Anatomy of a Season

[luckymann]

May 26, 1985: Boston Red Sox (23-18) @ Texas Rangers (23-18)

The last game of this roadtrip before we head back to Boston for one, then a rest day. Touch wood, the legs are holding up fairly well quarter way through the season, but still I’ll be looking forward to keeping the weight off them for a day or so. Before then, however, we must deal with the Rangers one last time and, in particular, the always tricky Frank Tanana. Not only am I yet to get a hit off Frank in 5 goes, but yet to even have the ball leave the infield, which doesn’t bode well. Bruce Kison back on for us and we need Bruce back to his best as quickly as possible after that early injury setback.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We start well with Tony Armas giving us a 2-0 lead in the 1st with another longball. They don’t manage a hit until the 4th, when Harrah bashes one out. Tanana, meanwhile, is keeping us quiet as well and it stays 2-1 thru 7 with few men from either side reaching base.

Then all hell breaks loose in the 8th as Kison gasses and they jump on him for 4 runs, 3 from a massive homer by Pete O’Brien that ends Bruce’s game.

A 1-2-3 9th ends our game, too, as we take a 4-2 loss. Just 6 hits for us all told and the collar for yours truly.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• Seattle nicks one from Detroit as a 3-run homer by Bob Kearney off Willie Hernandez gives the M's a walkoff 7-6 win.

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

May 27, 1985: Minnesota Twins (22-20) @ Boston Red Sox (23-19)

Back at the Fen for a three-gamer against the Twinkies wrapped around tomorrow’s lay day. Rocket back in action against Ken Schrom and it is amazing we find ourselves in first place despite our pitching really struggling to this point. 4.54 ERA puts us next-to-last in the AL. If we can just get this sorted and maintain our decent run production, things are looking good. Big if, though. Monday afternoon game so not many in attendance - let's make it worthwhile for those who came.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Two runs on three hits in the 2nd give them the lead as Rocket’s confidence is really down right now. I get aboard in the 5th via a fielder’s choice and eventually come in to score on a Mike Easler single, but we really should have had more as we leave two in scoring pos.

Roger settles right down and we finally reward him for it in the 7th with a 5-run frame capped off when I managed to bomb out a 3-run blast after Geds had also gone deep to lead the inning off. He ends up going the distance without further concession and I’m sure will feel much better about things now than he did at the start of the day. Boggs and Rice both have 3-hit games. A nice win.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1955, Norm Zauchin hits three home runs with a double and 10 RBI in the first five innings of a 16-0 Red Sox victory over the Washington Senators.

[luckymann]

May 28, 1985: No game scheduled

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• The Pirates shock the Astros, scoring 7 in a crazy 8th and going on to win the game 9-6.

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1968, American League owners agree to divide the circuit into two divisions and reduce its schedule to 156 games. The new alignment will be introduced the following season, but the season will remain at 162 games.

[luckymann]

May 29, 1985: Minnesota Twins (22-21) @ Boston Red Sox (24-19)

A week’s homestand here against AL Central teams before a lovely two-day break ahead of a long, long stretch of games with no break. This is when I usually start feeling my age, with the weather heating up and seemingly constant travel. It is a true test of one’s endurance that I find myself needing to dig deeper with each successive season to survive. It is the time when retirement beckons most persuasively.

Oil Can Boyd up against Frank Viola tonight as we take on the Twins again. Good crowd for a Wednesday night – let’s give ‘em what they came for.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

It stays quiet until the bottom 3rd, when Dewey puts us in the frame with a 2-run blast and back-to-back doubles from yours truly and Jim Rice add a third. Dennis has allowed just two hits over the first four but gets in a tangle and concedes a pair of runs on a couple hits and a bad gaffe by Oil Can himself to get them within a run.

We get one of those back in the home half when Boggs leads off with a trip and I bring him in on a sac fly but they stay close with one of their own in the 7th.

