Don’t Worry About Xander Bogaerts’s Injury

The Red Sox’ is off to a season has started off great start so far. The offense and pitching are firing on all cylinders. There is just one problem: Xander Bogaerts suffered an ankle injury sliding into the Rays’ dugout during Sunday’s game.

The Injury

It was the top of the seventh and Joey Wendle was up. Wendle hit a ball high in the air that ended up off of the monster. J.D. Martinez fielded the ball and made a throw that landed off the line to Bogaerts. But Xander, who thought someone was nearby to help, made the mistake of flipping the ball to third base; where nobody was at the moment. The ball rolled into the dugout. If the ball went into the dugout, a run would be granted to the Rays. So Xander, not letting that happen, slid into the dugout while getting the baseball. While he did save a run that ended up being crucial, he hurt himself.

He was be taken out of the game right away and was replaced by Brock Holt. Holt ended up making a nice play over at short to end the game and preserve a Sox win.

The problem was that nobody really knew how serious Bogaerts’s injury was. On Monday, it was announced that he would be heading to the DL with a “small crack” in his Talus bone. A bone in his foot. This will knock him out for about 10-14 days, so two weeks at the most.

The Effects

The thing that frustrates me the most about this injury is the fact that he was the hottest hitter on the team at the moment. He was hitting .368 with an OPS of 1.111. Pretty good if I had any say in it. But now that guy is gone for about two weeks. It isn’t the biggest deal in the world, but there is just one thing that worries me.

Last year, Bogaerts was hitting above .300 until he got hit in the hand during a game in Tampa. That ended up screwing him up for the rest of the year, as he would hit .230 the rest of the way. The injury clearly affected him. However, I am not saying that this new injury will make him flat-out stink for the rest of the season. I was on the Bogaerts train before the season started, and am proud to say that I still am. I very much believe that Xander Bogaerts can be one of, if not THE best hitter (batting average wise), in baseball when he is fully healthy. So let him rest, and come back better than ever. In the meantime, the Red Sox will have Tzu Wei Lin over at short along with Brock Holt.

And one more thing: if Bogaerts was going to get injured at all, it’s much better to have him get this injury early on than around when he got it last year. By the time he comes back, it will still be April. So let’s just sit back, relax and enjoy the Tzunami show. The X man will be back in no time.

Cover image courtesy of USA Latest News.

Red Sox Beat New York In Round One

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The battle of David vs. Goliath was more of a thrashing, as Mookie, and Chris Sale lead the charge and beat the Yankees 14-1 .

While both teams sent their aces out in the first match up of the year, Luis Severino didn’t have a shot. Chris sale mowed down 8 while lasting 6 innings in a monstrous 14-1 win. This brings their season record to 9-1 while New York is sitting at 5-6 ( 4.5 games back.)

Mookie Betts went 4-4 while hitting a grand slam and collecting 4 rbis and drawing a walk. Hanley extended his hit streak to 8 games with a pair of hits and grabbing 3 rbis. To round off the top three hitters Andrew Benintendi went 2-3 with a triple and 3 rbis.

Luis Severino (2-1) now posts a 3.50 era with 20 strikeouts on the season. He had a rough night from the jump, his command was never well placed, and he never had the Red Sox hitters second guessing. His opponent, Chris Sale (1-0) now sports a 1.06 era while tallying 23 strike outs on the season. Sale had a polar opposite night than Luis, with great command and sending multiple Yankee fans home depressed.

Aaron Judge hit the Yankees only run in a 444 foot home run over center field. Giancarlo Stanton went 2-4 while striking out twice and notching a double out by the Green Monster. With Xander Bogaerts slated for the 10 day dl, Brock Holt and Tsu-Wei-Lin stepped in for the shortstop. Both infielders providing great defense in tonight’s win.

Wednesday’s match-up is slated for 7:10 pm with the Sox sending David Price ( 1-0) 0.00 era, against New York’s Masahiro Tanaka (1-1) 2.92 era in what should be a good match up. With Alex Cora keeping his powerful lineup well rested, it’s only a matter of time until we see which line up is sent out to the field tomorrow night. It’s Boston vs. New York round 2, with only 18 more meetings on the season, every game counts towards first place.

