The Avenge Buckner Association

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 10-13, 1986. Enjoying a day off, the rejuvenated Red Sox turn southwest and head for the Pacific, landing at the Oakland Coliseum for a 4-game layover against the Athletics. Enjoying great success in their last encounter, Boston hopes to capitalize on the memory of that series to overtake Oakland a second time.

May 13 - In the first three games of the series, Boston has amassed an incredible 37 hits against Oakland, converting 2 of those three games into victories. Will the Boston offensive make the difference in today's game? Will Boston pitching keep the streak and step-up to the challenge? Will it be another two-pronged attack? The details are uncertain, but it's clear that Boston is on a mission, and having beaten Oakland in 5 out of their 6 encounters, the BoSox are expecting nothing less than total domination.

Both pitchers cruised along until the bottom of the 4th, where young Jose Canseco, in his first full season in the majors, made waves with his 9th home run of the season, a towering bomb into the left field stands. The pitcher's duel continued through the bottom of the 6th, when a Mark McGwire grounder scored Dusty Baker from third. The top of the 7th had Boston starting back, lead by a Dwight Evans solo home run.

Curt Young was amazing, putting the squeeze on Boston and keeping them down to just 1 run on 7 hits over 8 innings. Doug Bair, who blew his last save opportunity against Boston, got a second chance when he was called in for the top of the 9th. In Bair's case, maybe the third time's the charm, because the second time was certainly not. After giving up a single to Rice, Bair faced Evans and lost when he gazed at the Boston outfielder's second home run of the game, a 2-run shot this time, soared right up and over the center field wall. Bruce Hurst, who enjoyed a fantastic, 8-inning, 2-run, 6-hit, 10-strikeout performance, got the hook in the bottom of the 9th in favor of Calvin Schiraldi. The youngster out of Houston struck out the first two batters he faced. However, just as Bair suffered a last-minute home run, Mike Davis gave him a taste, tying up the game with his 6th longball.

No longer in a save situation, Schiraldi was pulled in favor of Sammy Stewart. Stewart came through, keeping Oakland scoreless for the three innings he occupied the mound. The bottom of the 13th had Joe Sambito come in, and he immediately received run support-- Dwight Evans continued his romp, slamming his third home run of the day, and 11th of the season. At this point, Bobby Gonzalez made a curious decision; swapping Sambito for Stanley to close the game. Stanley, who has 5 saves on the season, had been experienced various rough outings before he lost the closer's job to Schiraldi earlier in the season. Gonzalez's gamble paid off when Stanley pitched a prefect 14th inning for his 6th save. Joe Sambito (1-0, 0.00ERA) got the win and Dave Leiper (0-1, 7.71ERA), who had entered in the 14th and gave up the winning run, took the loss. Curt Young and Bruce Hurst were handed a no-decision, while Bair and Schiraldi each logged a blown save.

Dwight Evans was the man of the day, going 3-for-6 with 4 RBI and 3 home runs; Armas, Romero and Buckner added a pair of hits. Dave Kingman, who went 2-for-6, was the only Athletic to notch more than one hit. With 12 more hits and another win, Boston is rolling along with a 3-game win streak, a 6 game to 1 dominance of the Athletics and a total of 49 hits over their last four games.

It looks like the Boys of Boston really enjoy playing in the sun! Let's hope they've absorbed enough because they're headed back home for a 4-game home stand against Seattle before shipping off to Chicago for another 4-game stretch. The 5-2 road trip was a great success and has propelled Boston to a 22-17 record and a tie for third place in the AL East with Cleveland.

[Frozen Stiffer]

Around the League - Player Leaders

After 39 games, here's where the leaders sit:

Batting Average (AL):
1. Lou Whittaker - .387 - Detroit Tigers
2. Kent Hrbek - .340 - Minnesota Twins
3. Tony Fernandez - .326 - Toronto Blue Jays

Batting Average (NL):
1. Keith Hernandez - .354 - New York Mets
2. Kevin Mitchell - .352 - New York Mets
3. Von Hayes - .351 - Philadelphia Phillies

Home Runs (AL):
1. Mel Hall - 11 - Cleveland Indians
1. Dwight Evans - 11 - Boston Red Sox
3. Jesse Barfield - 10 - Toronto Blue Jays

Home Runs (NL):
1. Tim Wallach - 11 - Montreal Expos
1. Darryl Strawberry - 11 - New York Mets
3. Kevin McReynolds - 10 - San Diego Padres

ERA (AL):
1. Oil Can Boyd - 1.34 - Boston Red Sox
2. Curt Young - 1.90 - Oakland Athletics
3. Al Nipper - 1.93 - Boston Red Sox

ERA (NL):
1. Mike Scott - 1.17 - Houston Astros
2. Danny Cox - 1.19 - St. Louis Cardinals
3. Rick Rhoden - 1.64 - Pittsburgh

Wins (AL):
1. Doug Drabek - 7 - New York Yankees
1. Tom Candiotti - 7 Cleveland Indians
*9 others tied with 6...

Wins (NL):
1. Mike Scott - 7 - Houston Astros
2. Bob Ojeda - 6 - New York Mets
2. John Tudor - 6 - St. Louis Cardinals
* 2 others tied with 6...

