August 21, 2017

The Sensational 70s - El Tiante Terrifico



Boston's Luis Tiant blanked the high-octane Dodger offense for 8 innings, allowing only three hits and scored the game-winning run to lead the '75 Red Sox to a 3-0 win over the '77 Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series.

Tiant held the Dodgers hitless until the bottom of the fifth inning when Steve Yeager broke through with a two-out single to center. Bill Russell followed with a double to put runners on second and third bringing Dodger starter Burt Hooten to the plate. With Hooten and Tiant locked in a scoreless pitching duel, Dodger skipper Tommy Lasorda elected to have Hooten hit. Hooten grounded out to first to end the threat, and Lasorda would look back on his decision with angst in the very next inning.

Boston began the sixth with consecutive singles by Luis Tiant and Denny Doyle. Cecil Cooper then ripped a double down the right field line to score Tiant. Hot- hitting Fred Lynn immediately padded the lead with a two-run single. Over his last three games, all of which were Red Sox victories, Lynn has stroked 7 hits in his last 13 trips to the plate with 3 doubles, a triple and 5 RBI to his credit. Lynn now leads the team in postseason batting with a .386 mark. His single would spell the end of the day for Hooten. It has been a tough postseason for Hooten (0-2) who has yet to register a victory after logging 15 wins in the regular season.

Tiant judiciously spread his 87 offerings throughout the Dodger lineup inducing much weak contact and 12 ground outs. The Dodgers pressed him in the sixth as Dave Lopes dropped down a bunt single and promptly swiped second. He moved to third on a Reggie Smith ground out to first. Tiant then tied Steve Garvey in knots, getting him to hit a nubber in front of the plate forcing Lopes to stay at third. After pitching around Dusty Baker to put runners on the corners, he got Ron Cey to fly out harmlessly to right field to end the inning. 

With Boston now gaining home field advantage, they'll try to increase their chances of celebrating a championship on home soil, sending regular season ace Bill Lee to the bump in Game 2. The Dodgers will respond in kind with their staff ace, Tommy John, who faces a critical test in knotting this series before it shifts to Fenway Park. Check here for the series preview and some regular season stats.



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