August 31, 1985: Boston Red Sox (66-61) @ Minnesota Twins (60-66)
We’re desperate to salvage something from this Twins series over these final two games but our group looks fairly lost right now and I’m not sure there’s much left in the tank, I’m afraid. Still, onward we must go and the nightcap sees Al Nipper take on rookie Mark Portugal, who is making just his second career MLB start.
Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game
Game Recap
We open the scoring with a pair in the 3rd on only one hit, as I walk one in with the bases loaded and the other scores via a GIDP. I add another RBI to the tally with a single that caps a 3-run 4th inning and chases Portugal.
They finally find their range with Nipper and tag him for a deuce in the 6th to keep us honest, although we get one of those straight back in the next to put it at 6-2.
Nipper gives up a solo shot to Mark Salas in the 8th but stays in until the end to get us home by three, leaving us with a 14-15 record for August.
Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day
(click link for BBRef boxscore)
- MLB Debuts: NIL
- Daily Notes: IRL, San Francisco's Jim Gott and Mark Davis combine to beat the Mets 3-2, ending Dwight Gooden's personal 14-game winning streak. In-game, Doc wins this contest 4-1 (his 6th straight victory) to move to 18-7 on the season.
- Transactions of Interest: The Pirates trade former batting champion Bill Madlock to the Dodgers for prospects R.J. Reynolds, Cecil Espy, and Sid Bream.