This Week in Red Sox 1986

The Bosox survived a doubleheader sweep to move through a successful week as the season wound into mid-August. Future Hall of Fame candidate Jack Morris salvaged the final game of the Detroit series with a three-hit 5-0 shutout on three days rest. Oil Can Boyd also went all the way (remember, this was 1986), surrendering 10 hits, walking 3 and fanning 7. Darnell Coles went 4-for 4, and John Grubb had 3 hits, including a homer.

A trip to Kansas City started out badly as the Sox dropped a twinbill to the Royals by scores of 5-1 and 6-5. Bruce Hurst pitched fairly well in game 1, allowing 7 hits and 5 runs in 8 innings but saw his mark drop to 7-6. The Royals’ Danny Jackson did not allow an earned run in 6 frames and Steve Farr hurled 3 hitless innings for the save. Bob Stanley made his first start in 5 years in the nightcap and did OK for 5 innings, but surrendered 3 in the sixth to give KC a 4-3 advantage, and Sammy Stewart was again ineffective in relief. Future manager Bud Black got the save.

Proving again to be a great pickup, Tom Seaver put the Sox right back up with a 5-2 win the following night. The Bosox hitters got the jump with 4 in the first on rbi’s by Jim Rice, Bill Buckner, Tony Armas, and Rich Gedman. Seaver went 7 2/3, allowing 9 hits but just 2 runs, and Calvin Schiraldi picked up his fourth save.

Boston then concluded the Royal series with an 11-6 slugfest win. Al Nipper was given an early 5-0 lead with homers by Gedman and Armas (4 rbi’s), but gave up 5 of his own in the bottom half. Al would stagger to the victory, allowing 7 hits and 6 runs in 5 innings, and the visitors would pull away. Baylor drove in Wade Boggs for the winner as the Sox would hammer relievers Black and Farr.

The Rocket continued the upsurge as the Sox returned home to face the Tigers. Though not at his best, Roger got his 18th win by an 8-5 margin. The Townies exploded for all of their runs in the fourth, erasing a 1-0 lead. Light-hitting Ed Romero contibuted a three-run homer and a costly error also hurt the Bengals.

All was not well with the Can, however. In the second game of the weekend series, he was pounded for 11 hits and 5 runs in a 12-6 loss. In a column entitled “Boyd’s Winning Ways Have Been Suspended”, Dan Shaughnessy pointed out that since his suspension, Dennis had an 0-3 mark, allowing 21 hits and 13 runs in 19 2/3 innings. “There’s speculation that Boyd has lost his fastball,” Shaughnessy wrote, “the Can still isn’t talking, but the Sox claim Boyd’s velocity is no problem.” The Tigers would batter Boyd and three relievers for 21 hits, including a pinch hit grand slam from Larry Herndon.

Boston concluded its week with a 7-5 come-from-behind victory, but the big news was a trade. The Sox picked up outfielder Dave Henderson and shortstop Spike Owen from Seattle for infielder Rey Quinones (Oil Can’s former pal) and hurlers Mike Trujillo and Mike Brown. Though Shaughnessy wrote that two holes were filled in the Sox lineup, no one could guess how important Henderson would be in the postseason. In other news, Schiraldi , previously considered a throw-in in the Bobby Ojeda deal, was now regarded as a bullpen savior. He picked up his first AL win vs Detroit and had 5 saves in 12 appearences with an 0.69 ERA.
John McNamara used Schiraldi for 3 2/3 innings in his victory; today’s closers would never approach that.

As of August 18, Boston was 69-48 and led the Yanks by 5 and Detroit and Toronto by 7. Boggs still led the majors at .350, and Clemens, who would not lose again in ’86, topped all hulers at 18-4. The Mets were coasting, but California, who would be the Sox’ opponent in the ALCS, led Texas by 4 1/2. The Angels were led in hitting by Wally Joyner, who had 22 homers and 81 rbi’s, while Doug DeCinces had 17 round trippers. Cal pitching was paced by Mike Wittt (13-7) and Kirk McCaskill (12-7). The ill-fated Donnie Moore topped the squad with 14 saves.