Will the Yankees & Red Sox Rivalry Return?

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Will These Red Sox – Yankees Games Put People to Sleep?

Let’s take a look at the history of the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry. Honestly, after 2003-2004, the whole rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees became boring. ESPN has every single Sunday Night Baseball game the Red Sox and Yankees play. They must think the rivalry is back because of the power hitters the Yankees have. Lately, though, Stanton has struck out more times in a weekend than any player has in a season. It’s still early though, and we can make excuses that he’s used to the warm weather from playing in Miami.

Via Cincinnati Enquirer

The feel of the 2003-2004 season may never happen again, or will it? As we head to another series between these two teams, we ask ourselves will these games live up to the hype. Will Stanton hit the ball over the wall a lot? Or will the pitching staff of the Red Sox shut down the powerhouse hitting Yankees? Nothing will ever compete to the 2003-2004 seasons when the Red Sox and Yankees would have bad blood every time. The Jeter, Posada, and Rivera moments were classic. For the Red Sox, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz coming up in clutch moments were the best.

Via FOX 61

The Rivalry Could Be Back on Tonight

Everyone wants to see that kind of fire going into this rivalry again. I remember one time on Sunday Night Baseball they literally showed a fan sleeping in the stands at a Yankees – Red Sox game. I want the rivalry to have that fire it used to have. Both teams are pretty much done rebuilding, and the power hitter J.D. Martinez could be the difference maker in the late innings of a close game. I’ll be disappointed if this series between these two teams is a dud. So starting tonight let’s hope the bad blood and rivalry is back.

Playoff Preview: Boston vs. Toronto

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How the Regular Season Ended

The Bruins’ regular season didn’t end as many would have liked. They lost four of their last five games, including their regular season finale with first place on the line. The Bruins did not show the same dominance they had earlier in the season. This has left some wondering if they should be worried about this team with the playoffs set to begin Thursday against Toronto.

Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images

Injury Bug

As the Bruins’ season came to a close, it seemed as if everyone was battling an injury. There is a good chance the Bruins will see the return of three key players on Thursday: Rick and Riley Nash, and Sean Kuraly. With the exception of Brandon Carlo, this team will be at full strength for the first time in a while. When the Bruins acquired Rick Nash it gave them a more dangerous second and third line. With the return of these three players, the Bruins become a much deeper team. This team was a force when fully healthy. However, the second half the season saw their performance dip as many key players were injured. This forced Cassidy to juggle the lines just as everything seemed to be firing on all cylinders.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/ Michael Dwyer

Importance of Tuukka Rask Against Toronto

In the playoffs the play of Tuukka Rask will be key. In order for the Bruins to advance, he will need to have a dominant performance. Rask hasn’t shown that dominant form lately, as in his last three starts he’s allowed eleven goals. He now has a couple of days of rest. This playoff run could define his time in Boston. He has been heavily criticized for his play in clutch moments, and is still defined by the 2013 Stanley Cup, when the Bruins collapsed in the final two minutes of Game 6. As a result, the Bruins watched the Blackhawks celebrate a championship on their home ice.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/ Michael Dwyer

Last Playoff Series Between Toronto and Boston

The last time Toronto and Boston faced off in the playoffs was in the 2013- 2014 season. Bruins fans remember that season fondly as the Boston made history. Facing a three goal deficit, the B’s became the first NHL team to win a Game 7 after trailing by three goals in the third period. This series will be filed with many exciting moments. The Bruins will not want to find themselves in that position again.

Photo Credit: Brian Babineau/ Getty Images

What to Expect for the Stanley Cup Playoffs

With this team fully healthy they should put on a better performance than they have as late. When healthy they have been dangerous because of their depth and style of play. These players will be motivated, as the Bruins will be looking to advance past the first round for the first time since their magical comeback against Toronto five years ago. All season this team has had a knack for coming up big with the odds against them. It all begins Thursday, and this team will be determined to end this season with a championship.

