Sox 67

The first sign that Billy Rohr’s fame might be short-lived appeared on April 29. Given a 2-0 lead by the Sox over the last-place Kansas City A’s, Rohr surrendered 5 runs in the third and lasted only 3 innings as the Sox took a wild 11-10 decision in 15 innings on Jose Tartabull’s pinch-hit two-run single.

According to Clif Keane, Rohr “had the sniffles and nothing on the ball.” Dick Green’s grand slam in the third gave KC a 5-2 lead, but the Sox bounced back with 6 in their half, sparked by three singles and Reggie Smith’s double. Reliever Lee Stange then gave up a three-run blast to Danny Cater to make the count 9-8 after five, and the Athletics tied it in the seventh on former Soxer Jim Gosger’s pinch double. It stayed 9-9 until the fifteenth, and the contest featured two very long relief jobs- 5 2/3 innings by John Wyatt and 8 1/3 by KC’s Jack Aker. Wyatt allowed only 2 hits in his stint before giving way to Don McMahon, the eventual lucky winner.

Kansas City appeared to have it won after McMahon gave up a homer to Rick Monday in the top of the fifteenth. Though he had already thrown 8 scoreless innings, manager Al Dark left Aker in to pitch in the bottom half, and it cost him as Tartabull’s bases-loaded single with one out sent what was left of the 9700 fans home happy. The Sox had 15 hits, including 3 each by Tony C and George Scott.

The game tied the Sox for first place, but it didn’t last. Cater, who later would come to the Sox in the infamous trade for Sparky Lyle, homered in the second for the only run in the 1-0 series finale. “Bat Day” drew over 31,000 fans to Fenway; promotions like this one have long since been unnecessary to fill the park.

The Townies began a West Coast road trip in good fashion, as Dennis Bennett backed a six-hit 4-0 shutout over the Angels with a three-run homer. Boston did all its scoring in the fourth, beginning with a solo homer by Scott. After a Rico Petrocelli single and walk, Bennett connected with a 400-foot blast. That was all the funky southpaw needed. The Sox banged out 11 hits, including 3 each by Rico and Dalton Jones.

As a sidelight, during the same week, the Toronto Maple Leafs beat Montreal for their 13th Stanley Cup, dating back to 1917. Sadly, the Leafs haven’t even made it to the finals in the past 45 years.