Anatomy of a Season

[luckymann]

August 25, 1985: No game scheduled

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: Jeff Hearron, Steve Davis
• Daily Notes: IRL, Dwight Gooden wins his 14th consecutive game and his 20th of the season, 9-3 over the Padres. At 20 years, 9 months of age, Gooden, beats Bob Feller's record as the youngest pitcher ever to win 20 games by a month. In-game, he also wins but is a bit behind his IRL self at 17-7.

[luckymann]

Oh, LOL at the thought of Rickey Henderson having a "no-frills style of play"...

[luckymann]

August 26, 1985: Boston Red Sox (64-57) @ Chicago White Sox (51-70)

The first game of this mid-length road trip takes us to good old Comiskey Park for a one-off game with the White Sox to make up for the August 7th game cancelled due to the snap strike. Oil Can Boyd up for us against rookie Joel Davis, who I’ve not faced before. Joel has started his MLB career in solid enough fashion and looks a lively enough type. We currently sit a half dozen games back of the Tigers and I think it's fair to say this little swing will have a big say in whether or not we stay in the hunt.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

An absolutely disastrous start for Boyd who gets hammered in the 1st and gives up 6 runs on 6 hits and can’t even make it out of the inning, with Al Nipper called into action.

They tack on another in the 2nd and then 4 more in the 5th as we sit there, utterly gobsmacked.

We finally get on the board with one in the 6th but that is it in a total shocker of a performance. The only redeeming feature is that Detroit also loses so it doesn't cost us in the standings.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Eric Bullock
• Daily Notes: IRL, he Braves fire manager Eddie Haas, who has led the club to a 50-71 record and 12 losses in its last 13 games, with Bobby Wine to serve as interim manager for the rest of the season. In-game, they currently sit at 52-70.

[luckymann]

August 27, 1985: Boston Red Sox (64-58) @ Cleveland Indians (60-64)

We’re in Cleveland now for three games and must put last night’s laugher behind us and plough on. Mike Trujillo takes the reins for the first game in this series, up against second-year player Curt Wardle, recently acquired from Minnesota in a trade. I’ve just had the one successful at-bat against him to this point when I homered off him last year. Looking for something similar tonight on a chilly evening here in the north-midwest.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

After we threaten but fail to score in the 1st, Geds puts us on the board when he leads off the 2nd with a jack and we add a second in the next.

Trujillo is looking sharp but we’re still frustratingly ineffective with bat in hand and they halve the deficit with a run in the 6th.

He leaves the game after six and for once the BP is rock solid, with Clear and Crawford keeping them at bay and closing it out for the tight win. I end up going 2-for-4 with a double but leave 4 on-base.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

August 28, 1985: Boston Red Sox (65-58) @ Cleveland Indians (60-65)

The middle game in this road series against the Tribe sees Tim Lollar up against southpaw Jamie Easterly, who I apparently first faced all the way back in 1976, then again one time in ’78 and then the one I do remember from last year because I put a hanging curve into the seats. I’ll take another one of those tonight, please and thank you.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

A single by yours truly and then back-to-back doubles from Rice and Armas sandwiched around a wild pitch gets us a couple early runs as Easterly only hangs around for that first inning in what looks to be a bullpen game for them.
They split the diff with a run in the 2nd then knot it up with another in a crazy 3rd that sees Lollar uncoil two straight wild pitches, but we restore our two-run lead with a deuce in the 4th.

A complete implosion by Lollar sees them add 5 in the home half of that one to go 7-4 up and send him for an early shower. 4 more in the next off Woodward pretty much does us in as this pitching staff of ours continues to struggle.

My 4-for-5 game feels completely hollow as we cop a 14-5 thrashing that feels like double that amount.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Todd Worrell
• Daily Notes: IRL, that makes it 4-16 from their last 20 games for the plummeting Red Sox.
• Transactions of Interest: The Rangers trade Cliff Johnson to the Blue Jays for players to be named later. The Blue Jays end up sending Matt Williams (August 29), Jeff Mays (August 29) and Greg Ferlenda (November 14) to the Texas Rangers to complete the trade.

[luckymann]

August 29, 1985: Boston Red Sox (65-59) @ Cleveland Indians (61-65)

Our final game for the year here in Cleveland as we continue this road swing and it sees lefty on lefty as Bruce Hurst takes on second-year player Ramon Romero. This will be the first time I have faced Ramon, and we’ll be looking for a strong rebound from last night’s humiliation.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We certainly come out swinging, posting a 5-spot in the top 1st helped by two errors that put our first two hitters on base.

I add a sixth run in the next when I double and eventually come home on a Jim Rice single, but a Brook Jacoby solo shot cancels that one out immediately and then our pitching folds weakly yet again as they add four more in the 3rd to get back within one.

Rice gets us some breathing space with a 2-run blast in the 4th and that 8-5 lead holds all the way to the 9th, when they tag us for a late run before Steve Crawford closes it out for his 19th save of the year.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: NIL
• Transactions of Interest: For the bargain price of minor leaguer Mark Jackson, the Cardinals make a deal with the Reds to acquire veteran OF Cesar Cedeno, who goes on to help them win the National League East title by batting .434 in 28 games.

