For a brief glimmering moment, Boston had engineered a monumental comeback in the eighth inning that put them on the precipice of a share for the top spot in the AL East. This realization came to an abrupt halt in the ninth as Boston suffered a demoralizing 6-5 loss in the opening game of a three-game set against the '78 Yankees.
Boston's eighth inning rally came out of nowhere as New York starting pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter placed the Boston offense in a comatose state. Hunter's repertoire of off-speed pitches cast a spell on the Red Sox bats. Including the final out in the first after Boston managed two singles, Hunter set down 19 consecutive batters while New York built a 3-0 lead.
Mickey Rivers got the Yankee offense going in the third hitting a one-out single and then swiped second despite Boston guessing right with a pitch out. Roy White singled down the line in left to chase Rivers. White scampered to third on a Reggie Jackson single and scored on a Craig Nettles ground out.
In the sixth, New York loaded the bases with one out on consecutive singles by Chris Chambliss, Lou Pinella, and Thurman Munson. Willie Randolph pushed a RBI single through the left side to add a run. With a golden chance to break the game open, New York's offense sputtered. With the infield playing halfway, Boston starter Bill Lee got a ground ball from Bucky Dent to cut down Pinella at home on the force play. Sawx manager Darrell Johnson called on Jim Burton to deal with the left-handed hitting Mickey Rivers, and Burton retired him on a ground out. Lee slipped in and out of danger throughout the game as New York slapped him around for 10 hits in 5.2 innings. Despite that, he was able to minimize the damage to keep Boston in this one, and New York almost regretted their inability to deliver the knockout blow.
Boston unleashed its pent up frustration with Hunter in the eighth with Carlton Fisk setting the stage for an epic offensive barrage. Fisk led the inning off with a mammoth blast over the right center field bullpen to break the string of 19 consecutive outs recorded by Hunter. Dwight Evans followed with a two bag gapper to right center. He advanced to third on a Rico Petrocelli fly out scored on a Rick Burleson single. This would end the day for Hunter, and Don Gullett came on in relief. Denny Doyle then extended his hitting streak to 7 games slapping a single to left. Cecil Cooper continued the onslaught drilling a double to left center to tie the game at three. This left runners on second and third and Yankee skipper Billy Martin elected to intentionally walk Fred Lynn to load the bases, bringing the veteran Red Sox icon Carl Yastrzemski to the plate. Yaz lined a ringing single into center sending the Fenway Faithful into a frenzy with this Red Sox resurrection as Boston picked up two more runs and now led 5-3. Sparky Lyle was called upon to face Jim Rice and he was able to register the inning-ending double play.
Facing the top of the Yankees' order in the ninth, the elation was short-lived as Dick Drago was to be the goat. With the fans still buzzing about this unforeseen comeback, Drago committed the cardinal sin of any reliever - walking the leadoff man. Mickey Rivers was the recipient of this free pass, and Roy White volleyed a Texas-leaguer over the head of Rico Petrocelli which was the turning point of the inning. With Rivers busting for third, Petrocelli panicked and threw home instead of running the ball into the infield or throwing to second. White alertly hustled to second base on his gaff.
This ruined a double play possibility with Reggie Jackson coming up next. Sawx skipper Johnson intentionally put Jackson on first hoping for a twin killing that never came. After battling Drago by fouling off a number of tough fastballs, Craig Nettles took a belt-high changeup into the right-center field gap clearing the bases and stunning the hometown crowd. Jim Willoughby got the last two outs, but Boston wouldn't recover. a second time. Yankees flamethrowing closer Rich Gossage set Boston down in order for New York's 100th win of the season duplicating the '78 team's win total
It was a great game to play even though I was on the losing end. After that eighth inning, I was up off the couch whooping it up only to be left muttering obscenities under my breath shortly after. So pissed off I threw that ball home!
The only thing that somewhat annoys me with the MLB series is the uniform numbers. Some of the players uniform numbers changed when I took this season from MLB 14 to MLB 16. For some reason, Roy White changed to #21 and Reggie Jackson went to #50. Chris Chambliss and Craig Nettle can't wear their respective numbers because they are retired. For die-hard baseball fans like me, uniform numbers lend so much to the identity of the players and it is a sticking point for me. Anyway, just a relatively minor thing to tolerate for a terrific baseball simulation.
I'll now have to run the table to force a one-game playoff for first. Reggie Cleveland (11-6) will face Yankee ace Ron Guidry (20-7) in the second last game of my 70s dream season.
The only thing that somewhat annoys me with the MLB series is the uniform numbers. Some of the players uniform numbers changed when I took this season from MLB 14 to MLB 16. For some reason, Roy White changed to #21 and Reggie Jackson went to #50. Chris Chambliss and Craig Nettle can't wear their respective numbers because they are retired. For die-hard baseball fans like me, uniform numbers lend so much to the identity of the players and it is a sticking point for me. Anyway, just a relatively minor thing to tolerate for a terrific baseball simulation.
I'll now have to run the table to force a one-game playoff for first. Reggie Cleveland (11-6) will face Yankee ace Ron Guidry (20-7) in the second last game of my 70s dream season.
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