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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STRIKES OUT ... April 19, 1994 ... The Red Sox slammed six home runs, two apiece by Mo Vaughn and Tim Naehring, a grand slam by Scott Cooper and a two-run blast by Mike Greenwell, and finally supported Aaron Sele with a bunch of runs and hits in a 13-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park. In seven games at Fenway, there have been 27 home runs (14 by the Red Sox), a throwback to the late 1970s when the ball traveled out of the park with ease. The last time the Sox hit six homers in a game was August 12, 1981, at home against the Chicago White Sox. There were 107 homers total at Fenway last season. The breakdown of Boston's 14 Fenway homers is certainly uncharacteristic of the ballpark since the construction of the 600 Club in 1989. Seven have been hit to right, four to center and three to left. The center-field homers are the most astonishing considering only two were hit there in all of 1992. Today's conditions were certainly ripe for a slugfest, with temperatures rising into the 70s, a steady breeze blowing out to left and the A's helping matters with bad pitching. The Sox struck for back-to-back homers twice, both times by Vaughn and Naehring. Both of Vaughn's homers sailed to right; the first one, leading off the second inning, went into the A's bullpen, while the second blast landed a half-dozen rows up the bleachers. Naehring, who had four hits, cleared the screen both times. His shot in the second hit a red van parked beyond the Green Monster. Cooper (4 for 5) has had the most astonishing days of any Red Sox hitter this season. Battling recurring problems with his esophagus, his grand slam ended starter Bob Welch's awful outing with two outs in the third inning. The prelude to the grand slam began with Billy Hatcher's single to left field. Greenwell followed with a patient walk. After Vaughn struck out, Naehring and DH Damon Berryhill walked, forcing in Boston's third run, before John Valentin popped out on the first offering. With the count 3-2, Cooper slammed a pitch into the visiting bullpen. In the eighth, Greenwell hit his fourth homer, with Hatcher aboard, into the center-field bleachers, adding to his team lead in RBIs (15). Sele allowed three runs or fewer for the 21st consecutive time. No other pitcher since at least 1980 has equaled that from the start of his career. He had had two no-decisions and a 0.73 ERA, but despite the lack of run support, he never has lost his composure and continually has backed his bullpen. |
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