[LetsPlay2]

ORIGINAL:  KG Erwin
Excellent stuff, FS.  Keep up the details -- I elected to go for a "Reader's Digest" condensed version, which misses out on much of the everyday drama.  You gave me an inspiration, though.  [;)]

ORIGINAL: Frozen Stiffer
Well see... that's why I envy your style! Mine may go into more detail, but subsequently, it also requires much more time and effort! This is why I typically manage 1 or 2 games a day of this association, so that I'm not overwhelmed with reporting deadlines, and then manage countless days of my unreported 1997 Marlins association. The Red Sox feed my need to write and report, while the Marlins fill my need to just PLAY.

I'm honored and humbled by your words of encouragement. Frankly KG, if it wasn't for your work, I would have never taken the step to do this myself.

I envy you guys !
You can write about what is happening ! I can think it but can't get it on paper !
That is why I have elected to post Highlights and send people to the Almanac on my web site.
That "writes" better than I do !

Keep it up, because I enjoy the reading !

[Frozen Stiffer]

Thank you for your very kind words, LP!

I think what you explained is one of the big reasons why The Locker is so popular-- a varied blend of different styles. There's a little something for everyone- the reader, the enthusiast, the statistician, the fan.

We're all doing a great job (even in associations where the Marlins may be floundering... pun intended). [:)]

[Frozen Stiffer]

Around the League - Standings

The AL East
In the AL East, the high chair is not so high, and though Toronto sits atop the division, their margin is slim-- the Yankees trail by only 1 game. In a tie for third place is Cleveland and surging Boston, who have won 8 of their last 10. Both trail Toronto by four games. With all but one team having a winning record, the lone standout being Milwaukee at 17-22, and plenty of time left, no one appears to be ready or poised to start pulling away from the pack.

The AL West
The White Sox, engaging in a humble 2-game win streak, ride the crest of the AL West. Minnesota, 19-20, is the winner of two in a row, an accomplishment which has allowed them to creep closer to a .500 record and catch up to flailing Oakland. The Athletics, who have suffered recently against Boston, are in the midst of a 3-game skid, having lost 7 of their last 10 overall. Last place Texas is only 9 games behind, but with a 12-27 record thus far, their recent performance isn't very promising.

The NL East
The top three spots are heavily contested, and even though the Cardinals are in the lead, the margin between 1st and 3rd place is only one game. The Expos are lagging 6-games behind, and neither the Pirates, 7-behind, nor the Cubs, 11-behind, show much hope of making a difference.

The NL West
Another division with a large gap between first and second, the bitter feud in the NL West is far from over. The Astros and Padres share 1st place, boasting identical, impressive 25-14 records. The rest of the pack is quite a ways behind. Lingering at 8-games back with a 3-way tie, the Dodgers, Giants and Braves, struggle to pull away. The Reds wallow in the basement, 10 games behind. Having posted only a 4-10 record in their own division, Cincinnati needs to work some magic to get back in contention.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 15-18, 1986. After another day off, Boston prepares to fend off the Seattle Mariners over the next 4 days. Their modest 3-game win streak combined with having won their last four series, one of which was a sweep, should be enough to reinforce Boston's push to the top of the division. Let's hope that the Mariners will be unable to derail the red train!

May 15 - Winner of 5 straight and leading the squad with 6 wins, Al Nipper (6-1, 1.93ERA) takes the mound for Boston; opposing him is Seattle righty Bill Swift (1-4, 6.28ERA). On a chilly afternoon in Fenway, east meets west as the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners face off.

A pair of early singles in the bottom of the first leads to an RBI-double courtesy of Jim Rice and Boston takes the quick lead. In the bottom of the second, the small ball continues as Boston fills the bases with three quick singles before a Marty Barrett sac fly brings in Gedman for the 2-0 lead.

Bob Kearney's solo home run in the top of the 5th finally puts Seattle on the board, but then Boston charged right back. Some clever hitting mixed in with a fielding error leads to a 2-run double by Buckner, extending Boston's lead 4-1. Seattle calls Mike Trujillo in to pitch & he easily retires Romero to end the inning.

In the bottom of the 8th, Bobby Gonzalez decides that Nipper's done for the day and makes the call to the pen. In the zone for the 7 innings he was out there, Nipper only allowed 6 hits and 1 run, striking out 5. However, it took him 129 pitches to get there, and feeling his starter has already been stretched out too far, Gonzalez calls for up Joe Sambito to take the ball. The reliever runs into trouble early when a pair of singles and a double by Phil Bradley score a run for Seattle, cutting Boston's lead to 4-2. Sambito settled down though, striking out Calderon to end the 8th.

Calvin Schiraldi got the call in the 9th and other than a double to Bonnell, kept the Mariners off the bases. Schiraldi earns his 7th save, Boston takes the first game 4-2 and extends their win streak to 4 games. Nipper's record improves to 7-1 while Bill Swift (1-5, 6.44ERA) suffers the loss. Bob Kearney's solo shot was the only longball of the game. For Boston, Wade Boggs and Rich Gedman each had 3 hits while Buckner, 2-for-4, notched a pair of RBIs.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 15-18, 1986. After another day off in between series, Boston prepares to fend off the Seattle Mariners over the next 4 days. Their modest 3-game win streak combined with having one their last four series, one of which was a sweep, should be enough to reinforce Boston's push to the top of the division. Let's hope that the Mariners will be unable to derail the red train!

