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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 9 June 28, 1986 ... Today's 7-3 victory over Baltimore inflated Boston's first-place lead to seven games over the Yankees. The Sox' margin is as large as it's been this season, and has doubled since the Sons of John McNamara set foot in Manhattan two weeks ago. Fifteen more Boston hits (the Sox have 30 in two games here) and Dennis (Oil Can) Boyd beat the Orioles. The Can held the Orioles to two earned runs on seven hits and two walks in 7 1/3 innings, before yielding to Stanley (13th save). Boyd raised his record to 10-5 and lowered his ERA to 3.43. Clemens is the only AL pitcher with more wins than Boyd. The Red Sox are 25-6 in games started by Roger Clemens and Boyd. A barrage of singles staked Boyd to a 5-0 lead through 7 1/2 innings. The Can was in control until he rusted in the eighth. Boyd only fanned four batters, but the Orioles didn't get two runners on base until the sixth. Leading, 5-0, Boyd walked the immortal Juan Bonilla to start the troublesome eighth. When Lee Lacy followed with a line single to left, pitching coach, Bill Fischer came out to talk to Boyd. The Can retired Fred Lynn on a routine fly to center then worked the count to 3-and-2 on the dangerous Eddie Murray. Baltimore's first baseman rocked a pair of fouls (including a monstrous shot into the upper deck in right), then doubled into the corner in right, scoring Bonilla and moving Lacy to third. McNamara came out to get the Can. Bob Stanley cane in and got Cal Ripken on a grounder to shortstop Ed Romero. Lacy scored on the play, but Romero (two hits, three RBIs) made a difficult play over the middle and nipped Ripken. Murray took third on Ripken's grounder. Larry Sheets followed with a hard grounder to first. Bill Buckner fielded the ball and made a long throw to Stanley covering, but the ball clanged off the reliever's glove. Murray scored and Boston's lead was 5-3. Dwight Evans' two-run homer off relief ace Don Aase gave Stanley a four-run cushion in the ninth. The Steamer nailed down the save by getting the Orioles in order (two strikeouts) in the ninth. Storm Davis was the Baltimore starter. Davis blinded Boston in the twilight last Sunday (three hits, no runs in 7 2/3 innings), but had hip problems and was no match for Walter Hriniak's contact hitters today. The Red Sox scored a tainted run in the second. Jim Rice, the man who never hits homers anymore, led with a single to center. Rice (three singles, .328) was on second with two outs when Tony Armas (up to .265) hit a routine grounder through Ripken's legs at short. Rice scored easily as Ripken turned red. Boston tapped Davis for another run in the third. Wade Boggs (.378) started the rally with a two-out single. Boggs took third on a single to center by Buckner and scored on a punch single to right by that banjo-hitting Rice. It was Rice's 50th RBI. The slap-happy Sox bruised Davis with another landslide of singles in the fourth. Evans led with a soft fly to right-center. Lynn and Lacy both broke back, then couldn't come in before the ball dropped. After Armas popped up, Rich Gedman singled to left, and Romero scored Evans with a hard ground-ball single up the middle. Gedman took third. Earl Weaver yanked Davis, who'd given up eight singles. Nate Snell replaced Davis and got out of the inning. The Sox touched Snell for solo runs in the sixth and the eighth. Romero scored Armas (who'd reached on another error) with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, then singled home Steve Lyons (running for Armas, who had doubled) in the eighth. Weaver employed Brad Havens and Aase before the long day was over. These are tough times in Crabtown. The Orioles have lost six straight home games and 14 of 19 overall. They were three games back earlier in the month, but now trail by nine. Boston owns baseball's best road mark (25-12), as well as seven straight wins on the road. |
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