‘99 Sahx win with Dau-bauch’s against the wall vs ‘61 TIgers

GAME 1 : 61 Detroit @ 99 Boston

Detroit 18-0

WP: Don Mossi (1-0) LP: Bret Saberhagen (0-1)

HR: Norm Cash (1), Rocky Colavito 2(5), Dick Brown (2)

Don Mossi (9 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 K) didn't need much support but the Tigers decided to beat up any pitcher Boston sent to the mound in a brutal,unrelenting 24 hit, 18 run attack. The Tigers scored 3+ runs in 4 separate innings paced by Al Kaline (3-5, 3 Rbi), Norm Cash (3-6, 5 Rbi), Rocky Colavito (4-6, 2 HR, 3 Rbi) and Dick Brown (5-6, 4 Rbi). The only solace the beaten Red Sox felt was that as bad as it was it only counted as 1 loss.

GAME 2: 61 Detroit @ 99 Boston

Boston 10-5

WP: Ramon Martinez (1-1) LP: Frank Lary (1-1)

HR: Norm Cash (2), Troy O’Leary (2)

It was the Red Sox turn to beat up opposing pitchers in game 2. Boston jumped on Frank Lary early with 4 runs in the 2nd and 2 more in the 3rd thanks to a Darren Lewis 2 run triple and Troy O’Leary 2 run homer. Detroit got right back into the game with 5 runs in the 4th. The Tigers threatened to tie or go ahead in that inning after a scoring 4 but Ramon Martinez came up big with a K of Al Kaline with runners on 1st and 2nd. Boston made sure a comeback wasn't in the cards for Detroit by adding 4 huge insurance runs on in the bottom o the 5th. The key hit coming when Jose Offerman triples with the bases loaded, clearing the bases and ending the night of Lary. Ramon Martinez (6 IP, 7 H, 5 R) was not very good, but Rich Garces and Derek Lowe pitched 3 scoreless innings to help Boston even the series.

GAME 3: 99 Boston @ 61 Detroit

Boston 4-0

WP: Pedro Martinez (2-1) LP: Jim Bunning (1-1)

HR: Jason Varitek (1)

Even the potent 1961 Detroit Tiger lineup was no match for Pedro Martinez on this night. Pedro went 8 dominant innings, allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks while fanning 8 tiger hitters. The Sox got the Hall of Famer 2 runs in the 2nd and 2 more in the 4th off of fellow Cooperstown inductee Jim Bunning. Jason Varitek not only caught the Martinez gem but provided most of the offense with a 2 run homer in the 4th and a sacrifice fly in the 2nd. Rod Beck closed it out with a 1-2-3 9th inning to push the Tigers to the brink of elimination.

GAME 4: 99 Boston @ 61 Detroit

Detroit 6-5

WP: Terry Fox (2-0) LP: Rich Garces (0-1)

HR: Brian Daubach (3), Norm Cash (3)

With their backs up against the wall, Detroit turned to Paul Foytack to pitch them to a game 5 trip back to Boston. The Red Sox struck first with a solo homer by Brian Daubach in the 4th. The lead was short lived as Detroit responded with 3 in the bottom of the inning sparked by a big 2 out, 2 run single by Al Kaline. The score remained 3-1 until the Tigers added another run in the bottom of the 7th when Norm Cash drilled a leadoff homer. However, Boston would not go down easily, bouncing right back with a huge 4 run 8th to take a 5-4 lead. The big hit being the 2 run triple by Wilton Veras. Boston could feel a series victory was within reach and sent Rich Garces out in the bottom of the 8th to protect the 1 run lead. A lead off double by Charlie Maxwell was a rude welcoming for El Guapo. Jake Wood followed with a single but Maxwell was held at 3rd. A groundout would move Wood to 2nd, which then lead to an intentional walk of Al Kaline to load the bases with 1 down. Unfortunately, Garces could not find the strike zone against Norm Cash which forced in the tying run. Garces bucked down and was able to get Rocky Colavito to ground into an inning ending double play but the damage had already been down. Terry Fox threw retired the Red Sox in order in the top of the 9th, putting the pressure on Garces in the bottom of the 9th. Steve Boros got right down to business with a lead off double to drive Garces from the game bringing in Derek Lowe. Lowe retired Dick Brown and then walked Bill Bruton to set up the force out looking for Bubba Morton to bounce into an inning ending double play. Lowe thought he had done his job when Morton bounced a 1-1 sinker to second baseman Jose Offerman. The ball, however, bounced off the glove of Offerman loading the bases with 1 out. With the infield drawn in, Jake wood drove a ball deep enough into left field to allow Boros to score easily with the winning run.

GAME 5: 61 Detroit @ 99 Boston

Boston 5-4

WP: Rod Beck (2-0) LP: Terry Fox (2-1)

HR: Norm Cash (4), Nomar Garciaparra (1)

In a pitching rematch from Game 1’s 18-0 beating, a better outing from Bret Saberhagen was going to be needed if Boston would pull the series upset over heavily favored Detroit. Saberhagen was better than in game 1 but still left the game trailing 4-1 in the 6th inning. Don Mossi was solid again for Detroit. But, despite being staked to a 3 run lead heading into the bottom of the 8th thanks to another Norm Cash HR and 2 bases loaded walks by Rheal Cormier, Mossi could not hold off a desperate Boston lineup. Nomar Garciaparra finally came through with a big hit in the series, drilling a 1-0 Mossi change up over the Green Monster for a 2 run homer pulling the Sox with in a run. Mossi did settle down and got out of the 8th still clinging to the 4-3 lead. After his team failed to add to its lead in the top of the 9th, Mossi was sent back out to close the series out. A Troy O’Leary single proved to be the end of the night for Mossi as the call went to Terry Fox to close it out. Trot Nixon sacrificed pinch runner Darren Lewis to 2nd. Pinch-hitter Reggie Jefferson lined a game tying shot to right center and advanced to 2nd on the play at the plate. Speedster Donnie Sadler was put in as the game winning run at 2nd base. An intentional walk to Jose Offerman set the stage for Brian Daubach. Dauber was up to the challenge sending a 2-2 fastball from Fox off the wall in the right field corner scoring Sadler easily from 2nd base.

--submitted by Peter Daly--