Geds singles Mike Easler in for an insurance run in the 8th and Steve Crawford closes it out for another controlled win by the boys.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

May 30, 1985: Minnesota Twins (22-22) @ Boston Red Sox (25-19)

The third and final game of this Twins series, with Bob Ojeda moving into the rotation and making his first starting assignment of the season. He’ll be up against fifth-year player Mike Smithson, a righty I have faced in just one game last year, in which he kept me quiet with an ohfer.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We help them get an early one with an error in the 1st but get it straight back as I swap a groundout for an RBI. Ojeda, however, just can get settled and serves up a 3-run gopher ball to Kent Hrbek in the next to set us to the chase again.

Bob eventually finds his rhythm and keeps them scoreless over the next four frames but we need all that time to just add the one ourselves in the 7th when I single and a long double by Tony Armas brings we all the way home.

Mike Trujillo takes over in the 7th and we pull the same stunt in our turn at bat as Boggs singles and Evans brings him in on a two-bagger to get us just one back of them.

But they get an insurance run in the 9th and we go down quietly to drop it 5-3, with Hrbek finishing with 3 hits and 4 RBI on the night.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Dan Pasqua
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1927, the mighty Walter Johnson pitches his 110th and last career shutout in a 3-0 win over the Red Sox.

[luckymann]

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.

The Real Deal

(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.

[luckymann]

Batter

American League

IRL: George Brett (KCR)

National League

IRL: Dave Parker (CIN)

Pitcher

American League

IRL: Dave Stieb (TOR)

National League

IRL: Andy Hawkins (SDP)

Rookie (not given IRL)

American League

National League

[luckymann]

IRL Standings on this Day

[luckymann]

June 1, 1985: Texas Rangers (24-22) @ Boston Red Sox (26-20)

Kison and Tanana face each other tonight as they did just last week when Frank and the Rangers got the better of us 4-2. The group is riding high after our walkoff win last night but we need to keep that going. Just a handful of games from top to bottom in the AL East right now, leaving very little room for error. Gusty winds blowing out tonight so it won’t surprise if we get a few going into the stands.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

A bit of a shaky start for Kison as they post one in the 1st on a hit and a walk, but Jim Rice stays hot with a huge 2-run homer that carries all the way to Lansdowne Street in the bottom half.

Larry Parrish also pops one in the 3rd to knot it up at 2 but then both pitchers settle right down and it stays that score until the bottom 6th, when a string of four straight hits starting with a leadoff single by old Billy Buck gets us a pair to go back in front. We get to Tanana again in the next, chasing him and eventually scoring 3 on 5 hits to really put us in the box seat.

Kison gives us his best start of the year, getting 26 outs before just flaming out a bit and Mike Trujillo has to come in to tie it down. We are so much better a side when our pitching is on, especially when our bats are hot like they were in this one: 13 hits, including 3 each for Rice, Easler and myself.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• The sole hit conceded by Guidry comes early in the game.
• Some other big results as the Bucs thrash the struggling Braves 15-1, the Dodgers outslug the Expos 11-10 and the Mets just hang on 8-7 against the Friars.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Steve Shields
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

June 2, 1985: Texas Rangers (24-23) @ Boston Red Sox (27-20)

The final game of this Rangers series sees Bruce Hurst up against Dickie Noles, a guy I’ve had my share of troubles against in our limited number of meetings – managing just the solitary hit in 9 ABs dating back to 1980, when he was a member of the World Champion Phillies outfit. He’s a real gamer, one of those guys not blessed with overwhelming talent who usually gets the most out of what he’s got. No easybeat, that’s for sure. They say that winning form is good form – well, it’s also popular form if the big crowd out for a spot of Sunday afternoon baseball is any guide.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

For the second game in a row, they take a 1st-inning lead – this time via a solo shot by Oddibe McDowell – but again we hit straight back with 3 in the home half as Easler doubles in a pair and Geds the other on a single.

After a couple quiet frames, they get back on level terms with a pair of solo homers in the 4th but we once again poke our noses in front immediately with a run on a single by Rick Miller, making his first appearance of the season and making the most of it.

Hurst just never looks settled, however, and gives up his fourth solo jack of the game to make it 4-4, only for our bats to bail him out again with a big 3-run bottom half that sends Noles for an early shower. We tack one more on in the next on a misplay by their shortstop.

