O’Connell’s farm system was beginning to yeild results. A promising rookie pitcher named Carlton Fisk. Young pitchers Bill Lee (in his pre-Spaceman days), John Curtis, and Lynn McGlothen. Beginning on July 1, Sox hurlers pitched 5 consecutive complete games, a feat unheard-of in these days of pitch counts. The pitchers were Tiant, McGlothen, Curtis, Marty Pattin, and Ray Culp.
The Sox hung around .500 for several more weeks. Then a seven-game winning streak got them going. Baltimore was having a rare off-year, and the division was up for grabs. On August 1, they were still 7 games behind Detroit, but that would change. Kasko was learning. When the brash, talented rookie Fisk claimed the team was not getting leadership from Yaz and Reggie Smith, the manager sat them down and worked it out.
By August 25, the Sox were definitely in the race, and Tiant was the main reason. On Jimmy Fund Night, he helped bring 32,000 fans into Fenway, the biggest crowd of the year. Luis obliged, shutting out Texas 4-0. Clif Keane wrote in the Globe that “Tiant is the guy the Sox picked up for a few cigars (one of Luis’ trademarks), some Mexican food, and a small salary a year ago. Now he is 8-4 and probably the best pitcher on the Boston staff.” The win pushed the Sox into a streak-they won 18 of their next 25, including a three-game home sweep of the Yankees. On Sunday, September 24, a 7-2 complete game win for Tiant before 34,000 at Fenway gave the team a split in their four-game series with Detroit and put them in first place, a game over the Tigers including two in the loss column.
On the 29th, in their last home game, Curtis defeated Kansas City 3-1 to put the Sox a game and a half ahead with 6 more left, all on the road. Unfortunately, three would be in Baltimore (still in the race) and three with the ever-looming Tigers.
The Sox did their part in games 1 and 2 at Memorial Stadium, predecessor to Camden Yards. Tiant outpitched Jim Palmer for a 4-2 win decided by Yaz’s tenth inning homer. “I watched it sail over just as I was headed for second base. ‘Yeah!’ I shouted and exuberently raised my right hand,” Yaz wrote. “At that moment, I felt we were number one.”
The O’s were now eliminated, but the Tigers won and remained very much alive. Even after a Sox victory in game 2 featuring another Yaz homer, Detroit won again. They would keep going. On getaway day, McGlothen and the Sox lost a tough 2-1 decision to 18-game winner Mike Cuellar. It was now down to three in Detroit-the team that won 2 of the 3 contests would take the division. Due to a player strike at the beginning of the year, the Tigers had played one more game than the Sox, but the players-for some unknown reason-had voted not to make up the missed contests, even in the event of a close race.
(I still have one more part to go)
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