May 16 - As the cards fall on this lovely 65-degree Friday morning, Roger Clemens (3-2, 3.41ERA) draws Seattle's #1 starter Mike Moore 6-4 (3.55ERA) as his opponent. Clemens has shown much promise and prospect, but has been inconsistent in his recent starts. Moore got off to a good start, boasting a 4-0 record and a 1.60 ERA before losing two straight. Coming off another pair of losses Moore hopes to set himself straight while Boston hopes to keep him from doing just that.

As an added mixer, Gonzalez is adjusting his lineup, moving Rich Gedman to the #2 spot, Barrett down to the #7 slot, while bumping Buckner up to #6. "I put you as you play" stated Gonzalez before the game, "You hit well, you get placed well. You hit poorly, you get placed poorly. It's not rocket science, folks". When asked if it had anything to do with Clemens getting the start, a chuckling Gonzalez added, "I already told you, it's not Rocket science..."

The first three innings evolved into a classic pitcher's duel with only 1 hit allowed all game. Moore displayed the reason he's Seattle's ace, while the Rocket was earning his nickname. Perhaps it was turbulence, but as the top of the 4th inning launched, so did Ken Phelps' 1-1 blast. Connecting off a failed slider, Phelps' solo shot put the Mariners on the board. The smash didn't phase Clemens, who retired the next three batters in order. Revenge was in the cards when Rich Gedman, hitting 2nd for the first time this season, launched his own monster to tie things up.

The tie was short-lived when Ivan Calderon launched his own home run going into the 5th, putting Seattle back in front. Again however, Clemens settled and retired the next three Mariners. After a quiet 6th, Clemens ran into trouble again in the 7th when a pair of singles and a sac fly led to another Seattle run.

Going into the 8th, Gonzalez visited the mound and had a brief talk with the Rocket. The Boston manager returned to the dugout and Clemens remained in the game. However, after getting DH Alvin Davis to ground out to 2nd, a hanging fastball was converted into a 415' solo home run by Ken Phelps, his 2nd of the game. This was the end of Clemens' day and Gonzalez, his team trailing 5-1, called for some help from the pen-- Steve Crawford came jogging towards the infield. The reliever handled the rest of the 8th with ease, but in the 9th, a single to Bradley was followed up with a 2-run blast by Bob Kearney. The score would hold at 6-1 as Boston's 4-game streak was snapped. Mike Moore (7-4, 3.29ERA) would take the win as Clemens (3-3, 3.58ERA) would end the day with the loss, having gone 7.1 innings and giving up 4 runs on 7 hits, striking out only 4. Moore fared much better in his complete game 1-run, 3-hit outing where he struck out 6. Boston's offensive sputtered, amassing only 3 hits, including Gedman's solo shot, their only run of the game. Ken Phelps, 2-for-3, and Bob Kearny 1-for-3 shouldered most of the offense, earning 2 and 3 RBI, respectively. 

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 15-18, 1986. After another day off in between series, Boston prepares to fend off the Seattle Mariners over the next 4 days. Their modest 3-game win streak combined with having one their last four series, one of which was a sweep, should be enough to reinforce Boston's push to the top of the division. Let's hope that the Mariners will be unable to derail the red train!

May 17 - Veteran Tom Seaver (3-4, 4.12ERA) gets the call for Boston while the Mariners choose to go with Mark Langston (5-4, 4.77ERA). It's a cold, windy day in Boston as the steam comes off the beans. Again Gonzalez goes with the Barrett-Gedman switch, hoping to capitalize on the catcher's hot hitting.

The first three frames are uneventful and other than a handful of scattered hits, the two hurlers begin the 4th inning hoping to keep with their stingy ways. Seaver was the first to get hit when Alvin Davis sent a bomb over center field. A single by Phelps set up a Jim Presley's RBI-double and the Mariners enjoyed a brief 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, a pair of singles set the stage for Armas' 2-run triple, and now the squads were tied at 2 runs a piece.

In the top of the 7th, after 117 pitches, Seaver was swapped for Stanley, and the former closer took control of the inning, sitting down all three batters he faced. The deadlock continued into the bottom of the 7th where solo shots from Tony Armas and Bill Buckner pulled Boston in front, 4-2. Stanley Steamer pitched two innings, allowing only 1 hit, before handing the ball over to Schiraldi for the close. The youngster encountered a scrappy Mariners team that wasn't ready to throw in the towel, evidenced by his outing. Schiraldi gave up 1 run on 1 hit, but walked 2 before striking out two. Even though he gave up an RBI to Spike Owen, Schiraldi (1-0, 3.71ERA, 8SVs) still took the save. Seaver received a no-decision after leaving in the 7th during a tied game. Overall he went 7 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, fanning 7 along the way. Langston (5-5, 4.81ERA) however did get the loss, in a 7 inning performance that allowed 4 runs on 10 hits; Mike Trujillo pitched a hitless 8th.

Tony Armas, in his 2-for-4 performance today, was responsible for 3 of Boston's 4 RBIs; Buckner's solo shot earned the 4th. Don Baylor and Jim Rice each notched a pair of hits as Boston takes two from the Mariners and hopes to take the series tomorrow. Penciled in to start is iron horse Oil Can Boyd (5-1, 1.34ERA) against Mike Morgan (4-6, 4.04ERA). 

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 15-18, 1986. After another day off in between series, Boston prepares to fend off the Seattle Mariners over the next 4 days. Their modest 3-game win streak combined with having one their last four series, one of which was a sweep, should be enough to reinforce Boston's push to the top of the division. Let's hope that the Mariners will be unable to derail the red train!

