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MORE OF "MORGAN'S MAGIC"
(BUT NOT ENOUGH)
John Marzano lifts the Sox
in the 10th
September
5, 1991 ... As John Marzano's single landed in left
field, it was the dramatic conclusion to a game that often seemed to
stretch the envelope of believability. On July 17th, the Sox had won
just one game in their final at-bat. They have since done it eight
times, including this 4-3 win over the Mariners at Fenway Park on
Marzano's pinch-hit single off righthander Mike Jackson with one out
in the 10th inning. With the
Blue Jays rampaging in Cleveland, the Sox were one out from falling 6 1/2 games
behind with 29 to play. But Phil Plantier, who had a flu bug that left him
nauseous the entire evening, drilled a game-tying double off righthander Billy
Swift with two out in the ninth, setting up the classic finish.
This was a wild one by any standard. Roger Clemens went
nine and pitched decently. But he was beaten twice in two fabulous
confrontations with Ken Griffey Jr. (3 for 5, two doubles, two RBIs), and he
allowed a home run to Dave Valle, whose batting average is so low (.166) a
Seattle bar has pegged its beer price to it.
Mike
Greenwell failed in three consecutive at-bats with runners in scoring position
while boos continued to cascade on his head. Lyons entered the game only after
Ellis Burks had more problems with his knees and was forced out in the fourth.
The real
fun started in the 10th, when Tom Brunansky, who pinch hit for designated hitter
Mo Vaughn in the ninth, went to center; Lyons to second; Jody Reed to short, and
Mike Brumley, who pinch ran for Wade Boggs in the ninth and scored the tying
run, went to third.
As chaotic as things had become for the Sox, the 10th
turned into a disaster for the Mariners. Former Sox lefthander Rob Murphy
started the inning by walking Carlos Quintana, then tossed wide to first after
fielding a sacrifice bunt from Lyons. So Jackson came in with none out and
runners on first and second. Tony Pena moved up the runners with a sacrifice and
Morgan sent up Marzano to hit for Reardon.
The Sox
(69-64) have won eight of their last 10. They picked up a game on the Tigers,
whom they play twice next week in Detroit. The Tigers are four games behind the
Blue Jays. |
