June 13, 1985: Toronto Blue Jays (31-26) @ Boston Red Sox (33-23)
Our first meeting for the season with Toronto in a top of the AL East clash – the Blue Jays sit 2 ½ games back and tied in second with the Tigers, who are in fact our next opponent after these four home games. With our next 14 games against these two clubs it is fair to say we’ll have a much clearer idea in a fortnight as to how we are really travelling.
The series opener sees Bruce Kison take on Louis Leal, a handy enough type who has won his share of games these past three seasons. I’ve only faced him a couple times when we met last year, going 1-for-5 so far. I distinctly remember the first of those games here at Fenway because I smoked three would-be hits only to have their 2B Damaso Garcia snaffle each of them for a harmless groundout. He’s in the same spot tonight so I’ll try remember to hit them somewhere else if I can. Boston fans are hopping on board this season and there's a bunch of them here tonight looking for another win.
Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game
Game Recap
Ernie Whitt opens the scoring for them in the 2nd with a solo shot and would you believe it, my first AB of the night ends up 4-3. Garcia then extends their lead with a 2-run double in the 4th as our bats struggle against Leal.
We finally get something going in the next and tie the game with 3 runs on 4 hits, as Jim Rice singles two of them in and I also get my first hit of the game.
Whitt puts them back on top with an RBI single in the 7th and we swap Bruce for Bruce as Hurst takes over from Kison. Hoff makes it 4-4 in the 8th with a run-scoring double after Marty Barrett had singled and into extras we head.
Two hits wedged around a steal in the 10th off Bob Stanley put them in front once more but Dewey Evans saves our bacon with a solo shot in the home half. And then, in the 11th with Dennis Lamp on the mound, Boggsy leads off with a double and advances to third on a deep flyout by Jim Rice to give me a chance to win it. Irony of ironies, I smack a groundball with eyes past my old foe Garcia for the walkoff to send the big crowd into raptures.
So much heart shown here by the lads – a massive win.
Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day
(click link for BBRef boxscore)
- MLB Debuts: Bill Wilkinson
- Daily Notes: On this day in 1957, Ted Williams hits three home runs in a 9-3 win against the Indians, becoming the first AL player to achieve the feat twice in a single season.