Just as the Rocket’s 20 strikeout performance in April sparked the Sox to a win streak, Roger’s 20th win propelled the team to win the next six and put some distance between themselves and the rest of the division.
It began with a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Indians on the last day of August. Boston trailed 3-0 with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but rallied to tie off starter Scott Bailes. Dave Henderson started it with a bloop double, and took third on a balk. Spike Owen got an infield single, and Wade Boggs’ grounder plated Henderson. Marty Barrett’s wall double cut the lead to one, and and the Townies would tie a minute later on Jim Rice’s hit off reliever Brian Oelkers. In the bottom of the ninth, Don Baylor drove in Boggs with a liner that eluded outfielder Mel Hall. A furious Cleveland manager Pat Corrales said only :”He should have caught the bleeping ball.” Calvin Schiraldi continued as a star reliever, hurling 1 1/3 perfect innings to bring his record to 2-1.
The Rangers came into Fenway the next night and fell 6-4 in a rather sloppy game. The Sox fell behind 2-0, but rallied to go up on a three-run double by Tony Armas to put them ahead for good. It became 6-2 in the seventh, with Jim Rice connecting for a homer, and the home squad survived a shaky relief effort by Steve Crawford.
Toronto had stayed close buy winning 9 in a row, but their streak was stopped by Cleveland on Tuesday night and the Globe’s front page “kicker” announced: “Red Sox Beat Rangers 8-6, Increase Lead to 4 1/2 Games”. With school back in session, a diminished crowd of 20, 699 (this was long before the string of selluts began) saw Boston come back from a 5-3 deficit to triumph over the Rangers. Don Baylor tied the contest with a two-run homer over the wall in the sixth, and a two-run single by Barrett gave the home squad the lead for good in the seventh. The win went to Crawford, who took over from fading starter Al Nipper in the fourth and pitched 3 1/3 scoreless frames. Schiraldi picked up his seventh save.
The story of the next victory by the late Larry Whiteside began: “Each night it happens,you can feel the confidence rising with the Red Sox. Neither mist nor fog nor the Texas Rangers could hold them in check.” Boggs’ ninth-inning double plated pinch runner LaSchelle Tarver to give the team their fourth straight come-from-behind win and the 32nd time in had happened in 86. Boggs’ homer had tied it at 1 in the third and Armas’ hit in the sixth plated Rice for a 2-1 lead. Tom Seaver left in the eighth after throwing 133 pitches and allowing just 7 hits, but Bob Stanley couldn’t hold it. It was not entirely his fault, as some misplays led to the tying run in the top of the ninth. As always seemed to happen late in his career, Stanley came in to a chorus of boos and left the mound hearing more. Boggs hit in the bottom half produced a 3-2 victory and took Steamer off the hook, at least for one night.
A Leigh Montville column called a possible series with the Mets as a “dream match” for former Met and current Sox GM Lou Gorman. “It’s too great a thought even to imagine. I have to stop thinking about it, ” he was quoted as saying. Unfortunately, in a few weeks, the dream would turn into a nightmare for Uncle Lou.
Roger Clemens remained hot the following day , and so did the team. The Rocket Man became the first Sox hurler since Luis Tiant in 76 to win 21 and the Sox pushed their lead to 5 1/2 games with a 12-2 lacing of the Twins. Roger continued to get great run support; in his 21 victories, the Bosox had outscored opponents 147-52. Rice’s fifth career grand slam gave Boston a 4-1 lead in the fifth. Barrett and Bill Buckner would also homer, and Clemens was able to leave after 7 with a 10-1 advantage.
Oil Can Boyd was also getting into the act. The following day he threw a complete-game 3-2 victory, his 14th of the year, as the Sox rolled to their seventh straight. It would be another walkoff win for the home team over Minnesota, as rookie Pat Dodson singled in the ninth and after a walk, Barrett sent the 31, 236 fans home happy again with a line single.
As of September 7, the Sox led Toronto by 5 1/2, and the Yankees and Tigers had fallen to 9 1/2 and 11 behind. The Twins Kirby Puckett had taken over the AL lead from Boggs at .350, with Rice fifth at .326. Clemens was still way on top at 21-4. Bobby Ojeda and Sid Fernandez were 1-2 in the NL with a combined 33-8 mark.
Shaughnessy’s Sunday column had an interesting take on California. “Let’s keep an eye on those Angels the rest of the way. Just in case. When the Angels took a 7 1/2 game lead at midweek it marked Gene Mauch’s largest lead ever. Mauch’s 64 Phillies and 85 Angels blew 6 1/2 game leads.” As we Sox fans know, the unfortunate Mauch’s 86 squad will also be remembered for blowing it, this time in the postseason.
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