May 18 - Once more Boston manager Bobby Gonzalez rearranges his offense. Gedman receives the night off, and with Marc Sullivan filling in for him, the switch instead involved Buckner and Barrett; the first baseman will be hitting second today. Ed Romero was feeling a little tightness in his lower back during batting practice and will warm the benches as Rey Quinones (.346, 1HR, 2RB, in 26AB) will fill in at short. Tony Armas will also enjoy some leisure time as Steve Lyons will occupy right field. At a "warmer" 67 degrees, Oil Can Boyd (5-1, 1.34ERA) strides out to lead his Red Sox to victory against Mike Morgan (4-6, 4.04ERA) and the Mariners.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Boston gets on the board off a Wade Boggs home run, only the third baseman's second of the year. Don Baylor however, who has had 8 blasts of his own until today, adds to the score with a solo shot off the big red socks painted on the green monster. Boyd entered the 4th with a 2-run lead, but let some of that slip when a lackluster curveball didn't quite curve and a sharp-eyed Ken Phelps took advantage for his 13th home run of the year.

In the bottom half of the 5th, a walk and a single placed runners at the corners for Wade Boggs who earned his 2nd RBI of the game with a double that scored Quinones. Buckner padded Boston's lead with an RBI single, followed by another RBI-single, this time as a gift from Don Baylor.

The top of the 9th started with a charged Boyd taking the mound with 109 pitches under his belt and a comfortable 5-1 lead. A single by Jim Presley was all that Seattle could manage, as the Oil Can closed the door. Going the distance for the 4th time this year, Boyd (6-1, 1.30ERA) earned an easy win, allowing only 1 run on 6 hits. Five Mariners struck out en route to the victory. Mike Morgan (4-7, 4.31ERA) took the loss with a poor outing where over 6 innings he allowed 5 runs on 9 hits, managing only 3 strikeouts. Karl Best pitched the seventh and eight, granting Boston only a single hit and a single walk.

For Boston, Boggs and Baylor earned two hits and two RBI a piece. Sullivan went 2-for-3 and Buckner's RBI rounded out the total. For Seattle, Jim Presley, who went 3-for-4, and Ken Phelps were the only productive Mariners. Boston takes three of four and hits the road for a 4-game visit at Chicago.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 19-22, 1986. Boston travels a short distance west to stay to lock horns with AL West-leading Chicago as they enjoy a 4-game stint against the White Sox. Winners of the last 5 series they have played, Boston eagerly plans to add the White Sox to their trophy room and sweep, or at least win, the series.

May 19 - Chicago, that toddlin' town, is the setting for a match up between the AL West division leading White Sox and the rising Red Sox, who own the best AL East record over the last 10 games. Bruce Hurst (2-5, 3.94ERA) faces off against Jose Deleon (2-2, 3.77ERA) in the first of four War of the Sox.

Just 2 pitches into the first, Deleon suffered a very serious thigh injury, and Ray Searage got the call instead. In the top of the 2nd, Dwight Evans launched his 12th home run of the season, a solo-shot off Ray Searage, and what would prove to be the only run of the game.

Bruce Hurst pitched an amazing game, by far his best this season, where he unconditionally dominated and shut down the Chicago White Sox. Hurst (3-5, 3.94ERA) went 8 scoreless innings, allowing 5 hits and 4 walks, striking out 5. The White Sox had no answer for Hurst, who dominated hitter after hitter, preventing any extra base hits. To their credit, the Chicago bullpen came through and limited Boston to Evans' lone shot. Ray Searage (0-1, 4.81ERA), who suffered the loss, Gene Nelson and Bob James together held Boston down over 8.2 innings, allowing a combined 4 hits and 1 run. Between the three, they managed to strike out 5 while walking 5.

Other than Evans, only Buckner, Gedman and Romero logged a hit for Boston. Calvin Schiraldi tossed a 1-hit ninth for his 9th save.

Tomorrow, the two teams face off again, with Al Nipper (7-4, 1.85ERA) hoping to keep Chicago cool while Bill Dawley (3-3, 4.64ERA) plans on burning Boston.

[Frozen Stiffer]

Hello, Esteemed Fans!

I'm taking next week off from work, my first vacation in about a year and a half, so I won't be making any posts during that period. Also, as this is the week leading up to the vacation, there is a lot of work I need to catch up on and a lot I need to delegate to others so I can ensure it gets done in my absence. As I hope you will all understand, that's going to take precedence over game reporting.

I return from vacation September 4th and you can expect updates to resume later that week!

[:)]

[Frozen Stiffer]

I'm back!

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 19-22, 1986. Boston travels a short distance west to stay to lock horns with AL West-leading Chicago as they enjoy a 4-game stint against the White Sox. Winners of the last 5 series they have played, Boston eagerly plans to add the White Sox to their trophy room and sweep, or at least win, the series.

May 20 - Al Nipper (7-4, 1.85ERA) continues to Nipper at the heels of Oil Can Boyd, challenging the veteran for the team ERA lead. A pair of recent successful outings have shown that the Boston #3 starter has what it takes to help his team win the pennant. Conversely, Chicago's Joel Davis (0-1, 23.14ERA), having only started one game this season, will take the mound for the White Sox. He last pitched April 21st against Toronto, giving up 6 runs over just 2 innings. He's been experiencing some soreness in his elbow; enough to keep him from starting, but not enough to put him on the DL. Boston hopes to take game 2 from Chicago on this pleasant, 60-degree Tuesday afternoon.