On This Day in Red Sox History: Big Mo’s Grand Slam

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April 10, 1998, arguably the most memorable Red Sox home opener ever. The Mariners came to town, with both teams off to a 3-5 start to the season. The two teams had already played a three game set in Seattle, with the Mariners taking two out of three. The Red Sox looked to get back at them in the friendly confines of Fenway Park.

Pitcher’s Duel Early

The Mariners sent their ace to the mound, The Big Unit, Randy Johnson. Johnson was coming off a 20 win season during which he struck out 291 batters and posted a 2.28 ERA. He had reasserted himself as the most dominant left-hander in the game after an injury plagued 1996 season. For the Red Sox, top prospect Brian Rose would oppose Johnson on the mound. Rose was ranked as the number 22 prospect in all of baseball before the season by Baseball America.

Both pitchers were cruising early. Johnson struck out the side in the first, navigating around a one out double by John Valentin and a Mo Vaughn hit by pitch. Johnson then struck out two more in the second. Rose struck out two of his own in the second and didn’t allow his first hit until the third. In the bottom of the 4th, with a man on and two outs, Damon Buford took a 3-2 Randy Johnson offering up over the Green Monster for the first Fenway home run of the season. The Red Sox had a 2-0 lead after four despite seven strike outs.

Damon Buford gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead with his home run in the 4th.

Red Sox Falter

22 year old Brian Rose pitched admirably for the Sox in their home opener. Rose went five shutout innings, allowing just three hits before running out of steam in the sixth. An RBI double by Edgar Martinez to score two runs with just one out in the sixth knocked Rose from the game. An error led to a third Mariners run of the inning and the Red Sox found themselves trailing with the formidable Randy Johnson on the mound. Johnson cruised, striking out two more in the sixth and two in the eighth.

The Mariners scored twice more in the eighth to extend their lead to 5-2. Closer Tom Gordon came on for the Sox in the 9th despite the three run deficit; it didn’t go well. Gordon allowed two more runs while only retiring one batter before being relieved by Rich Garces. The Sox found themselves trailing 7-2 with just half an inning to go.

Randy Johnson had 15 strike outs over 8 innings. (Photo by Mitchell Layton)

Epic Comeback

Randy Johnson was absolutely dealing, striking out 15 Red Sox over his eight innings. However, having thrown 132 pitches, he wasn’t coming back out for the ninth. The Mariners bullpen had been struggling to protect leads in recent seasons, but five runs was a big lead. They started with former Red Sox, the ultimate disaster that was known as Heathcliff Slocumb. If ever the Red Sox were going to make a comeback, facing Slocumb was a great place to start.

Troy O’Leary pinch-hit for Damon Buford with a broken-bat single. O’Leary’s first son had been born the day before and he had not been back with the team for long before the game. Another player just joining the team, Mark Lemke, drew a walk in his first game with the team to put the first two men on base. A run-scoring double by Darren Bragg made Lou Piniella decide he’d had enough of Slocumb. After a bit of gamesmanship, Mike Benjamin drew a walk versus lefty-specialist Tony Fossas and the bases were loaded, still no one out.

Another pitching change brought Mike Timlin into the game. That’s former Red Sox, former Red Sox, future Red Sox for Mariners 9th inning pitchers. Nomar Garciaparra lined a 2-strike pitch into center for another run scored; 7-4. On a 3-2 pitch, Timlin clipped Valentin with a pitch to bring another run home. Another pitcher down, zero outs recorded, and the ever dangerous Mo Vaughn strolling to the plate. Fenway was rocking.

Piniella called upon another lefty-specialist in Paul Spoljaric, hoping to give Mo fits with the lefty look. After all, Mo had struck out three times against Randy Johnson that afternoon. Spoljaric got ahead with a first pitch strike, but he wouldn’t sneak another one past Mo.