But this is another really worrying performance by our pitching as they chase Hurst in the 7th when Lance Parrish goes yard with one on, then add another off The Rocket to be just one back of us.

A Steve Lyons solo poke gives us an insurance run but the scoring continues as they cancel it out with one in the 8th.

Steve Crawford, who enters the game in the 8th, can’t finish the job as they tie the game at 9 in the 9th and spares are needed. I’m on a nasty 0-for-4 collar to this point but get a chance to redeem myself in the 10th as we put a man in scoring position with two out in the 10th. Facing Greg Harris, who I doubt will remember this series fondly, I manage a nice little dying quail into shallow left and Boggs – showing fantastic instincts – scurries around and in to score his 4th run of the game and give us a messy walkoff win. I like hitting for a high BA, but I’ll take that sort of one-fer over five hits in a losing cause anytime and twice on Sundays.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• Barfield's six hits come in a DH.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Charlie O'Brien
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1943, the Red Sox and Browns play their fourth consecutive extra-inning game, making a total of 45 innings played since May 31. Both leagues will set season records for extra-inning activity this year: 91 in the AL and 80 in the NL.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

June 3, 1985: Cleveland Indians (24-25) @ Boston Red Sox (28-20)

Two against the Tribe now before those precious rest days and then the big swing. This first game sees Oil Can Boyd back up for us, taking on young righty Don Schulze. I’ve only faced Don in one AB – a groundout in a 4-2 win over them last year. The corridors at the Fen are a hive of activity with the Rookie Draft on today as well.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Three singles including one by yours truly get us a run in the 1st driven in by Mike Easler.

From there, the pitchers dominate and the 1-0 score holds thru 7, before Can flags and they rally past us in the 8th with a deuce.

That wakes us up and Jim Rice ties it with a solo shot, then myself and Easler put us back in front with B2B doubles.

Steve Crawford closes it out for our fourth-straight win and sixth from our past seven.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Charlie O'Brien
• Daily Notes: The Red Sox take the following players in the 1985 Rookie Draft (image courtesy BBRef).

[luckymann]

June 4, 1985: Cleveland Indians (24-26) @ Boston Red Sox (29-20)

Bob Ojeda takes on righty Keith Creel – who I’ve never faced before – in this final game of our current homestand. After that, the two rest days then twenty straight games that take us to Baltimore, Motown and Toronto with some home dates as well. Go the mileage! Looking to keep the momentum going with another win here.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Brook Jacoby opens the scoring in the 1st with a solo bomb but we come out swinging and respond with 4 in the home half on an error and 4 hits including an RBI single by me.

A pickoff move gone awry gifts them one in the 3rd but Bobby O shakes it off and stays strong thru 6, when we get that run back on a Hoffman triple. They won’t go away, though, getting another one in the next to keep us well within reach.

We put our foot down again in the bottom 7th. I get aboard with a double and then, after we’ve loaded the bases, Geds clears them with another two-bagger that misses being a slam by a sliver.

Another big inning in the 8th puts them away as we post a 5-spot, two when I single and the other three on a big fly by Mike Easler. That makes it 13-3, which end up being the final, and I get the game award for my 3-hit, 3-ribbie performance.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• Amazingly, aside from the BoSox blowout, every other game today is decided by two runs or fewer.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Randy Hunt, Trench Davis
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1929, former Red Sox owner Harry Frazee - forever remembered as the man who sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees - dies.

[luckymann]

June 5, 1985: No game scheduled

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

June 6, 1985: No game scheduled

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1921, Bill Gatewood of the Detroit Stars pitches the first no-hitter in the history of the Negro National League, defeating the Cuban Stars 4-0.

