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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 9 July 27, 1986 ... In the games that Roger Clemens doesn't pitch, the difference is like night and day. Eventually another Red Sox pitcher is going to get enough runs to win. But it didn't happen today in a 3-0 loss to the California Angels. It hasn't happened since July 10th, when Tim Lollar got credit for an 8-7 victory at Fenway Park on the night Oil Can Boyd blew up. There is little else to say after Boston's 10th loss since that fateful night in Fenway Park, when the entire season seemed to turn around. Tom Seaver and Sammy Stewart pitched well enough to win. But to beat a 300-game winner like Don Sutton, the Red Sox needed to score runs and they didn't manage a single one. Considering the fact that he worked six innings and gave up eight hits, Seaver should win a Houdini award for wriggling out of the most jams. He had 14 baserunners, and only two scored. One was Bobby Grich, who powered a towering home run to center in the fourth that delighted the crowd of 61,559, second best in the majors this year. Two others produced a second run, and that was more than enough for the Angels to win. After Grich's homer, Bob Boone and Dick Schofield singled. Schofield was out at second trying for a double. The run scored on a double by Gary Pettis, whom twice Seaver thought he had struck out. California got its third run in the eighth off Stewart, back on the mound for the first time since June 10th. A triple by Brian Downing and a sacrifice fly by Boone produced an insurance run. Boston, meanwhile, could do nothing with its chances in the first eight innings, in which they had at least one baserunner. Bill Buckner doubled in the first inning with two out, and Jim Rice couldn't get him home. In the third, Buckner had another double with two out, giving Red Sox runners on first and third when Marty Barrett singled. Again, Rice failed in the clutch, grounding to third. In the fifth, Rey Quinones got himself thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple, although it was another case of a sorry call by an umpiring crew that did little to distinguish itself in this series. (John McNamara and Don Baylor were ejected in the fourth inning on the whim of plate umpire Tim McClelland.) Quinones slid into third base, only to be called out by Mike Reilly. In the eighth, Wade Boggs walked and Rice singled to left. But Boggs and Rice both wound up in no-man's land. Rice was trapped off first on a throw by Boone. Boggs elected to try for third and was thrown out. Rookie Mike Greenwell, who replaced Baylor, then flied to left, and Boston's last threat was over. In the third, Buckner had another double with two out, giving Red Sox runners on first and third after Marty Barrett had singled. Again, Rice failed in the clutch, grounding out to third. In the fifth, Rey Quinones got himself thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple, although it was another case of a sorry call by an umpiring crew that did little to distinguish itself in this series. John McNamara and Don Baylor were ejected in the fourth inning on the whim of plate umpire Tim McClelland. Quinones slide into third base, only to be called out by Mike Reilly. In the eighth, Wade Boggs walked and Rice singled to left with none out. But Boggs and Rice both wound up in no-man's land. Rice was trapped off first on a throw by Boone. Boggs elected to try for third and was thrown out. Rookie Mike Greenwell, who replaced Baylor, then flied to left, and Boston's last threat was over. Meanwhile, the Red Sox' lead in the American League East is down to just three over the New York Yankees and 4 1/2 over the Baltimore Orioles. |
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