Down 7-2 entering the bottom of the 9th, the Sox scored 7 runs without making an out in an incredible comeback capped by perennial MVP candidate Mo Vaughn’s grand slam. Among games from the nineties, this game sticks out as one of the first in my mind. The most memorable home opener I can remember, and possibly in team history.

Featured picture courtesy of Bostonglobe.com

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Red Sox vs. Yankees Preview

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Red Sox vs Yankees, one of the greatest rivalries in sports is about to continue on Tuesday. This could be a preview for the AL East Division title match-up throughout the year, and the games should be fun to watch. The games were a thrill last year, with the Yankees taking eleven in the series.

Preview

The series will last three games, going from Tuesday to Thursday. The Red Sox will come in at 8-1, which is first in the AL East. The Yankees will come in at 5-5, ranking third in the division. The probable pitchers are Sale and Severino in game one, Price against Tanaka in game two, and Porcello vs Gray in the finale. Xander Bogaerts was placed on the ten day DL, but the teams should be at full strength. First-year managers Alex Cora and Aaron Boone will be going at it for the first time.

What’s at Stake for the Red Sox

The Red Sox are 8-1, but they have played easy competition. The Marlins and Rays are unlikely to win more than 70 games, so the Red Sox must prove themselves. The Red Sox have not blown out the easy competition either. Six of the eight wins have been by two runs or less. One of those wins took extra innings, and another took a sixth run eighth inning.

The Red Sox lineup has been average at best so far, and they will be put to the test against a tough three starters. Comebacks will be unlikely, as the Yankees have the lethal 7-8-9 pairing of Robertson, Betances, and Chapman. Xander Bogaerts has been the best hitter in the lineup so far this season, and the Red Sox will need to find a way to score without him. Hitters who are struggling such as Jackie Bradley Jr. (115 avg), Andrew Benintendi (161 avg), and J.D. Martinez (226 avg) will all have to step up.

The rotation has been dominant so far, but the Yankees’ lineup will put that to the test. Luckily for the Sox, they have their three best starters going for them in the series. If the offense fails to produce runs, then the Sox will have to find ways to grind out wins. The bullpen has been shaky aside from Kimbrel, and they still do not have a determined eighth-inning man. If the games are tough and low scoring, then the Red Sox bullpen will have to win games.

What’s at Stake for the Yankees

The Yankees have been disappointing this year, with the offense to blame for the most part. Giancarlo Stanton has been the most notable, with twenty strikeouts in 42 at-bats. Aaron Judge has not been much better, with 13 strikeouts in 38 at-bats. If the games are low scoring, then the Yankees will have to grind out enough runs, and they have not shown the ability to do that. The Yankees are a team with a lot of power, but they are also screwed when they are not mashing the ball over the ballpark. The average pitching rotation has to be superb, and the offense has to find a way to score without many players that hit for average.

Don’t Overreact Either Way

The series will be exciting, but at the end of the day, it’s just the fourth series of the year. If they win or lose every game by 30 runs, not much can be taken out of the games because much will change from now until September. My prediction is that the Red Sox will take ⅔, with them winning the first and last games.

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

Alex Cora Is The Right Guy For The Job

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Alex Cora Is off to a Great Start

Alex Cora is doing a pretty good job managing the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have started out at 8-1 for the best start in franchise history. Cora came here to bring a young vibe to the clubhouse. It was clear John Farrell needed to go and that there needed to be a fresh voice in the clubhouse. Now you can say over the last nine game the Red Sox have played Triple-A teams between the Rays and Marlins. However, the powerhouse Yankees who are 5-5 have been struggling and they come to town Tuesday.

Alex Cora spoke highly of his team yesterday after the eighth inning comeback win. He said, “They’re fun to watch, they’re cool to watch. I’m sitting there like, ‘Wow, this is great,’ you know? It wasn’t a great game as a team, but it takes 27 outs to beat us, and they proved it.” Cora also is taken by the confidence this team as shown saying “I don’t know if that group needs confidence down there. , they’re playing, they don’t really know what’s going on. They’re just playing baseball and having fun with it. They prepare themselves, and they go out and every team plays hard but they’re just having fun right now.”