After a single by Jim Rice, Tony Armas' 2-run HR in the top of the 2nd opened things up for Boston. Nipper ran into some trouble of his own in the second half of the frame. After issuing a walk to Tim Hulett and a single by Reid Nichols, when Julio Cruz slammed a 2-run triple.

In the top of the third, a pair of walks and a base hit Marty Barrett set up Don Baylor's RBI-single in the top of the 3rd. An RBI-single by Jim Rice and a Tony Armas sac fly added a pair as the Red Sox jumped back ahead 5-2. Chicago notched another run off a Jose Cruz RBI-single in the 6th, trimming Boston's lead to just 2 runs.

After seven innings, Nipper took a seat and Joe Sambito got the call with the task of shutting down Chicago for the 8th. Sambito did an amazing job preserving Nipper's efforts, sitting down the side easily. Boston's offense came through as well, as Dwight Evans drew a walk with the bases loaded to give the Red Sox a 6-3 lead.

Calvin Schiraldi came in for the save in the 9th. After surrendering a triple to pinch-hitter Darryl Boston, he retired the next three batters he faced to give the Red Sox their fourth straight win and second over the White Sox. Al Nipper earned the win, improving to 8-4, though his ERA took a hit, slipping to 2.07. Joe Sambito (1-0, 0.84ERA) pitched a flawless eighth to set up Calvin Schiraldi (1-0, 3.32ERA) for this 10th save. All of Chicago's runs came off the bat of second baseman Julio Cruz who went 3-for-3 with 3 RBI. Tony Armas led the charge with 3 RBI while Jim Rice went an amazing 5-for-5, increasing his average to .297.

Tomorrow, Floyd Bannister (5-2, 3.69ERA) hopes to stop Chicago's 2-game skid while Roger Clemens (3-3, 3.58ERA) hopes to continue Boston's 4-game streak.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 19-22, 1986. Boston travels a short distance west to stay to lock horns with AL West-leading Chicago as they enjoy a 4-game stint against the White Sox. Winners of the last 5 series they have played, Boston eagerly plans to add the White Sox to their trophy room and sweep, or at least win, the series.

May 21 - The Oakland Athletics have capitalized off Chicago's last two losses, fighting back to share the AL West lead. While Floyd Bannister (5-2, 3.69ERA) plans to help Chicago regain sole possession of first, Boston's Roger Clemens (3-3, 3.58ERA) has a different goal, helping Boston roll ahead to a 5-game winning streak.

This game began as a classic pitcher's duel showcasing two pitchers completely focused on the task. A conservative Clemens scattered 7 hits over 9 innings, needing only 113 pitches to get there. Meanwhile, Bannister (5-2, 3.31ERA) had been equally stingy, allowing Boston to enjoy only 5 hits over the first 7.1 innings. Gene Nelson (6-0, 1.96ERA) pitched the next two outs to close the 7th. Ray Searage came in at the top of the 9th in relief and earned the win with Daryl Boston's RBI in the bottom of the 10th.

It was a game where Bobby Gonzalez's risk did not pay off. A quick chat with Clemens before the 10th was enough for Gonzalez to make the call-- Clemens would pitch the 10th. Things were up and down for the entire inning as Clemens' pitch count began to grow exponentially. Luis Salazar lead off the inning with a single to center, but Clemens managed to settle down, retiring the next two. Greg Walker jumped on the 0-1 pitch for another single and Harold Baines watched the 3-1 pitch soar high to draw the walk. With 2 outs and the bases loaded, Daryl Boston's RBI single to center field brought in the first and last run of the game.

Boston dropped a rough outing, 1-0 against the White Sox. Ray Searage (1-1, 4.57ERA) would walk away with the win, while Clemens (3-4, 3.24ERA) , after going 9.2 innings, allowing 10 hits, 9 strikeouts and 3 walks, would be charged with the loss.

Boston manager Bobby Gonzalez stormed out of the dugout and into the back office in a fit of rage, tossing the cooler and smashing an overhead light. He was not available for commentary, and frankly, few reporters bothered to ask.

Their win streak snapped at five, Boston hopes to take the series with a win tomorrow, sending Tom Seaver (3-4, 4.02ERA) to the mound. Chicago, still tied after Oakland's win against Toronto, will counter with Rich Dotson (2-6, 5.08ERA) and hope to at least break-even against the Red Sox.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 19-22, 1986. Boston travels a short distance west to stay to lock horns with AL West-leading Chicago as they enjoy a 4-game stint against the White Sox. Winners of the last 5 series they have played, Boston eagerly plans to add the White Sox to their trophy room and sweep, or at least win, the series.

May 22 - A last minute scratch puts Marc Sullivan (.259/0/2) behind the plate in place of Rich Gedman, who was complaining about tightness in his knee earlier today. Manager Bobby Gonzalez shuffles the lineup a bit as well, swapping Buckner and Armas, putting the first-baseman into the #6 slot and dropping the right-fielder down to #7. The pitching match up remains unchanged and Tom Seaver (3-4, 4.02ERA) will face off against Rich Dotson (2-6, 5.08ERA).