[luckymann]

August 30, 1985: Boston Red Sox (66-59) @ Minnesota Twins (58-66)

We’re in the Twin Cities now for three including a DH tomorrow to close out the month with one a makeup game for last week’s rainout. Always a tough ask on the old legs having to play two, particularly on the fake grass—let’s just hope neither go into extra innings! Today’s game sees Bobby Ojeda up against righty John Butcher.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Dewey Evans leads off the game with his 26th homer in another solid season for our trusty right-fielder, but they come back with a pair in the 2nd to go ahead and then add 3 more in the 3rd to take control at 5-1.

It’s the same old song in the next with another 3 and 5 more in the 5th on yet one more forgettable night among many for our pitching staff.

For the third time in 5 games they conceded double-digits and, after I go solo yard in the 9th for the hollowest homer I think I've ever hit, we are thoroughly whipped once again in a 16-2 demolition job.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• A 14-1 thumping of the Cards by the Astros puts Mike Scott at 19-2 for the year.
• Hal McRae collects his 2000th career hit.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1976, Jim Rice clouts a 5th-inning home run against Texas at Fenway Park, making it 31 straight years the Sox have hit 100 homers or more.

[luckymann]

August 31, 1985: Boston Red Sox (66-60) @ Minnesota Twins (59-66)

We continue this visit to Minnesota with today’s double-header that sees veteran Bert Blyleven taking the ball for them and Dennis Boyd in action for us. We can’t get that shocker from yesterday back but a strong showing here would certainly dim the memory of it somewhat.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We’re on the back foot straight away again as they put two on us in the opening frame, and once more it is Dwight Evans to the rescue as he ties it up with a 2-run jack in the 3rd.

They edge ahead in the home half of that one with a run and that score holds until the top 6th, when I get one in my wheelhouse and put it into the RF bleachers with a man aboard to make it 4-3.

They respond immediately with a pair of their own to go back in front by one and hang on until the end to win by that margin.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

[luckymann]

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

The Real Deal

(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.

[luckymann]

Batter

American League

IRL: Don Mattingly (NYY)

National League

IRL: Willie McGee (STL)

Pitcher

American League

IRL: Dave Righetti (NYY)

National League

IRL: Shane Rawley (PHI)

Rookie (not given IRL)

American League

National League

[luckymann]

IRL Standings on this Day

[luckymann]

September 1, 1985: Boston Red Sox (67-61) @ Minnesota Twins (60-67)

Into September we trundle, and we kick off the new month with our final game against the Twinkies for this season. Mike Trujillo will be trying to preserve his unbeaten record for the year, while Frank Viola is on the hill for our hosts. Afternoon game today after the DH yesterday means I am certainly feeling the wear and tear more than usual but we do have a lay day not too far away which is fortunate indeed.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We get off to a flyer as I single in a run in the 1st and then Jim Rice smashes the first pitch he sees into the middle deck to add 3 more.

They get two of those back in the bottom 2nd but Marty Barrett makes it 5-2 in the 3rd with a run-scoring double.

Another similar strike in the 5th by Glenn Hoffman restores our 4-run advantage and ends Viola’s game, then Jim Ed adds another one with his second jack of the afternoon.

Kent Hrbek belts his second homer of the game in the next, sparking a big inning that ends up with the score back to 7-6 and Trujillo replaced by Bruce Kison, but again we manage to keep the scoreboard attendants busy with Boggs knocking one in with two out in the 7th.

It’s a grandstand finish as they get back to within one in the 8th, but Crawford gets us home by that amount with save number 20 of the campaign. Not pretty but full credit to the lads as they threw everything they had at us tonight in front of their home crowd.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• That 25-5 lambasting the O's give the M's includes a 10-run 8th.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: John Cerutti
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

September 2, 1985: Boston Red Sox (68-61) @ Texas Rangers (57-72)

Deep in Dixieland now for a couple at the Rangers and we’re not out of the race just yet with the Tigers just hitting the wall a bit the past week to keep us 5 GB of them. Tim Lollar on the hill for us against Dave “Smoke” Stewart, one of the most righteous dudes in the game. That stare makes you feel under threat and we’ve had some good tussles these past few seasons, pretty much sharing the spoils as I’ve managed to go 4-for-16 against him but with just the one ribeye and all four hits pretty weak singles. Let’s see what the big guy has in store for me in this one at a pretty quiet old Arlington Stadium with barely 10 thousand in attendance.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

An unbelievable start to this one as neither pitcher concedes a hit until the home 5th when Lollar gives up a harmless single.

We finally break up the no-no in the 7th but it is still scoreless thru 9 with just three hits combined.

It ends in dramatic fashion when Duane Walker takes Jeff Sellers deep with a man on in the 13th for a walkoff 2-0 win. That’s just their 4th hit; we finish with two—neither by yours truly.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Reggie Williams, Devon White, Bob Patterson, Jose Gonzalez, Jose Canseco.
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1971, Sonny Siebert hits and pitches the Red Sox to a 3-0 win over the Orioles, hitting two home runs - the last AL pitcher to do so.