Via Twitter

Cora also said that they’ve been playing great for a month. Even though spring training doesn’t count, it’s still good they’ve been playing great baseball. Cora said, “We’ve been playing good baseball for a month now. And I know spring training doesn’t count, I know the record doesn’t count, but we were playing good baseball. We were playing fast, we were catching the ball, and we were pitching. And regardless if it was Fort Myers or here or Tampa, it doesn’t matter. When you play good baseball, you have good results.” Not taking anything away from them, however, let’s see how this Red Sox team does with better match-ups. So far they’re off to a great start.

Should Alex Guerrero Be Allowed to Work with the Patriots?

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(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Alex Guerrero: Health Guru / Locker Room Menace

This past season for the New England Patriots was filled with more drama involving its own clubhouse than I can ever remember in recent history. The drama started to unfold when Seth Wickersham cited a rift between Kraft, Belichick, and Tom Brady. The drama stemmed back to one man: Alex Guerrero.

For those not familiar with Mr. Guerrero, he is Tom Brady’s trainer, health guru, close personal friend, and now ENEMY of Bill Belichick. The Wickersham report basically stated that Belichick was unhappy with Guerrero’s presence in the clubhouse and on the sidelines, which ultimately lead to a ban him from being associated with the Patriots. To no one’s surprise this did not settle well with TB12, who loves having this guy around. Let’s face it, he played an ENORMOUS role in saving Tom’s career.

SIDE NOTE – Not sure if anyone noticed in Tom vs Time, but EVERY TIME Brady got treatment at the Patriots facility, it appeared to be on a massage bed in some sort of luxury suite.

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Should He Be Allowed to Work with the Team?

The question football fans have surrounding this situation is an easy one: is Bill taking this entire situation too far? My answer is simple. Yes, he is going WAY too far with this one, and usually I don’t question The Hoodie (unless it comes to sitting Malcolm in the Super Bowl). But I have to question this decision from an outsider’s standpoint.

It has been speculated that not only Tom, but other Patriot players have reached out to Alex for help with battling injuries or his health methods. Guys like Jimmy G, Gronk, Julian Edelman, and now Malcolm Mitchell have been reported as other players seeking for Guerrero’s guidance and methods. Don’t get me wrong, I can understand Bill’s perspective behind banning Alex from the locker room because he doesn’t want to undermine the trainers. But guess what Bill: TIMES CHANGE, METHODS CHANGE, THINGS CHANGE. If certain guys want to enhance their health and ability to perform on the field and for the good of the team, then let them. Nothing wrong with new methods.

Malcolm Mitchell, Julian Edelman, and Rob Gronkowski do have something in common with Tom Brady, and that is INJURIES. These three guys knew beforehand about Tom tearing his ACL and also being 40 years of age, yet still playing at the highest level imaginable. Why wouldn’t these guys want to seek help from the same man who put Tom’s health and training over the edge? With Julian tearing his ACL too, and the numerous injuries Gronkowski has sustained, why wouldn’t they want to get better and improve for the long-term? It’s a NO BRAINER! Let these guys do what they have to do! And let’s immediately get them some avocado ice cream!

photo credit- @OnlyInBos

Closing Argument

Since working with Guerrero, Tom Brady has been an absolute mad man. A man on a mission. An old dog still in the fight, and off his chain. The last thing I want to do is upset the Greatest of All Time. Brady has credited his recent success in large part to Alex and the worth ethic that he has. A no days off mentality, and boy has it showed. Tom is going to be 41 and is still THE BEST QB in the NFL.

I 100% back Tom in this decision and hope Bill doesn’t ruin relationships over Alex and his methods. Alex should just be hired by the team and guys who want to train with him can do so. There’d be no chastising like Rob Gronkowski dealt with in a locker room incident. Tom, Bill, and Robert Kraft have built a legacy together here in New England. One can only assume they won’t let a trainer get in between that and ruin another Super Bowl run… Or a friendship

BOTTOM LINE- Dont piss off the GOAT !