[luckymann]

June 7, 1985: Boston Red Sox (30-20) @ Baltimore Orioles (25-25)

A run of games against divisional rivals now to kick off this long swing that could define our season, starting with three against The Birds in Baltimore. They might have lost a couple steps since winning it all a couple years back but, with Ripken, Murray and ex-Red Sox star Fred Lynn leading the way, still pack plenty of punch all the same and are usually even tougher to beat at home. They’ve got their Number One guy on tonight in Mike Boddicker, who has kept me to a weak 1-for-10 in our meetings so far. Al Nipper going for us as we try to keep our five-game win streak going. Clearly the home fans understand the importance of this series, as they have turned out in droves for this Friday night game.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We get our, and the game’s, opening run in unexpected fashion when Glenn Hoffman goes solo yard in the 3rd, his first homer since 1983. Nips sooks sharp early, but they get to him with a deuce in the 4th as Larry Sheets puts one in the seats. Such poetry!

Sheets strikes again in the 6th, adding a buffer run with a single as our bats have no answer for a dominant Boddicker, who has kept us to just 4 hits to this point.

And that’s how we finish as Boddicker goes 8 and hands the ball to Don Aase, who mows us down in order to close it out. Not the sort of start we were looking for.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Bill Swift
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

June 8, 1985: Boston Red Sox (30-21) @ Baltimore Orioles (26-25)

Back at it again in our B-more series and looking to bounce back from a fairly flat showing last night. Bruce Kison faces Scott McGregor, a southpaw I know little about other than having gone 1-for-3 against him last season and that he plunked me one as well. Time for a little bit of payback? Here’s hoping.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We get the dream start as a 3-run bomb by Mike Easler and a solo shot the next AB by Dewey Evans give us a 4-0 lead after the 1st.

Then, two frames later, bedlam as they rip Kison apart with a grand slam by Larry Sheets capping a 7-run inning and ending Bruce’s night with extreme prejudice.

We hit straight back as Glenn Hoffman continues his recent power surge with a 3-run blast to tie the game at 7.

They get their noses back in front in the 6th with a run on three straight singles off Rob Woodward and that proves the difference as we fail to mount a late rally against their BP – which ends up giving them 6 scoreless – and lose it 8-7, the first time in close to a month we've dropped two straight. I wear my second collar in a row, a nasty 0-for-5.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• Another day of thrillers with no fewer than six games decided either on the last AB or the final inning of the game.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Chris Jones
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1950, the Red Sox beat the Browns 29-4 at Fenway Park, setting major league records for runs scored; most XBH, 17 (9 doubles, 1 triple and 7 home runs); most TB, 60; most runs over two games, 49; most hits in two games, 51, including 28 this game.

[luckymann]

June 9, 1985: Boston Red Sox (30-22) @ Baltimore Orioles (27-25)

Looking to avoid the series sweep here after those two close losses and we’re up against it given young gun Storm Davis is on the mound, with Oil Can Boyd going for us. I’ve had some success against him with 6 hits in 10 AB including a big bases-clearing double the very last time I faced him, so hopefully this is perfect timing for me to get off my little mini-slump as well. Clearly they love their Sunday afternoon baseball here in the Beltway - a monster crowd has packed into Memorial Stadium for this one. Let’s see if we can send them home disappointed.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We make a positive start in the opening frame as Mike Easler knocks one in with a hit and I get a single as well to get off the wretched bagel. Five more in the 4th as we tag Davis for 5 hits puts us well in control with Can yet to give up a hit.

We add another pair in the next as it’s all coming up roses for us but Dennis gives them straight back as Larry Sheets continues to assault our pitching with a 2-run homer in the bottom half.

We keep the score ticking along with another run in the 6th and, while Can does eventually give that one back as well we otherwise keep them quiet and take it in a 10-3 romp. Marty Barrett has 4 hits on the day, one more than yours truly.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• A 6-run 9th gets the Yanks home 10-4 at the Brewers, while Mario Soto blanks the Friars on 2 hits in a 4-0 Reds win.
• Houston's Joe Niekro wins his 200th game, 7-2 over the Giants.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1908, what is thought to be the first the first documented use of the term Cup of Coffee to describe a player's brief time in the big leagues appears in New York Globe reporter Peter Morris's writeup of an 8-2 Giants win over Pittsburgh.

[luckymann]