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THE SUMMER OF "MORGAN'S
MAGIC" ...
Hurst and
Evans take care of the Yankees
September
17, 1988 ... The Fenway faithful were rewarded
with a 3-1 Red Sox victory over the Yanks. Bruce Hurst (18-5) painted
and allowed only three hits and fanned nine. Dwight Evans, the link
to past pennant duels, broke a 1-1 tie with a shot into the screen in
the bottom of the eighth as the Sox increased its lead to 5 1/2 games
with 14 to play. When Hurst punched out Jack
Clark to end it, the Sox embraced one another on the Fenway lawn as 35,051
chanted "Bruuuuce." The Morgan Magic Number is 10. The Red Sox haven't made it
to the post-season twice in a three-year period since 1916-18, but it could be
happening again.
The matinee started slowly, but got better as it went
along. Charles Hudson, starting in place of flu-bit Tommy John, stifled the Sox
as Hurst frustrated the heavy hitters from New York. He overpowered the heart of
the Yankee lineup in the fourth. Don Mattingly led with a single over the
middle, but expired at first as Hurst whiffed Dave Winfield, Jack Clark and Gary
Ward on 15 pitches. Winfield went out swinging at a low and away forkball. Clark
punched out on two off-speed pitches and a fastball, then flung his bat and
helmet in disgust. Ward went down swinging at a forkball to complete the hat
trick and incite the masses.
There was a long, strange trip in the bottom of the fourth
when Mike Greenwell struck out, reached on a wild pitch, stole second, took
third on a catcher's error, was officially caught stealing on a botched suicide
squeeze (Todd Benzinger missed the bunt), returned to third when catcher Don
Slaught dropped the ball, then finally died on third when Ellis Burks (grounder
to first) and Larry Parrish (fly to right) failed to get him home.
The Sox broke up Hudson's no-hit bid and pushed a run
across in the fifth. Jody Reed led with a double high off the wall, took third
on a sacrifice bunt by Gedman and scored when Wade Boggs hit a controversial
sacrifice fly into the corner in left.
Piniella, who is challenging Tony LaRussa's record for most
appearances on the field in a series, protested the game after Boggs' sac fly
because third base ump Ted Hendry signaled fan interference on the play.
Henderson caught the ball in fair territory after Hendry's signal. According to
the umps, Boggs was out no matter what, but they were going to let the run score
because there was no way Reed could have been thrown out.
The Yankees got the run back in the sixth. Henderson led
with a double to right, took third on Willie Randolph's bunt and scored on
Mattingly's grounder to first.
That was it until the eighth. Hudson had a cramp in his
calf and couldn't get his curveball over. He fell behind Evans, 2-0, then came
in with a fastball. Evans hit a rocket into the screen, good for his 16th homer,
his 100th RBI and a 2-1 lead. After Evans' homer, Todd Benzinger lofted a double
off the wall and Hudson left due to his cramp. Ever ready Dale Mahorcic came in,
and Parrish crushed a two-out double to the base of the wall (379 foot sign) in
center to make it 3-1
Hurst got Mattingly on a fly to center to start the ninth,
then retired Winfield on a grounder to short and fanned Clark. He is the Sox
stopper. Long after his work was done, in the cool of the late
afternoon, Hurst took a stroll around the empty Fenway grounds with his sons. It
was a quiet moment. The echoes of "Bruuuuce" had faded. |