Opening Weekend 2018 was a Success for the Sox

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Red Sox Home Opener- Thursday

Opening Day at Fenway finally arrived. David Ortiz and Aly Raisman yelled “play ball”, and Sox Nation rose to their feet. David Price had yet another successful game. Still with a 0.00 ERA, he held off runs for all seven innings he pitched. The frigid temperature couldn’t hold the Sox back from winning their home opener. The game was lacking any action until the seventh inning, when Tampa scored two runs. Then the eighth inning rolled around, and the Sox were running out of time… or so you thought. The Red Sox came back in the eighth inning to tie the game. Extra innings approached, and Fenway was still alive. Now into the 12th inning, Fenway started to heat up. Bases were loaded with Hanley Ramirez up at bat. Hanley hit a fly ball towards center field to carry in Mookie Betts to win the game 3-2. Bobby Poyner made his first appearance and struck out three Rays.

The Sox Grand Slam Has Arrived – Saturday

Xander Bogaerts has been on fire. He ended Saturday’s game with six RBI’s, and the coveted honor of hitting the first grand slam since September of 2016. Then, J.D. Martinez finally hit a long-awaited home run over the Monster. The defense was playing in a way that is something the organization could get used to. Jackie Bradley Jr. continued to show his strength in the outfield, along with a solid resume for a Gold Glove. Rick Porcello continued the great pitching from the starters, striking out seven of Tampa Bay Rays players. With Bogaerts’s grand slam, the Rays began to run through their bullpen. Ending the game at 10-3, the Red Sox were up 7-1 and still first in the AL East.

“He’s been an unbelievable hitter every year, Now he’s doing it with power. He’s a big threat at the plate. He always had that ability.” said Rick Porcello on Xander’s hitting.

“We can do that often. We feel we have a good offensive team. It’s just a matter of time,” said Alex Cora on the Red Sox defense.

The Best Comeback – Sunday

Eduardo Rodriguez made his official debut for the season. And Boston came back from a five run deficit. Up until the eighth inning, the Sox lineup had only gotten four hits. With six runs in the eighth, the Red Sox took the lead. Andrew Benintendi finally had his game winning moment. Hitting an RBI to bring in Mookie Betts, Benintendi hit to the warning track. For the first time in franchise history, the Red Sox are on an eight game win streak, with an 8-1 record so far. A final score of 8-7 the Sox swept the Rays at Fenway to prepare for the Yankees. Unfortunately, Xander Bogaerts was taken off the field with an ankle injury, which placed him on the DL, and Tzu Wei Lin was called up.

“First of all we pushed them to bring him in early. After that it was good at-bat after good at-bat. It was fun to watch.” said Cora.

“He’s human, so everybody can kind of go through a stretch. But we’re some good hitters, too,” Betts said. “I think it’s a mix of us putting together some good at-bats and putting some pressure and making him make pitches.”

Sources

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ESPN

On This Day in Red Sox History: April 8, 1969

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On April 8, 1969, the Red Sox opened their season down at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium. With the new season returned a beloved face to the Red Sox lineup, as Tony Conigliaro began his comeback from the beaning in August of 1967. With his return to a lineup already including Carl Yastrzemski, Reggie Smith, Rico Petrocelli and George Scott, there was plenty of optimism for the Sox.

Opening Matchup

The Red Sox would send Jim Lonborg to the mound for the opener. They hoped for a return to his 1967 form where Lonborg won the Cy Young Award. His 1968 season had been marred by injury and disappointment. He was opposed by the Orioles 1968 breakout star, Dave McNally. McNally had won 22 games the previous season while posting a minuscule 1.95 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. The Orioles lineup featured sluggers Frank Robinson and Boog Powell. They also had glove wizards Brooks Robinson, Mark Belanger and Paul Blair, who would win 32 Gold Gloves between them.

