The Boston Red Sox recaptured some of their pennant winning form last night, as they trounced the first-place New York Yankees 8-2.
Luis Tiant pitched the entire game, which marked his seventh win of the season. Dock Ellis, the Yankee starter, was knocked out in the second inning.
The Yankees started the scoring in the first inning, when Roy White hit a one-out triple to center field. After Thurman Munson grounded out to second, Chris Chambliss drove in White on a fly to left, and Carlos May singled to right, sending Chambliss home.
The Red Sox didn't score in the bottom of the first, but they exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second.
The second-inning Red Sox rally started when Ellis hit lead off batter Carlton Fisk. Ellis then walked Dwight Evans and gave up a single to Rico Petrocelli which drove in Fisk.
Ellis Takes a Walk
Ellis continued his walking ways by giving a pass to Burleson and then walking to the dugout, as reliever Tippy Martinez came in.
Martinez gave up a two-run single go Cecil Cooper, struck out Denny Doyle, and gave up another single, this time to Fred Lynn, who drove in one run.
Carl Yastrzemski then bounced out to first baseman Chambliss, advancing the runners to second and third. Jim Rice followed, lashing a two-run single up the middle.
Both teams were silent until the eighth inning, when the Red Sox scored two more runs, on an RBI double by Lynn, and a run-scoring single by Yaz.
Tiant gave up eight hits, struck out three and issued no walks. The four Yankee pitchers--Ellis, Martinez, Dave Pagan, and Dick Tidrow--struck out four Red Sox and gave up six walks.
The Red Sox open their three-game series against the California Angels tonight at Fenway Park.
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