In the bottom of the 2nd, Bobby Bonilla drew a straight, 4-pitch walk, advancing to second on Tim Hulett's ground-out. Ozzie Guillen came through with an RBI-double to bring him home and give Chicago the early lead.

The top of the 3rd had Boston coming back. A pair of singles by Romero and Sullivan were followed up by an RBI-double courtesy of contact master Wade Boggs. Marty Barrett's single brought home Sullivan and gave Boston the lead. Don Baylor added another RBI with a slow rolling ground-out to Hulett, who bobbled the ball and ruined the DP opportunity. Though Jim Rice went down swinging, Dwight Evans went up swinging, sending his 13th home run of the year soaring straight up over the center-field wall for a 2-run shot. By the time the inning was done, Boston was sitting on a comfortable 5-1 lead. Bonilla's RBI single in the second half of the frame trimmed Boston's lead, but Seaver remained focused and closed out the inning.

Seaver lasted 6 innings, surrendering 2 runs after giving up a volley of 10 hits. Joe Sambito came in to pitch the 7th and 8th, facing off against Chicago's numerous left-handed hitters, and performed quite well, allowing only 2 hits and striking out 1. In the top of the 9th, as some added insurance, a Jim Rice double and a Dwight Evans double added another run for the Red Sox, while Sullivan's RBI single brought in Evans. Calvin Schiraldi pitched a scoreless ninth but it was not a save situation.

The Red Sox cruised to an easy victory, taking three of four from the White Sox in a 7-2 win. Seaver's record improved to 4-4, his ERA creeping down to 3.93, while Dotson suffered the loss and worsened to a 2-7 record with a 5.23ERA. Harold Baines and Carlton Fisk each went 3-for-5 for the White Sox; Bonilla and Guillen each accountable for one RBI. For Boston, Marc Sullivan had a sterling performance subbing for Gedman going 3-for-5 with an RBI. Dwight Evans added 3 RBI of his own en route to the victory.

Boston begins a back-and-forth road trip, returning home for 2-games against the Twins before heading over to face their legendary rivals, the New York Yankees for a 3-game run at New York. Afterwards, they go back for a 2-game/2-game/3-game home stand against the Twins/Tigers/Brewers, respectively. Boston is enjoying an amazing May, having gone 14-5 over the last 22 days. This is a good stride and Bobby Gonzalez hopes his Red Sox can keep up the pace and catch the division leaders. Due to its recent surge, Boston now sits third in the AL East, 1 game behind the Yankees and 3 games behind first-place Toronto.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 23-24, 1986. Good Ol' Fenway! The Red Sox come home to host a pair against the Twins. Twin games against the Twins? Coincidence? Boston plans to deal with Minnesota before feeding off their momentum and heading over to New York to feast on the Yankees. The Red Sox hope to continue their climb to the top of the AL East, hoping to build on their success this month.

May 23 - It's a beautiful day today as the Red Sox prepare to face the Twins. The Red Sox will have the Iron Horse, Oil Can Boyd (6-1, 1.3ERA) continuing his dominance of the league, hopefully leading them to another victory. Facing off against him is rookie Allan Anderson (1-1, 6.30ERA) who isn't having the best start to his major league career.

Aside from the occasional scattered hit, everyone's bats remained silent for the first three-and-a-half innings. Not until the bottom of the fourth, where a trio of singles loaded the bases did Boston explode, courtesy of Tony Armas and his monstrous grand slam, giving Boston the lead. A pair of singles in the bottom of the 6th set the stage for a Boggs RBI-single, giving Boston a 5-0 lead.

The Twins managed to ding Boyd in the top of a productive 7th inning with a pair of RBIs by Steve Lombardozzi and Tom Brunansky. They made contact more than usual for an Oil Can outing, but were mostly kept off the bases.  

After only 93 pitches, 7 strikeouts, 9 hits and 2 runs, Boyd's 8-inning day was over and Schiraldi got the call to pitch the 9th. It was a save situation as Boston stood behind its 5-2 lead. The recently promoted Boston closer easily dispatched three Twins batters, securing the win for Boston and earning his 11th save of the year. Boyd's struggle in the 7th raised his ERA to 1.39 as he notches win number 7. Anderson was credited with the loss, giving up 5 runs on 9 hits, walking 5. Tony Armas' 4th inning grand slam was responsible for the majority of Boston's runs while Boggs' lone RBI and 2-for-4 day made up the rest. Kevin Romine went 2-for-3 and scored a run while subbing for Rice, Dave Stapleton went 1-for-4 filling Buckner's shoes.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 23-24, 1986. Good Ol' Fenway! The Red Sox come home to host a pair against the Twins. Coincidence? Boston plans to deal with Minnesota before feeding off their momentum and continuing their climb to the top of the AL East.

May 24 - A major reshuffling of the lineup to accommodate three tired starters would prove to be Boston's downfall this lovely Saturday afternoon. Bruce Hurst (3-5, 3.94ERA) plans to build on his last great outing in Chicago to help support Boston's wobbly offense. Hurst had lost 4 in a row before getting a no-decision on May 13th and a win against Chicago on the 19th. Sixteen-year veteran Bert Blyleven (4-5, 5.13ERA) will show no mercy as he hopes to lead his Twins to victory and a split of the series.