The Red Sox would lead off Reggie Smith, bat Carl Yastrzemski third, and in his return to the lineup, Tony Conigliaro batted fifth. Rico Petrocelli, who would break out that year with 40 home runs, an American League shortstop record at the time, batted seventh.

Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium

The Early Innings

The Red Sox didn’t take long to get on the board for the season. Carl Yastrzemski followed a Reggie Smith walk and Mike Andrews single with an RBI double. The Sox quickly squandered an opportunity for a big inning though. Hawk Harrelson popped out to the catcher, bringing up Tony Conigliaro for his first at-bat back, two men in scoring position. Conigliaro struck out. George Scott then popped out and the threat was over.

The Red Sox would add another run in the third, but again wasted a prime opportunity for more runs. A Hawk Harrelson single scored Yastrzemski to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. After back-to-back walks to Conigliaro and George Scott, the Red Sox had the bases loaded with one out. Earl Weaver pulled his ace for Dave Leonhard, and Leonhard got out of the jam with no more harm done.

After cruising through the first two innings, Lonborg allowed a home run to the light-hitting Mark Belanger. Belanger was a wizard in the field, but only hit 20 career home runs. Lonborg then departed the game after walking Don Buford with 2 outs. This was not a good sign for a pitcher who had missed time with injury the previous season. Lonborg wouldn’t pitch again for 17 days, after which he missed another month.

Bullpens Hold Serve

With both teams into their bullpens early, they actually traded zeroes for a while. Both teams were held scoreless in each of the next four innings to enter the eighth with the Red Sox ahead 2-1. Dave Leonhard had pitched 2.2 shutout innings for Baltimore. In the top of the eighth, Dick Hall set the Red Sox down 1-2-3 for his third consecutive shutout inning.

For the Red Sox, Lee Stange had been holding down the fort since Jim Lonborg was replaced. Going into his fifth inning of work though, the Orioles finally got to him for a run to tie the game. Stange ran into a bit more trouble in the bottom of the ninth, but Sparky Lyle came on to induce an inning ending double play and send the game to extras.

Lee Stange allowed just 1 run over 5.2 innings of relief.

Extra Innings

With the game headed to extra frames, Tony Conigliaro had the chance to be an extra-inning hero in his return. He came up against Pete Richert with a man on base thanks to an error to begin the 10th. The local boy and fan favorite did not miss this opportunity.

Conigliaro’s home run in his remarkable return put the Red Sox ahead by two in the tenth. However, the Orioles were not ready to admit defeat.

Red Sox left-handed relief ace Sparky Lyle had gotten the Red Sox out of trouble in the ninth, but he ran into his own problems in the tenth. With two outs, he faced Frank Robinson with a man on thanks to a Don Buford walk. Frank Robinson was coming off a down year and was hitless on the day, but this was a man who had 418 career home runs to that point in his career. Robinson took Lyle deep to left-center and out of the stadium to tie the game, ruining the chance for Conigliaro to have a game-winning home run in his return.

Conigliaro the Hero in His Return

After trading zeroes in the 11th, Tony Conigliaro was the leadoff batter in the 12th for the Red Sox. He worked a walk to get his way on base. George Scott followed with a single and Rico Petrocelli drew another walk to load the bases. With a man out, the Red Sox sent up Dalton Jones to pinch-hit for the pitcher. Jones hit a fly ball to right deep enough for Conigliaro to tag and score the go-ahead run.

With the 5-4 lead, the Red Sox sent Juan Pizarro to the mound to try and close out the victory. He had to face Frank Robinson with another chance to tie it, but got him to fly out. He set the Orioles down in order to preserve the Red Sox 5-4 victory. Tony Conigliaro was the hero in his return, reaching base four times, hitting a 2-run home run in the 10th and scoring the game-winning run in the 12th.

Tony Conigliaro Joe Lahoud, Russ Gibson and Ed Popowski of the Boston Red Sox leave the field following their defeat of the Baltimore Orioles on Apr. 8, 1969 (Photo by Frank O’Brien/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Featured image from the Lowell Sun.