May 31, 1985: Texas Rangers (24-21) @ Boston Red Sox (25-20)
The first of three at home against the Rangers to round off May, with Nipper and Mason getting reacquainted. Their previous matchup was a high-scoring game, let’s see how today goes. Big crowd in attendance to celebrate the end of another working week and add just that bit more of an edge.
Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game
Game Recap
They strike first, scoring 3 on 4 hits in a messy 3rd inning, before Armas gets one back for us in the next with a solo big fly, his 15th of the season to date.
Nipper settles right down again but Mason is also sharp tonight and keeps us quiet until the bottom 7th, when I single Marty Barrett in to close the gap to one run.
Clemens, who has for now lost his spot in the spin, relieves Al in the 7th and holds them for two frames then Steve Crawford pitches a scoreless 9th to keep it at 3-2.
Their Closer Greg Harris quickly gets two outs but then we somehow manage to stay alive with a walk and two singles, including my third hit of the night, to load the bases.
Cue Jim Rice, who crushes one just left of the triangle that barely clears both fence and outstretched glove to give us a dramatic walkoff slam and 6-3 win. Man, was the Fen rocking when that ball went outta there! A big win.
Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day
- That fine performance by McGee comes in a 14-inning thriller.
(click link for BBRef boxscore)
- MLB Debuts: NIL
- Daily Notes: On this day in 1961 while batting for Carl Yastrzemski, pinch Carroll Hardy bunts for a single in the 8th inning of a 7-6 Red Sox loss to the Yankees, making him the only player to pinch-hit for both Yastrzemski and Ted Williams.