Kirby Puckett wastes no time with a 2-run, 1st-inning rocket that gives his club an early lead. Wade Boggs counters with a leadoff home run of his own, number two on the season to help catch up. Bill Buckner also jumped into the pool with a 3-run monster over the center field wall. By the time the 1st inning ended, the score was already 4-2, Boston's lead.

Buckner kept things hot with an RBI-double in the bottom of the 3rd before Kevin Romine added another run with a sac fly to deep center, scoring Gedman and putting Boston in front 6-2.

Greg Gagne's RBI single in the 6th cut Boston's lead in half, but it was Randy Bush's bloop single into short left field that hurt the most. Steve Lyons misplayed the ball, allowing Roy Smalley a safe slide into home. Jeff Reed brought in a pair with a double to left field as Boston watched its lead evaporate in one inning. Hurst, who had appeared to calm down after a rough first-inning, fell apart quickly and without warning. Gonzalez wasted no time with the hook, bringing in Steve Crawford to put out the Twins' hot bats.

A sharp eye notched another run for the Red Sox when Jim Rice drew a bases loaded walk. Crawford did his job, quenching the flame over four outs. Bob Stanley took the mound for the eighth and silenced Minnesota.

Clinging to a one-run lead, Gonzalez rang the 'pen and Schiraldi made the jog to the mound. On the line for his 12th save, the young man out of Houston started off good before letting a full-count curveball hang over the plate-- a mistake that Kent Hrbek took advantage of sending it 387 feet over the right-field wall to tie the game 7-all. With the save blown, Schiraldi was pulled and Sammy Stewart was handed the ball. Stewart kept things quiet and the game rolled into extra innings.

Another costly error, this time a wild grounder that hopped over Rey Quinones' glove, prolonged the 10th inning, giving the Twins the opportunity to score off of Stewart with a two-run single by Lombardozzi. Boston didn't hear any singing fat ladies, so after loading the bases with two outs, a Don Baylor single scored Romine, who had reached on a walk. Just one run away from tying the game, Jim Rice lined out to center and the Red Sox dropped a tough game, losing 8-9 in 10. Hurst's collapse was just the beginning as inconsistent pitching and sloppy fielding led to the painful loss. Sammy Stewart (0-3, 4.70ERA) was tagged for the loss while Roy Lee Jackson (3-3, 3.71ERA) and his lone perfect inning was enough to get him the win. Jermaine Christopher allowed a run but held on for the save, his 15th of the year.

Romero went 3-for-4 and Buckner went 3-for-5 with 4 RBI for the Red Sox, but it was Lombardozzi and his key hit in the 10th that sealed the deal.

With the split, Boston departs to enemy territory, facing off against the New York Yankees for a 3-game clash.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 25-27, 1986. Beating a team is one thing. Beating the Yankees is a completely different, significantly better experience. Likewise, a loss to the Boston rivals is always much more painful than a regular loss. Trailing the Yanks by 3 games, Boston hopes to capitalize on this series to gain much needed ground in the AL East.

May 25 - An amazing matchup is scheduled for today as Boston hurler Al Nipper (8-1, 2.07ERA) faces off against Yankees ace Doug Drabek (8-3, 2.87ERA). Both teams have been suffering at the hands of an inconsistent offense but it's the Red Sox who own the stronger record over the last 10 games, having gone 7-3 versus the Yankees' 6-4.

The game began as a pitcher's duel, when after 5 innings, each pitcher had blanked the opposition, surrendering only 4 hits a piece. In the top of the 6th however, the silence was broken by Jim Rice's solo HR to left field. Regretfully, that upswing signaled the beginning of the end. In the bottom of the inning, Nipper's domination of the Yankees collapsed like a flan in a cupboard. Dave Winfield drew a walk to start off the frame. After an easy pop out to Mike Easler, singles by Dan Pasqua and Gary Roenicke loaded the bases and for the first time all day, New York was threatening. Mike Fischlin's RBI single to CF was scooped up quickly by Dwight Evans, but Winfield still managed to score. Willie Randolph struck out on three straight and just as it seemed Nipper would slip out of the noose, pinch-hitter Ron Hassey stepped in for Joel Skinner and sent the first pitch he saw soaring over the right field wall for a base-clearing, grand slam, his first longball of the year. With New York leading 5-1, Nipper settled down, but the damage had already been done.

Doug Drabek (9-3, 2.70ERA) earned the win with a complete game, allowing only 1 run, Rice's solo shot, on 6 hits. Drabek struck out eight while walking only one. Excluding the 6th inning, Nipper pitched a great game. In the end he was credited with the loss, after 7.1 innings of 9-hit ball and the 5 runs New York managed to tack on. He struck out 10 Yankees in a losing effort as he watched his record drop to 8-2, his ERA climbing to 2.48.

With its 4th straight win, New York catapults itself into the AL East lead. Toronto trails New York by 1.5 games while Boston now lingers further at a full 4 games. Let's hope they can cut this in half with wins tomorrow and Tuesday.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 25-27, 1986. Beating a team is one thing. Beating the Yankees is a completely different, significantly better experience. Likewise, a loss to the Boston rivals is always much more painful than a regular loss. Trailing the Yanks by 3 games, Boston hopes to capitalize on this series to gain much needed ground in the AL East.

