November 2, 2018

June 11, 1984 - Walk-Offs and Dominant Wins

Game #751 - New York Yankees, 6 @ Boston Red Sox, 7

Funny enough, I played this game on the night the Boston Red Sox won the World Series...#foreshadowing

Boston took and early 1-0 lead in the first when Tony Armas singled home Wade Boggs after he doubled to lead off.  An RBI single by Jim Rice in the third and a solo homer by Reid Nichols in the fourth extended their advantage to 3-0.

In the top of the fifth, though, New York finally tagged rookie hurler Roger Clemens for some runs.  Back to back RBI singles by Roy Smalley and Bobby Meacham cut into Boston lead, leaving the Yankees trailing by just one run.  Tony Armas, though, made up for the damage with a two-run bomb off Ron Guidry, who gave up a whopping total of twelve hits across his six innings of work.

It remained 5-2 Boston until the top of the eighth.  That's when Bob Stanley took the mound to pitch the last two innings of the game.  It did not go well!  With two outs and two runners on, Don Mattingly and Victor Mata had back to back hits to plate two runs.  Then, with Steve Kemp at bat, Jackie Gutierrez booted a ball that allowed Mattingly and Mata to score and give New York the lead, 6-5!!!

Jay Howell, one of the best relievers of the Statis Pro season, was on the mound for Boston's last chance in the bottom of the ninth.  He issued back to back walks to Wade Boggs and Dwight Evans, just his second and third walks on the season.  They eached advanced a base when Jim Rice made it to first on a fielding error by Roy Smalley.  With the bases loaded and the infield in, Tony Armas grounded into a force out at home plate.  That kept the bases juiced with still only one out.  But Howell got Mike Easler to strike out, so Boston was down to their last hitter.  Jerry Remy, a left handed hitter, subbed in for Marty Barrett, a righty just like Howell.  And the beloved future announcer came through with a single to center!  Evans scored...Mata threw home as Jim Rice rounded third...and he scored safely too!  Remy had a pinch hit, two-RBI, walk-off single!!!

Winning Pitcher - Bob Stanley
Losing Pitcher - Jay Howell
Player of the Game - Jerry Remy of course!
Hall of Famers in the Game - Wade Boggs, Jim Rice

Game #752 - Montreal Expos, 9 @ Chicago Cubs, 0

This game got ugly early.  Dick Ruthven, starting for the Cubbies, got roughed up for three runs in the top of the ninth.  That included a bases loaded walk of Tim Wallach as well as a two-RBI single from Wallace Johnson.  The Expos went on to score nine total runs in the game.  Andre Dawson came a double short of being the first Statis Pro hitter with a cycle on the season and was one of three Expos with two runs scored (Tim Raines and Gary Carter were the others).

Meanwhile, the real story of the game was Dave Palmer.  He didn't allow a base runner until there were two outs in the bottom of the ninth and he walked Ruthven.  He didn't permit a  hit until there were two outs in the fifth - I was starting to get excited about a potential no-hitter!  Palmer went the distance while only allowing three total hits and two walks...not to mention his 11 K's on the day!

Winning Pitcher - Dave Palmer
Losing Pitcher - Dick Ruthven
Player of the Game - Palmer
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tim Raines, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Ryne Sandberg

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