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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 9 August 26, 1986 ... Boston's 8-1 victory over the Texas Rangers meant the Red Sox ended a three-game losing streak and stretched their American League East lead to 6 1/2 games over Toronto. The Can returned tonight. He went to the mound with four pitches and used them all. Boyd (13-9) danced and pumped his way to a season-high 10 strikeouts and won his second straight game after three defeats in a row. He allowed only four hits, just one after the second inning. He retired 24 of the last 26 batters, the final 12 in a row. His teammates didn't come up with 24 hits, as had been the case last week in a 24-5 victory at Cleveland. But once Boston broke a 1- 1 tie in the second inning, Boyd was in command. The Rangers couldn't score after two hits in the second. And they got only one hit the rest of the way. The Red Sox need the Can. After Roger Clemens failed in his bid for his 20th victory of the season Monday night and the Sox lost, 4-2, somebody had to pick up the slack. It was Boyd, whose best weapons were a low curveball and pinpoint control. Boyd's pitching, not his talking, was the major concern for the Red Sox. After coming off a suspension that cost him three turns in the rotation, he'd struggled in his next three starts. In the rout of Cleveland, he showed signs of his toughness, but that was not a true test. Boston took a 1-0 lead in the first, only to see Texas tie the game in the bottom of the inning on a homer by Toby Harrah. Boston regained the lead in the second. Spike Owen beat out an infield single off the chest of Ranger starter Mike Loynd and stole second. The Sox went ahead to stay on a double to left by Wade Boggs. Boggs moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error by shortstop Curtis Wilkerson, giving Boston a 3-1 advantage. With Boyd pitching well, Boston's offense kept rolling, scoring twice in the fourth and fifth innings and once in the seventh. Dwight Evans hit his 19th homer, a two-runner, in the fifth. Baylor added a solo blast in the seventh, his 25th homer of the year and 19th on the road. Boyd did the rest with his pitching. Catcher Rich Gedman had the best view of Boyd, and the strongest opinion. He agreed with McNamara that Boyd turned in his best performance since he allowed three hits in a 2-1 victory over Texas May 23rd. In three games against Texas, Boyd has allowed but four runs in 26 innings. He has walked only two batters and struck out 20. Boyd's 10 strikeouts were the most he has had since he fanned a career-high 12 on May 3, 1985. He retired the last 12 batters in a row and 24 of the last 26. It was his first complete game since he defeated New York on June 18th. He is 3-0 this year against the Rangers and improved his lifetime mark vs. Texas to 5-0. Don Baylor continues to pound home runs on the road. Baylor hit his 25th homer of the year in the seventh inning, his 19th away from Fenway Park. It was his fourth this season and 27th of his career against the Rangers. Baylor has hit 18 at Arlington Stadium. Jim Rice ended an 0-for- 12 streak with an RBI single in the first inning. |
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