May 26 - After a painful loss to the Yankees, a hungry Boston squad seeks revenge and hopes that Roger Clemens (3-4, 3.24ERA) can regain his form and out-pitch New York's Ron Guidry (3-4, 3.66ERA) to even up the series. It's a pleasant 62 degrees at Yankee stadium right now, but the Red Sox hope to ensure that nothing else will be pleasant for the Bronx Bombers.

Once again, Jim Rice leads the Boston offensive with his 6th home run of the year, a solo shot in the top of the 2nd. For insurance purposes, Bill Buckner added a blast of his own, a 380 foot monster over the right-field wall, giving Boston a 2-run lead and taking some pressure off Clemens.

In the top of the 7th, after Rich Gedman goes down swinging but Buckner doubles off Guidry to get things going again. Romero singles down the right-field line and advances Buckner to 3rd. Boggs then drills a hard double down the same line in right, bringing in Buckner and pushing Romero onto third. Tim Stoddard comes in for the tiring Guidry and handles the next two batters to stop the rally.

Clemens pitched to two batters in the bottom of the 7th, Pagliarulo who singled and Hassey who drew a walk. With no outs and not wanting a repeat of the last time he took a chance with Clemens, Boston manager Bobby Gonzalez ends the Rocket's day after 111-pitches, bringing in Bob Stanley to finish up the inning. Dave Winfield's RBI double put New York on the board but a stingy Stanley refused to give up any more ground.

'Old Faithful' Jim Rice came through again, sending his 7th home run of the season, and 2nd of the game, soaring over the right-field wall to start things off in the 8th. Rich Gedman didn't let him have all the fun, sending his own screamer, a 410-foot meteor over CF to pad Boston's 5-1 lead. Stanley Steamer started to run out of steam when after surrendering a single to Mike Easler, he gift-wrapped a curve-less curveball that Don Mattingly graciously accepted and sent 392-feet into the stands, bringing New York a little closer, 5-3.

A recently sterling Calvin Schiraldi got the call in the 9th, and other than allowing a single to Willie Randolph, shut down the Yankees for his 12th save. Roger Clemens was dialed in, going 6 strong innings and allowing just 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 11. He evens up his record at 4-4, dropping his ERA slightly to 3.11. Bob Stanley struggled with 2 runs and 2 hits over the pair of innings he was responsible for, but Schiraldi's outing salvaged the day. Guidry dropped to 3-5, his ERA suffering a hit to 3.70. Tim Stoddard didn't do very much better, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits over 2.1 innings.

With the series even, Boston plans to take game three and chop that Yankees lead a little more.

[Frozen Stiffer]

May 25-27, 1986. Beating a team is one thing. Beating <u>the Yankees</u> is a completely different, significantly better experience. Likewise, a loss to the Boston rivals is always much more painful than a regular loss. Trailing the Yanks by 3 games, Boston hopes to capitalize on this series to gain much needed ground in the AL East.

May 27 - Exactly 45 years ago on this day, the mighty German battleship Bismark was sunk. Today, the same fate will be felt by the mighty New York battleship at the hands of Boston's own warships. At the helm for the Yankees is Joe Niekro (3-3, 5.85ERA), facing off against Captain Tom Seaver (4-4, 3.93ERA) and the Red Sox. A tired Boston lineup is looking it, but with a critical series at stake, only huffin' and puffin' Rich Gedman will get the day off, Marc Sullivan filling in.

The game was a struggle from the get-go. Batters had to earn their runs as each team's pitching was nearly flawless and the defenses were virtually indomitable.

The scoring began in the bottom of the 4th when Ricky Henderson, after reaching on a single, did what he did best. Stealing 2nd and advancing on a ground-out to Winfield, Henderson scored on the sac fly by Mike Easler, giving the Yankees and early 1-0 lead.

The top of the 5th had Boston with guns blazing. A single by Romero and a walk to Boggs were followed by a single to Marty Barrett, loading the bases for Don Baylor. Big Daddy sent a screamer high into centerfield, and though Winfield snagged it, the hit was deep enough to score Romero. Jim Rice came up next and cleared the bases with a 2-run double. With a 3-1 lead, Boston was looking good, but the Yankees came right back in the bottom half. Mike Fischlin launched his 6th home run of the year, a leadoff solo shot, to bring his squad within one. Willie Randolph's single would hurt the Red Sox as Henderson's RBI double evened things up.

By the middle of the 7th inning, Joe Niekro had called it a day. Phil's 8 hits and 3 earned runs made management nervous and instead, Rod Scurry was handed the ball. In the bottom of the 9th, after surviving 8 innings, 3 earned runs, 5 hits and 108 pitches, Tom Seaver's turn was up. In his place, Sammy Stewart (1-3, 4.15ERA) got the call and earned his pay. Going 2 strong innings, Stewart shut down the Yankees, allowing no hits and striking out a pair.

The top of the 11th was where the fireworks happened. Buckner reached base off a rare Winfield error, then Boggs' double moved him and Buckner into scoring position. A Don Baylor RBI single would make the difference. Schiraldi came in for the bottom of the 11th, and retired the side, earning the save and securing Boston's 2nd win in a row against the first-place Yankees. Tom Seaver got the no-decision while Al Holland (0-1, 3.29ERA), the Yankee reliever who took the mound in the 9th, suffered the loss.

Boston now sits only 2 games out of first, with an optimistic future on the horizon. They're scheduled to host two games against the Twins, two against the Tigers and then three against the Brewers. Though none of the three own winning records, they're all in the same division, making each of those matchups a critical outing.