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75 YEARS & A FENWAY HANGOVER ... June 23, 1987 ... The Sox came back from a 5-0 deficit, streaking to a 9-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers before a crowd of 31,104 at Fenway, paced by Ellis Burks' three-run homer in the sixth. They also had a key two-run single by Jim Rice in that inning to break a 5-5 tie. The victory was the Sox' fourth in a row, matching their season high, and the six-run sixth inning was their most potent explosion at home this year. With Burks, the enthusiasm and ebullience are understated. He cranked a two-run homer Sunday to beat the Yanks, and tonight's shot was similar, jumping off his bat as he wheeled around with tremendous bat speed. After entering the inning with a 5-1 deficit and watching Don Baylor's homer cut it to 5-2, Burks brought the Sox even with his shot. The Brewers were basically baffled by Jeff Sellers in the first two innings, collecting only a hit and a pair of walks. But Sellers, called up after Monday night's game when the Sox announced that Bob Stanley would return to the bullpen and Wes Gardner to the minors, lasted only into the fifth because of control problems. Robin Yount began the Brewers' first rally with a walk in the third and came around to score when former Sox first baseman Cecil Cooper drilled a double to left-center. Right fielder Rob Deer then made it 2-0 with his bloop single to right, and Sellers was forced to pitch out of a first-and-third jam before getting out. Meanwhile, the Sox couldn't generate much offense against Juan Nieves in the early innings. They left two runners (Wade Boggs, Rice) in the first, stranded Todd Benzinger in the second after he walked, and failed to bring home Burks from second in the third after he singled and stole second. Through three, Nieves had a two-hitter. For the most part, Sellers' work was good at the start. After giving up Paul Molitor's leadoff Wall single in the first, he got some help when Marc Sullivan cut down Molitor at second on a steal attempt. The right-hander then lost Yount to a walk and reached back to fan Cooper and Deer in order to end the inning. By the end of four, the Sox had only three hits, two contributed by folks who weren't even with the club on Opening Day. Burks singled to lead off the third and stole his 11th base in 12 attempts, actually scooting away from a pickoff attempt that was botched on Billy Jo Robidoux's wild throw to second. The other hit by a rookie came from Benzinger, who singled with two out in the fourth and then was picked off first. The only other Sox hit was by Rice, whose single in the first put runners at first and second, a threat ended by Don Baylor's pop to second. Finally, Sellers departed in the fifth. For the third time, he walked Yount, leading off the inning, then walked Cooper. The runners moved up on a passed ball, and Deer lofted a fly to left that dropped in for a double as it scraped the Wall. Yount was in for a 3-0 lead, and Sellers was in the shower. Reliever Tom Bolton watched the lead balloon to 4-0 on B.J. Surhoff's routine grounder to the right side. Dwight Evans fielded it cleanly, opted to give up the sure out at first and was too late with his throw home to get Cooper. A sacrifice fly then brought the Brewers the 5-0 lead. Boston finally got on the board in the fifth, with Boggs extending his hitting streak to 24 games on an RBI single to center. Like Sellers, Nieves got into trouble with walks, losing leadoff hitter Spike Owen and then, with one out, Burks. On a 2-1 count, Boggs ripped his single to center for his 98th hit and 36th RBI of the year. Nieves was ushered out in the sixth. He was greeted by Baylor's 14th homer of the year, a rocket job that struck one-third of the way up the light tower in left. And when Evans followed with a sharp single, righthander Bill Wegman was brought in for relief. Wegman set down the first two hitters, Benzinger and Owen, and was hurt first on Greenwell's pinch-hit double. Then, on a 3-1 pitch, Burks scorched his 12th homer of the year into the screen in left for the 5-5 tie. After a Marty Barrett walk and an intentional pass to Boggs, Chris Bosio took over for Wegman. He first balked, with Rice at the plate, moving both runners up a base. Rice then picked on an 0-2 pitch and ripped it to the base of the Wall in left-center, handing the Sox the 7-5 lead. Rich Gedman produced the final runs with his two-run double in the seventh. |
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