[luckymann]

September 3, 1985: Boston Red Sox (68-62) @ Texas Rangers (58-72)

Just the two games in this Rangers series, meaning this is our final game against the Texans this season. It features veteran Charlie Hough for them and southpaw Bruce Hurst for us. Let’s hope we can swing the axes a bit better than we did yesterday.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

An error helps them put one on the board without a hit in the 2nd, and yet again it is the pitchers in the ascendancy early until they explode with 4 runs in the 4th and, just like that, Hurst is gone.

They extend their lead with another run in the next as we have just a double by yours truly to show for our ABs to this point.

We get one at the death to avoid consecutive shutouts but this is another scratchy offensive performance with just 4 hits to our credit.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Andres Thomas, Paul O'Neill, Matt Nokes.
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1981, the Red Sox and Mariners play 19 innings to a 7-7 tie and the Mariners win 8-7 in 20 innings when the suspended game is resumed the next day, making it the longest game played in Fenway Park history.

[luckymann]

September 4, 1985: No game scheduled

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: John Dopson, Dennis Burtt, Johnny Abrego
• Daily Notes: IRL, Gary Carter of the Mets follows his 3-HR game a day earlier with two solo homers today to become the 11th player in major league history to hit five in two games. He hits just one over the same stretch in-game.

[luckymann]

September 5, 1985: Cleveland Indians (64-68) @ Boston Red Sox (68-63)

A tricky little run here for us with five at home to the Tribe, starting with a DH today. The opener is a makeup game for the rainout in early June and it sees Oil Can Boyd take on southpaw Neal Heaton, each of whom is currently sitting on a 500 record for the year at 11-11 and 9-9, respectively. Back at the Fen in front of a decent crowd for an afternoon game on a blustery Thursday in New England.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

A solo shot in the 2nd by Tony Armas gets us underway in this one but they negate it with one of their own in the 3rd, only for us to add a pair in the home half of the same frame.

A run-scoring hit in the next by Glenn Hoffman makes it 4-1 but they get to Can in the next with 2 on 4 hits to make a one-run contest yet again, then chase him with another deuce in the 5th to make it 5-4 against.

They pad that with an insurance run in the 9th as our bats stay quiet and we lose again, 6 to 4, with just six hits all told for us including an 0-for-4 collar for yours truly.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

[luckymann]

September 5, 1985: Cleveland Indians (65-68) @ Boston Red Sox (68-64)

Thirty games left in this season that promised so much early but looks to be kind of fizzing out to a disappointing conclusion if our recent form is any indication. Tonight’s nightcap sees Bob Ojeda facing southpaw Jamie Easterly, and we really need to get something going here if we are to have any hope at all. That wind has really picked up, which might explain the fairly low turnout tonight. Or else they’ve started giving up on us already.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Jim Rice knocks one in with a single in the 1st to give us the early lead, only for Ojeda to implode in the next as they tag him for 4 on 4 hits and once again we find ourselves playing catch-up.

I get my 100th ribbie for the season with a run-scoring double in the 3rd but they have all the answers as Carmelo Castillo goes solo yard in the next to erase that one of ours and send Ojeda off for an early shower.

This one is done in the 5th as they just tear our shoddy excuse for a bullpen apart with a crooked number.

Or so I think… I’ve seen plenty in baseball, but none to match what happens next.

It is 13-5 after 8 with us seemingly headed for another embarrassing loss. Not even Jim Rice’s 3-run homer to bring us to that point gave indication the rest would be a formality.

I’ve got a printout of the game log for that inning—I’ll let it tell the story.

You’re reading that right—11 runs on 11 hits, capped by a 3-run Boggs home run (his 5th hit of the game) for a 16-13 walkoff win.

Outrageous. Is this the spark we so desperately needed? Or just a freaky win despite a dreadful performance? I guess we'll see.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: IRL, not quite the drama we just witnessed, but Boston's first two batters - Dwight Evans and Wade Boggs - crack homers off Cleveland's Neal Heaton in Boston's 13-6 win in the first game. Evans adds another home run to back Oil Can Boyd's first win in seven weeks. Cleveland wins the nitecap 9-5..

[Makonnen]

That's an epic comeback. Gotta' guess the Indians' bullpen was totally gassed at that point.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Makonnen

That's an epic comeback. Gotta' guess the Indians' bullpen was totally gassed at that point.

Yeah, a little bit. Or rusty.



Roman hadn't pitched in two months. Creel had pitched two scoreless in the early game, Schulze one.


The true quirk of playing the game with historical transactions ON is that it pigeonholes the majority of players by starting them only when they did in IRL. But the non-starters are like free electrons and the game doesn't seem to know what to do with them some of the time. This is being played in v22 as well, before the recent improvements in AI roster management.




The Tribe had a near-full BP of rested guys. Then again, at 13-5 up, they can perhaps be forgiven for trying to snare those final three outs with a slab of meat or two and save their good arms for another day. I would have. But we all know how quickly this sort of situation can get away from you and I guess that's what happened here. By the time they brought in their tired Closer, the Sox were on an inexorable, unstoppable roll.