed less than two innings to take the ball out of his hand on their way to an 8-2 win before a Old-Timers Day crowd of 31,168. The Red Sox wasted little time with a stunning six-run, second-inning outburst that gave Oil Can Boyd (4-3) his first career win over Texas. The onslaught that caused Hough to leave began when Jim Rice opened the inning with a double. He then walked Don Baylor and, after Tony Armas popped out, Rich Gedman drove in the first run with a single. Ed Romero, who replaced the injured Wade Boggs at third base, then singled home Baylor. Rookie Rey Quinones, making his major league debut in place of injured shortstop Glenn Hoffman, doubled in his first at-bat to score Gedman and make the score 3-0. When Marty Barrett singled to drive home Romero and Quinones, and Dwight Evans followed with a resounding double to deep right-center field, Rangers manager Bobby Valentine had seen enough. Valentine finally removed his 38-year-old knuckleballing ace, but by then he was trailing, 6-0, and that was a trail too long for these Texas Rangers to track. Boston did no more damage that inning, and Boyd breezed along with a shutout through five innings before he began pitching loudly, as has become a bit of a trademark with The Can of late. Boyd opened the sixth inning by walking Pete O'Brien and, after striking out rookie powerhouse Pete Incaviglia, he served up a pitch that appeared to be in need of a visit to Weight Watchers. After licking his lips, Texas designated hitter Larry Parrish took a swipe at it and drove the ball toward Springfield, blasting a towering home run into the depths of center field. This pattern of long-distance home runs that slowly chip away from Boyd's leads has appeared time and again this season, but yesterday he managed to avoid a repeat performance after Parrish's blast. But he could not avoid a bad moment of a different sort two batters later. Boyd fired a pitch inside to Texas catcher Don Slaught with an 0- 2 count, and the ball smashed into his face. Slaught remained conscious and pressed a bloody towel to his nose as he was carried from the field. He was taken immediately to Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for further examinations. Fortunately, that was the extent of the damage done that inning, to both the Red Sox and the Rangers. Boston then lost little time getting both runs back in the bottom of the inning. With one out and a runner on first, Quinones got his second hit of the day when he doubled off the center-field wall, scoring Romero to make it 7-2. Two batters, a wild pitch and a passed ball later, Quinones also scored, and Boyd's six-run lead was back intact, 8-2. Boyd did allow nine hits, but they were so widely scattered across seven innings that they were little more than an irritant to The Can and the Sox. Because of that pitching exhibition the Red Sox kept their slim half-game hold on first place in the American League East over the Yankees, despite New York's 11-6 thrashing of the Seattle Mariners. Ted Williams made sure to step on second base, as was his trademark, while trotting out to left field during today's Old-Timers Game. He also tried to go to left field when the All-Star opponents tried to put the Williams Shift on him by pulling shortstop Tim Foli to the right of the infield. He also did what he never did as a player in Boston. He tipped his hat to the crowd when he was announced. Ed Romero replaced Wade Boggs at third base when Boggs' back began to bother him while he was taking extra hitting under the center-field bleachers before the game. Four of Don Baylor's five home runs this season either have tied the score or put the Red Sox ahead. The Sox now have the best margin of victory of any team in the American League. |
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