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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE CURSE OF
THE BAMBINO, PART 9 September 23, 1986 ... The Brewers were so obliging last week in Fenway Park, dropping four in a row. But at County Stadium, they treated the Red Sox like poor relations, pounding out an 8-5 victory that delayed the pennant clinching party they had in mind for tonight. The last-place Brewers just refused to show the Red Sox any respect. They shrugged off a 2-0 deficit and jumped all over Oil Can Boyd, depriving him of an opportunity his 16th victory and instead pinned him with his 10th defeat. The Can got kicked around unmercifully for four runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings. But he didn't have the best supporting cast in the fourth inning, when two errors gave Milwaukee two extra outs, and they turned them into four runs, three unearned. In the fifth, Boyd simply lost it, giving up a three-run homer to Rick Manning to seal his fate. A fourth run scored on a single off Sammy Stewart, giving the Brewers a cushion that would come in handy in the late innings, when reliever Mark Clear had his problems. After falling behind, 8-2, Boston got two runs in the sixth inning on a home run by Don Baylor, his 31st. In the ninth, Clear gave two singles, committed a balk and threw a wild pitch to cut the deficit to three runs. But then he struck out Bill Buckner and Jim Rice to end the threat. The magic number for clinching the AL East title remains at three, and it is now seems certain that any clinching party will take place in Fenway Park. Both Toronto and New York won and trail by nine games with 11 to play. Winning pitcher Tim Leary (10-12) threw caution to the wind in the third inning and threw a pitch that caught Rice flush on the helmet, flooring him for a brief moment. McNamara asked Rice if he wanted to come out of the game, and the left fielder refused even to consider it. There was on bright spot, however. Wade Boggs came out of a 1-for-12 slump with four hits in five trips, including a gift in the ninth inning that should irritate his close competitor, Don Mattingly of the Yankees. The two are tied for the major league batting lead at .350. For three innings the Brewers look suspiciously like the club that had earned last place in the AL East and had lost seven of the last eight. Boggs led off with singles in the first and third innings and was driven in each time by Bill Buckner to forge a 2-0 lead. But after three scoreless innings, Boyd's world fell apart. The Can got into trouble by allowing a single to Cecil Cooper and a walk to Rob Deer. It became serious as Barrett slipped fielding Manning's grounder and, instead of a double play, the bases were loaded. His concentration broken, Boyd walked designated hitter Bill Schroeder, forcing in Cooper. Jim Gantner then flied to center, scoring Deer. When the throw home by Tony Armas went past home plate, Manning went to third and Schroeder to second. Rick Cerone's sacrifice fly scored Manning with the go-ahead run and Paul Molitor singled to center, scoring Schroeder. Only a nice running catch of a deep drive to center by Ernest Riles prevented further damage. In the fifth, Boyd gave up four hits, including Manning's home run, and earned an early trip to the showers. Glenn Braggs led off with a single past short. Cooper lined to left, but then Deer doubled sharply past third, putting runners on first and third. Manning didn't waste any time, hitting Boyd's first offering into the Brewers bullpen, past the 392-foot sign in right. Boyd lasted two more batters before leaving the game. Schroeder struck out but reached base when Boyd threw a wild pitch. Gantner forced Schroeder at second, but when Cerone followed with a single to left, Boyd was through for the night. Sammy Stewart took over and gave up a single to Molitor, scoring Gantner. The Sox struck in the sixth inning, scoring two runs on a double by Rice, which barely missed being a home run, and Baylor's homer, which made the seats by 10 rows. |
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